Hays once had Penney's, Montgomery Ward, Duckwalls, Woolworth's, IGA, Dillons, Western Auto, Sears, and a few others all South of 13th. Mammals was just North of 13th on Main. Until the Centennial area came to be no big stores were North of 13th. The motels were once all South of the tracks too.
When the completion of I-70 did away with old 40 as the major East-West highway and modern motels and new style department "discount" stores like Tempo came in on Vine the big downtown stores were doomed.