Can I Buy a Business (Lot) Downloaded and Placed from Gallery?

Help! I am at my wits end with this issue. 

(Yes, I have mods, cc, and the Get to Work pack).

Here is what I want to do: 

Purchase and run a business I have downloaded and placed from the Gallery/My Library. I have had success buying businesses that came with the game. Also, I know I can buy a retail lot and BUILD my own business, but I don't want to do that. Too time consuming for me atm. 

The problem: 

I always get the notice that Sims can only purchase unowned residential lots or unowned businesses. No one owns the business and no sims live on the lot. 

Here is what I have tried: 

1. If there is already an occupied home on the lot I want to use, I evict the Sims living there and bulldoze the lot.

2. I then change the lot to "Retail" 

3. I have tried two things after this: 

          a. Place my preferred lot ("business" - i.e. a brewpub) from the gallery (or my library if I have downloaded it already from the Gallery to my Library) onto the vacant retail lot then try to have one my Sims buy the lot as a business via the business phone app. I cannot buy it and am told Sims can only buy unowned homes and businesses (NO ONE LIVES THERE! :P )

OR

           b. I successfully have one of the Sims in My Households buy the retail lot; they then own the retail lot (on which I can Build, but I do not want to build...) and have a residence. Great! But then when I try to place my preferred lot (business - i.e. a brewpub lot from the gallery or my library) onto the lot I am forced to sell the lot before I can place the new lot.

Is placing a lot downloaded from the Gallery onto a vacant retail (or other) lot and making it your Sims' business to run even possible??? Am I missing something? I could swear I did this before a couple of years ago but now I am at a loss. HELP! Thanks.