Kansas.com: Carrie Rengers

Kobe Steak House picks Maize Road for second site

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 01:37 CDT

For the first time in its 25-year history, Kobe Steak House of Japan is getting a second Wichita location. The restaurant is taking the former Tokyo Steakhouse space in North Maize Place on Maize Road just north of 21st Street.

"We've always wanted to go out there and never found the right opportunity," says Jim Hamlin, who is partners with Jim West in Kobe Management Inc.

"We feel like there's been some exciting growth both in retail and in population on the west side," West says.

The restaurant, which will be open by December, will seat 90 at its teppanyaki tables and another 40 or so in its lounge. That's slightly smaller than the Kobe at Carriage Parkway.

Brad Saville and Nick Esterline of Landmark Commercial Real Estate Inc. handled the transaction.

Office This owner eyes Union Station

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 01:38 CDT

Max Cole likes to say he's "built, bought (and) renovated since 1969."

Now, the Office This owner has his sights set on Union Station.

He has not yet toured the building, which Cox Communications Kansas owns and formerly occupied, but he plans to this week.

"I am going to go down and look it over," he says. "I would be interested in that area."

The building is listed for $6.42 million.

Jack's new owners to keep with tradition

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 01:41 CDT

Finally, some good news to report for all the Jack's North Hi Carry Out fans who have been e-mailing and calling about its fate.

The restaurant, which has been closed since a February 2007 fire, should reopen by the end of next month.

Joe and Barbara Moore purchased Jack's this week, but they almost didn't get the restaurant.

That's because last week, auctioneer Bud Palmer bought it first.

The Moores struck a deal with Palmer, who pocketed some nice change to let them have it.

Foster's on Broadway set to open

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 01:38 CDT

A new restaurant is returning to the Petroleum Building downtown, and it's still "On Broadway."

Foster's on Broadway should open in the next week or so, once licensing comes through.

"We just took the 'Adam' off and put 'Foster's' on there," says David Foster, referring to the former Adam's on Broadway, which closed in January.

Foster and his wife, Donna, will run the new restaurant along with their First Flight restaurant at the Best Western Airport Inn & Conference Center.

They've had previous restaurants around Wichita as well.

Is Pizza Hut selling stores it owns in Wichita?

Sun, 05 Oct 2008 01:38 CDT

Pizza Hut corporate offices vacated Wichita more than a decade ago, and now the company may be looking to sell its corporate-owned restaurants here, too.

"It's our business strategy not to discuss business negotiations," says Pizza Hut spokesman Chris Fuller.

But sources say corporate has spent months shopping the restaurants to current Pizza Hut franchisees and nonfranchisees alike.

This would be the first time since Wichita brothers Frank and Dan Carney founded the company in 1958 that the Wichita Pizza Huts wouldn't be corporate-owned.

But it sounds like this isn't the first time the company has tried to divest itself of the restaurants locally.

Brewer: Let's get rolling on downtown

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 01:40 CDT

Mayor Carl Brewer isn't what you'd call a demonstratively passionate person, but there's one subject of late that he's been forcefully promoting to business leaders and community groups.

That's downtown redevelopment.

"We're headed to trouble," Brewer says. "We're going to lose young people. We're going to lose businesses."

Brewer wants to change downtown's appearance, make it more friendly to businesses and residents, add amenities and link areas like Old Town, WaterWalk and Intrust Bank Arena.

And he says he's not just talking.

Kellogg, Rock to get Chipotle

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 01:41 CDT

At this point it might seem like construction at Kellogg and Rock is never going to end, but one business is already planning for the day when the intersection will be easier to navigate.

Chipotle Mexican Grill's fourth Wichita restaurant will be at the intersection late next year.

"We don't want to start building when there's still a bunch of construction going on," says Chipotle marketing consultant Ami Bensman.

Bensman can't say yet at which corner the restaurant will locate -- she says she doesn't know.

"It's kind of a bummer, but that's how it is," she says.

Research Partners gets more room

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 01:38 CDT

After a decade on East Douglas near Big Dog Motorcycles, the Research Partnership Inc. is moving.

The national marketing research consulting firm will now be in the heart of downtown at the Wichita Executive Center, formerly the SC Telcom Building.

The firm will take almost 6,000 square feet on the 18th floor.

"It's one heck of a view," says Esther Headley, president and managing partner.

"It's going to be a great place to showcase this fabulous city of Wichita," she says.

Hartman builds state's largest oil services firm

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 01:42 CDT

With a couple of new purchases to add to his growing empire, Wink Hartman Sr. now has the largest oil service company in Kansas and has added to his oil production as well.

Hartman's H2 Plains acquired Genesis Well Service of Pratt and its three pulling units, which fix wells.

That brings H2's total number of units to 20, "which makes us the largest service company in the state."

H2 had eight units when Hartman bought it in 2004.

"We've more than doubled the number of units," Hartman says.

Developers buying land at 21st and 127th East

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 01:41 CDT

Another new development is in the works on the east side. The Lanzrath family of Augusta is selling almost 14 acres at the southwest corner of 127th Street East and 21st Street to a group of developers that is looking to do a multifaceted project there.

"Medical (and) office is kind of what our hopes would be for that area," says Marty Cornejo, one five partners working on the project.

They chose that spot because it was "just a piece of bare land that looked like it needed attention."

It's likely that there would be some retail there, too.

"You look at all different kind of uses," Cornejo says.

Hartman Sr. buys son's construction company

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 01:39 CDT

Sometimes if you want something done right -- or at least on your time schedule -- you have to do it yourself. And that's why Wink Hartman Sr., who has a lot of commercial developments, says he's buying Ink Commercial Contractors.

