Hollister staple Ye Olde English Inn on market

A passion project of deceased romance author Janet Dailey, downtown Hollister staple Ye Olde English Inn is now being marketed for sale.

The 23-room inn, dining room and pub, built in 1912 and purchased by Dailey in 2010, was recently listed for $625,000 in a trust set up by her children, said broker Stephen Critchfield of Commercial 1 Brokers. He noted the 24 Downing St. property was initially marketed for over $1 million, but the owners chose to reduce the price with its public listing.

“It was kind of (Janet’s) baby. They don’t want to rent it. They own several properties, and they have other businesses,” Critchfield said, pointing to New Shanghai Theatre in Branson.

”It just doesn’t fit what they do.”

Dailey Enterprises, registered in the names of Jim Dailey and his wife Mary, leases the theater to New Century Entertainment, which runs “The Amazing Acrobats of Shanghai” show, according to Missouri secretary of state records and Branson Tri-Lakes News.

Before her death in December 2013, Janet Dailey spent over $2 million to remodel Ye Olde English Inn, updating much of the interior. The inn and dining room were closed after her death, but the pub is still in operation in downtown Hollister.

Critchfield said the owners are looking for a buyer to keep the property close to its roots.

“It would make sense with the amount of money invested in it,” he said. “I think the city of Hollister would like to see it kept that way as well. It just needs somebody that wants to be an owner/operator.”[[In-content Ad]]