By Bronwyn Page
From the Archives
I recently had the pleasure of receiving a personal tour of the Salt City Business College building from its new owners, Jon and Chelsea Lovett. I’ve admired this building for years—its stately brickwork, its proud corner stance on Avenue A, but what has always captivated me most is what the school represented. For generations, Salt City Business College offered both men and women an education, a marketable skill, and a path to independence at a time when such opportunities were far from guaranteed, especially for women. Walking through those doors, that legacy is impossible to ignore.
Inside, the building still hums with the quiet echo of history. You can almost sense the stories embedded in the floors, the shuffle of students learning shorthand, the clack of typewriter keys, the steady voice of instructors guiding young people toward careers that would change their lives. The classrooms, offices, and hallways feel like they’re holding their breath, waiting for someone to ask about the thousands who passed through them. It’s a rare thing to stand in a place where the past feels so present.
Salt City Business College was once one of the most respected institutions of its kind in the region, even earning recognition on a national scale. When it opened in the early 1900s, the building was designed with the highest standards in mind: large windows for natural light, durable materials, and modern amenities that made it a premier educational environment. Hutchinson took pride in the school, and students came from across Kansas and beyond to study bookkeeping, stenography, business law, and office practice. For many, it was their first step into the professional world.
The Lovetts understand the weight of that history, and they’re approaching the building’s next chapter with a blend of reverence and vision. Their plans honor the past while opening the doors to a vibrant future. The first floor will soon house a candle shop, an inviting, sensory space that brings new life and foot traffic to the historic structure. It’s a fitting use for a building that once trained people to create their own futures; now it will support a small business doing the same.
Upstairs, the Lovetts are transforming the former classrooms into a full event venue capable of hosting everything from intimate business meetings to large weddings. The high ceilings, tall windows, and original architectural details lend themselves naturally to gatherings. It’s easy to imagine the rooms filled again, this time with celebration, conversation, and community instead of typewriters and textbooks.
What struck me most during the tour was how seamlessly the building’s past and future fit together. Salt City Business College was always a place of possibility. It prepared people for new beginnings. Now, under Jon and Chelsea’s care, it will continue to do just that, offering Hutchinson a space where history is preserved, stories are honored, and new memories are ready to be made.
Bronwyn Page is the director of operations at the Reno County Museum. She can be reached at bronwyn@renocomuseum.org.