It appears as though the Bruce Lee Museum we wrote about last month may end up at the site of the now closed Uncle Gaylord’s Mountain Cafe in downtown Fayetteville.
Sources told us on Tuesday that the building at 315 W. Mountain Street has been sold to Johnny-Mike Walker for the purposes of housing his Bruce Lee memorabilia collection.
Walker, who is credited as a producer of the 2000 film Bruce Lee: A Warrior’s Journey, is rumored to have quite the collection of memorabilia related to the late martial arts superstar.
Real estate agent Lee Ward of Realty Concepts confirmed the sale of the property for his client Ed Knight to the Walker family.
“It’s a matter of public record now, so yeah,” he said. “That’s about all I can say.”
Back in July, the Fayetteville Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit for a 12,300-square-foot museum to be built on an undeveloped, wooded, 3.38-acre lot on 255 E. Sunbridge Drive in Fayetteville. Washington County records indicate that property is also owned by the Walker Family.
Workers spotted clearing equipment out of the old Gaylord’s building Wednesday morning said they were making room for a martial arts museum in the space.
We haven’t yet been able to track down Johnny-Mike, but we’re betting that there aren’t going to be two Bruce Lee museums in Fayetteville.
We’ll keep you posted.
Weeeird. Was kind of hoping that that awesome space would become…not a Bruce Lee museum. C’est la vie.
I once wanted to buy that building and live in it. Other things happened. C’est la vie, indeed.
Lol, awesome. I was hoping for a Popeye museum, but Bruce Lee works great.
Great. Bentonville gets Crystal Bridges. We get a Bruce Lee museum. AND the ruination of a beautiful downtown space. This is embarrassing.
Jane you didn’t hear? WAC just announced that they are going to build a new, even bigger Chuck Norris museum in Bentonville now. =)
It’s great that this space will be updated and utilized!
We need more local folks to fill in our empty downtown spaces!
What a joke!!!
Really?? I live close to this place and have been excited to see what they would do with it. I like Bruce Lee, but a whole place just for martial arts fan memorabilia? What a waste.
I’m not a huge Bruce Lee fan, but I’m kind of excited for some reason. It’s right across the street from our office.
I think this is awesome! I am glad they are using that space for this reason. It’s something different, which is nice.
Embrace the quirkiness. A Bruce Lee museum in a cool building right off the downtown square…..that’s flipping bahnaynays man. If the dude can make it work enough to keep the doors open, then I say right on. Keep Fayetteville….whatever.
This makes me laugh, and is right on, George. It’s bizarre but at least it is something.
when they cook blueberry pancakes, thick cut bacon, and serve bloody mary’s i will once again step foot in that building
Funny what the wealthy sometimes do with their money.
Aw, come on, I think we’re missing the point. Crystal Bridges is nice and all, but it will never be MOMA or MFA Houston. People traveling in the area will go see it, but I don’t think there’s going to be anyone traveling across country for it. But how many cities can say they have a Bruce Lee museum? That’s something unique. Take a look at some of the wacky little museums down Route 66, they have international visitors coming from Asian and Europe just to spraypaint on some cadillacs in a field, or to buy a diner plate. Don’t underestimate the Bruce Lee fans of the world, this could have some serious draw, plus its pretty damn cool.
Having a Bruce Lee museum in this spot is truly an honor. Maybe those of you who believe the space could have been used for a better purpose or that it may somehow…..change the area not for the better, stop in and learn about who this man was. Bruce was a philosopher first and foremost and his martial arts skills was not something that he just did; it’s how he lived. He was one of the greatest athletes of our time and changed the world of martial arts forever. There has been no-one like him before…..or since. When the museum is completed, stop in…..I guarantee you’ll learn something. I am from New York City, and I only wish this was in Times Square. I WILL make my pilgrimage there.
Peace,
RB
As an Asian American, I feel we should pay respect to Bruce Lee, in line or maybe better than MLK. He not only somone we honor for reasons, he just very positive for the martial world aside being everything else. Why people now a day honor someone more than Bruce Lee?
Bruce Lee fought for those who were less fortunate, weak, and injustice and by the way, not just the cause for Asian American, he did it for everyone else treating people with respect, right, and dignity. In his film, even someone he killed, he played respected to that person.
I live right near Gaylords old location and I hated watching them get rid of all the vegetation. I am not going to lie, a Bruce Lee museum sounds pretty crappy to me.