Lincoln, Nebraska - from www.journalstar.com - The owner of the adult novelty store at 921 O St., destroyed by a fire Dec. 12, says he hopes to rebuild there at some point, his attorney said Thursday.
The owner is Eddie Wedelstedt, self-proclaimed "porn king" of Colorado and founder of an adult entertainment empire that includes Lincoln's Romantix.
Wedelstedt formerly was the head of Romantix's parent company, but he is now retired. Though the company is under new ownership, Wedelstedt still owns the Lincoln site he bought in 1980.
Last week, Wedelstedt visited Lincoln and met with the crews working at the scene.
"He was disappointed that the building burned," city Fire Investigator Damon Robbins said. "He sounded like ... he intended to rebuild.
"He wanted buy everybody meals. ... We're government employees, so we can't accept that."
Wedelstedt has since returned to Denver, where he runs a children's charity called Eddie's Kids. The charity provides children with tickets to sporting events, including professional basketball and hockey games.
Wedelstedt's attorney, Frank Suyat, said it's his client's desire to rebuild.
"I think it's gonna come down to how fast things can get done," Suyat said.
After standing for a century or more, the building that housed Romantix and its neighbor buildings had become a "house of cards," dependent on one another to stay standing, said Brent Mencke, general manager for the Omaha office of Belfor Property Restoration, the company demolishing the burned building.
Belfor's crews started securing the building Thursday with wooden supports, but steel beams needed to finish the bracing won't arrive until next week. Demolition won't start until the building is secure. It has to be done carefully both to preserve the scene for fire investigators and to protect the former Gourlay Brothers piano store next door on the west.
The block-long stretch of O Street in front of Romantix will stay closed for at least two more weeks, Mayor Chris Beutler said.
In the meantime, the Romantix business has its own decisions to make.
"We're exploring all options," said Steve Brown, president and majority owner of Denver-based Romantix Inc. "I don't expect us to make any decisions until the first part of next year."
The company has about 55 stores nationwide; Lincoln was its only Nebraska location.
Before the fire, the business was about to undergo a makeover to "blend in" more with its neighbors, Brown said.
"Ironically, we were looking at doing some major overhaul to the building, especially with the exterior. ... The interior was actually quite nice."
Brown said the fire was "very unfortunate for all of us."
"But ... we're dealing with it, and I’m sure the employees are dealing with it and we’re dealing with the employees the best we can."
