Lafayette's Empty Bank Corner on Public Road Is Getting a Second Act

One of the most closely watched buildings in Old Town Lafayette right now has been empty since 2024. It's the former Chase Bank at 200 N. Public Road, where Public meets Geneseo Street. In about a year, the City bought it, residents weighed in on three proposals for it, and a bookstore that has spent six years on a side street was picked to move in. The deal isn't signed yet. Even so, it already explains why the 200 block of North Public Road has become the center of Old Town this fall.

Why the City Bought a Bank Building

In fall 2025, the City of Lafayette and the Lafayette Urban Renewal Authority bought two properties together. One was the bank building at 200 N. Public Road. The other was the surface lot at 108 N. Public Road, which has 35 public parking spaces and has served downtown since 2016. The two parcels were listed for sale as a package. The City's stated reasons for buying them were to secure public parking and to put a prominent downtown building back to use.

The City's project page assigns the two parcels different jobs. The lot stays a city asset for public parking and for uses like the Lafayette Farmers Market and seasonal pop-ups. For the bank building, the City wanted a business that generates sales tax and fits with what's already downtown, to strengthen Old Town as Lafayette's central business district.

Because the parking stays public, the Sunday market and the lot around it don't depend on what goes into the building. The question was which business would anchor the corner next to it.

Three Proposals and About 1,800 Survey Responses

The City received three offers to buy the nearly 9,000-square-foot building, which was listed at $1.6 million. Grant Hopfenspirger, owner of Lafayette's Teocalli Cocina, proposed a community restaurant and beer garden. The Arts Hub and Urban West Group proposed splitting the building into four separate uses. The Read Queen Bookstore & Cafe proposed moving its whole operation there.

Residents could watch a short video from each applicant on the Lafayette Listens site and answer questions through early July. The survey drew about 1,800 responses, according to Lafayette Economic Development Director Brigid Keating, and The Read Queen got the most support. On August 4, 2026, City Council authorized staff to begin negotiations with the bookstore. The proposal calls for a flagship store with more retail space, room for community events, outdoor gathering areas and year-round activity.

Barbra Huntting and Deirdre Appelhans opened The Read Queen in 2020, during the pandemic, at 129 N. Harrison Ave. Huntting told the council the store has run out of room for the events, book clubs and programs it already hosts. Appelhans explained why the Public Road location matters to them:

"It took a good two-plus years to really get established because we were off the beaten path. We weren't on Public, and honestly it's been one of our dreams to be on Public since the day we opened."

Their current landlord, Kurt Munding, spoke in support of the move. "They've been our favorite tenant we've ever had," he told the council. Keating described the proposal as a chance to reuse an existing building and help a local business grow. "Small business support and retention is key," she said.

In March, the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce gave the store its Community Impact Award.

Where the Deal Stands in Early October

Here's what's confirmed and what isn't as of October 3, 2026:

• Confirmed: Council authorized negotiations on August 4, and City staff and The Read Queen are working out terms.
• Expected: The City says a purchase-and-sale agreement will go back to Council "this fall."
• Not yet scheduled: The agreement wasn't on the September 15 regular meeting agenda or the posted October 6 agenda.
• Unknown: The final sale price and an opening date. The $1.6 million figure in news coverage was the listing price, not a negotiated price.

Keating told the council that staff expects negotiations to succeed. Until the agreement is approved, The Read Queen stays at 129 N. Harrison Ave., and that's where its fall events are happening.

The Block Was Already Filling In

The bank building sits in the middle of a cluster that was already active before the bookstore deal.

Remi's Cajun Creole Cafe opened this summer at 211 N. Public Road. Axios Boulder describes it as a 60-seat restaurant with cocktails and live music. At 201 N. Public Road, The Collective is hosting the City's Día de los Muertos exhibit through November 8, presented by the City's Arts and Cultural Resources Department. The Lafayette Farmers Market sets up on Public Road between Cleveland and Geneseo streets, and Geneseo is the cross street at the bank corner.

So within a few doors of the bank building there's a new restaurant, a city-run gallery space and the north end of the Sunday market. A bookstore with event space and outdoor seating would add another reason to stop on that block.

There's activity at the south end of Public Road too, but on a longer timeline. Daily Grains plans a bakery focused on artisan breads and baked goods at 707 S. Public Road. It filed its building-permit application in July, and its September 20 update said the City had just returned the first round of comments. It hasn't announced an opening date.

Old Town's Calendar Through December

Most of what's on Old Town's schedule this fall is within walking distance of Public and Geneseo.

pARTiculars describes itself as a cooperative of 25 local artists and offers workshops and demos alongside its Second Friday evenings. The Día de los Muertos exhibit itself runs until November 8, a little over a week after the October 30 closing celebration.

The listings disagree on Harvest Festival hours. Old Town Lafayette's calendar says 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and The Read Queen's calendar says it ends at 4 p.m. The Old Town listing includes a petting zoo, a window-painting contest, live music, food and vendors, and names the Lafayette History Museum and WOW! Children's Museum as participants.

The Holiday on the Plaza date comes from Boulder Magazine's 2026 fall/winter guide, which lists Santa, makers, cider and a tree lighting. The event page on the Old Town site still shows last year's date, so check closer to December.

The Read Queen on Harrison, For Now

Until the Public Road deal closes, The Read Queen is still at 129 N. Harrison Ave. It describes itself as a women-owned independent bookstore and café selling new and used books, gifts, puzzles, cards and espresso drinks. It hosts a monthly book club on the fourth Friday at 6 p.m. in its Queen's Lounge. It's also listed as a Harvest Festival venue on October 31.

Next on the bank corner is the purchase-and-sale agreement, which hasn't been put on a Council agenda yet. Agendas are posted on the City's meeting archive, and the Lafayette Listens project page for 200 N. Public Road is where the City has been posting updates on the deal.

If you own a home near Old Town and want to know how changes on Public Road might affect your plans, we're happy to talk it through over coffee, whether it's on Harrison now or on Public later. Paul & Kam Real Estate follows these Council agendas as closely as you do. Work With Us.