A Weldon hot rod shop owner will save a building on Julian R. Allsbrook Highway from being demolished pending the completion of his deal to buy it.

Weldon commissioners approved Shawn Garner’s request to move his shop to the Robinson Milling building at 1216 Julian R. Allsbrook Highway provided the sale goes through and he abides by his promise to fix the building.

Garner told the town board tonight the building was condemned because of another building on the land. “It needs a little bit to fix it up. I want to buy it and put my hot rod shop there. It was the only building I could find in Weldon to stay in Weldon.”

Garner said, however, he didn’t want to buy the building to have it torn down and has a 12-week timeline to make repairs, landscape the property and fix the roof before coming back to the town for an inspection.

Garner has owned a custom hot rod shop in town for two years but because Roanoke Valley Auction is coming back to the building he was renting, he needed to find another place.

A court hearing about the building is scheduled for July 19, Code Enforcement Officer Richard Brown told the board and the town planned to demolish the building the next day. “The building can be salvaged.”

Town Attorney Tom Wellman told the board the town could approve Garner’s plan as long as he got the papers to buy the building signed.

Commissioner Earl Smith liked Garner’s plan. “I would love to see that building renovated. I don’t want to lose your business.”