(KNZA)--Strong progress continues to be made in the effort to reinvent the Brown County community of Horton. 

Mayor Tim Lentz says the effort took another strong step forward following the May 9th return visit of Marcus Lemonis, the renowned businessman and television host who has thrown his support behind the revitalization of the city. 

Horton first gained the attention of Lemonis when the story of 88-year-old Kenneth Knudson, whose downtown business building's state of disrepair earned him a night in jail last December, went viral.  

Now, Lentz says, Lemonis is in the early stage of purchasing that building, along with three others in the city's downtown. “That's not a rumor, it is all true, it has happened,” Lentz tells MSC News. “His main focus is how to revitalize downtown and put new businesses in. He did tentatively, and I stress tentatively, purchase four buildings, three buildings to probably go ahead and put more businesses in them and see the needs of the community and see what businesses would work well for the size of our community. One of the building's that he purchased will probably be torn down.” 

Lentz says the building to be demolished is the one belonging to Knudson. “We're still working through the details to get some personal matters straightened out on that situation. That is an ongoing issue at this time. The Knudson family, and their families, are working hard to try to get this to become a reality, along with other entities. Mr. Lemonis said that he felt like helping out on that situation would be a great stride for the community and the downtown. He said that he wasn't sure what he would put back in that spot if it all did become reality.” 

According to Lentz, plans for the the other three buildings are under discussion, as is the possible purchase of a fifth. “One of the buildings is the Electric City Emporium on the south side of 8th Street down there,” Lentz says. “Tom Reed owns that and he is looking to move up to a building he previously owned and is currently working on to rehabilitate to move that business to a larger building.” Lentz says also purchased is the building that houses the English Leather Shop. “[Lemonis] told him [owner Luke Pollock] that he would go ahead and help him re-facade and maybe expand his business a little bit depending on what [Pollock] decides to do. That is still kind of up in the air, along with Mr. Reed's building. The other building [purchased] is straight across the street from the Emporium. It is known most of the time here by the old school board office and the thrift store. We're tentatively working on trying to get the old Duckwalls building purchased, waiting on trying to get things finalized on that.” 

Lemonis made his first visit to Horton in January of this year, holding a strongly attended town hall meeting where his plans were outlined and community support for revitalization was summoned.