"You know me, I'm a control freak," Hartman says. "So I said,'... I'll just buy my own.' When I want something done, I want it done now."

Hartman bought the company from his son, Wink Hartman II, and Jason Layman.

It's a big move for the two, who this year won the chamber's Small Business Award for companies with 26 to 100 employees.

"You're kind of flattered," Hartman II says of being approached about selling a company. "It's more of a future for both of us."

Maize is likely to land a Menards

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 01:40 CDT

Talk about a Menards coming to Maize isn't as preliminary as it might have seemed. On Sunday, Have You Heard? reported that Menards, a Wisconsin-based home improvement store similar to Lowe's and Home Depot, is eyeing the southeast corner of 37th North and Maize Road.

"I can confirm that we've spoken with them, but it's still pretty preliminary," said developer Paul Jackson, who plans a 40-acre retail development there called Stonebridge.

Last week, a Menards spokesman expressed surprise that the store is seriously considering anything here.

This week, though, someone in the real estate division of Menards offered more concrete affirmation.

"It is likely to happen," said Theron Berg through e-mail. "We are under contract to purchase land from Paul assuming we can obtain the necessary approvals from the city."

City puts a dent in auto-body shop's plan

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 01:38 CDT

Dan Wheeler and his father, John, have talked for a long time about putting an LED sign atop their Kammerer Auto Body and Paint shop at Waterman and Washington downtown.

Kammerer's recent remodeling and expansion is complete, so Dan Wheeler says, "We thought, why not now?"

But they're about three years too late.

When the city extended its central business district zoning in 2005 to include Washington, the point was to encourage redevelopment in the core of the city and help businesses, too.

"The only thing it's done is hurt us," says Wheeler, who spent $2,500 trying to get the 300-square-foot sign approved.

3 coffee brands now under 1 name

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 01:41 CDT

Coffee Time Inc., Prestige Coffee Systems and Riffel's Coffee Co. are three longtime, well-known brands in Kansas, but they're also quite a mouthful to have in a company name.

"It was kind of tough to get behind three names and push all three at once," says general manager Jeff Deitchler. "It was a little bit confusing."

So the company renamed itself PrairieFire Coffee Roasters.

"A prairie fire actually, in a weird sense, smells like roasting coffee," Deitchler says. "It pops and crackles as do coffee beans during the roasting process."

Tallgrass Studios in Lawrence helped the company develop its new name and logo, which evoke several ideas, Deitchler says.

Cibola co-owner: We're not closing

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 01:40 CDT

Cibola briefly let its liquor license lapse and couldn't sell alcohol on Saturday. That combined with the restaurant's previous tax problems has reignited speculation that the restaurant is closing.

Co-owner Kevin Brown is sick of the rumors.

"It's getting very frustrating," Brown says.

"We just keep getting stomped on," he says of himself and business partner Tracy Fahrbach.

"We're just two guys... trying to survive here in this business world," Brown says. "We don't get a break."

Soon, put some bling on your grocery list

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 01:37 CDT

What woman wouldn't want her man to buy her a diamond ring or tennis bracelet while he's out picking up some eggs and toilet paper?

Soon, that will be an option at three Wichita-area Dillons stores.

Fred Meyer Jewelers is opening in the Dillons Marketplace near 21st and Maize next month and in the new Dillons stores in Andover and Derby next year.

"You'll walk into Dillons, and you'll think you're walking into the mall," says Sheryl Christians, who will manage the Fred Meyer in west Wichita.

Kroger owns Dillons and Fred Meyer.

Genghis Grill at Douglas, Rock site

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 01:40 CDT

There's been a lot of speculation about what may go in the former Bennigan's space at 116 S. Rock Road, and there have been a lot of guesses as to where the new Genghis Grill might go.

Looks like the news is one and the same.

Sources say Terry Newman and Frank Carney have at least a verbal agreement with Max Cole to lease space at the former Bennigan's for their new Mongolian grill.

Other restaurants, like Red Lobster and McDonald's, were interested in the space, too. And there were some other kinds of businesses as well.

It sounds like the Genghis owners will significantly remodel the Bennigan's space and make additions such as floor-to-ceiling windows.

Minnesota Guys buy Bitting Building

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 09:13 CDT

Four years after descending on downtown Wichita on a buying spree, the Minnesota Guys finally got the property they initially tried to buy.

The developers closed on a deal Wednesday to buy the Bitting Building at Douglas and Market.

"We've really chased this one hard," Dave Lundberg says. "This was actually the first building I tried to purchase when I came to town."

There have been various holdups and paperwork problems.

"We sort of revisit it every year," Lundberg says. "It kind of fills in that whole corner block for us."

Growing architects firm seeks new space

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 01:42 CDT

The 60-year-old PBA Architects is expanding, rebranding and looking for new space.

"We're excited about the changes," says Deborah Fischer Stout, director of sales and marketing.

The 20-person company has six licensed architects and is adding several more people, including architects, in the coming weeks.

"We're growing," Fischer Stout says. "This is the busiest we've ever been."

Along with a new company logo, PBA is looking for new headquarters, too. It's now two blocks from Old Town at 1133 E. Second St.

N. Rock eatery counting on poker

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 01:42 CDT

The owners of the World Poker Tour Amateur Poker League have some ambitious plans, starting with a new restaurant in the former Serengeti Grill space at North Rock Road near 37th Street.

Kurt McPhail, Shawn Riley and Shane McCullough have a company called Three Kings Holdings and are namingtheir first restaurant Highlands.

"Honestly, because we're all Scottish," McPhail says.

"It's going to be an elegant dining experience but priced more for the everyman."

The chef will be J.D. Harvey, currently the head chef at Cibola.