Daily Archives: July 7, 2009

Wichita Community Foundation to move to the Epic Center

July 7, 20094:53 p.m.

WICHITA — The Wichita Community Foundation is moving from its space at the Garvey Center, but it’s not leaving downtown.

The foundation, which promotes charitable giving, is moving to 2,600 square feet on the first floor of the Epic Center.

“The big issue with us is it’s more visibility,” says Rob Allison, president and CEO.

And it’s visibility in a building with a lot of professionals — particularly lawyers and accountants whose clients are the type of people likely to support the foundation.

“The tenant mix is absolutely a big factor on why we wanted to move,” Allison says. “Believe me, the closer to them that you are, the more they understand what you’re trying to do in the community.”

That’s an issue that he says affects every community foundation.

“The more visibility they have . . . the more people can understand them.”

The foundation has $42 million in assets and last year gave $4.2 million to local nonprofits.

“A community foundation is there to help and understand community needs,” Allison says. “That role is emphasized even more when you have difficult economic times.”

The foundation will open on Oct. 1 in its new location.

Patrick Ahern and Dave Wagner of Grubb & Ellis/Martens Commercial Group handled the transaction.

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , Filed under Leases | Comments (1)

Jim Emmert continues wholesale jewelry design and repair

July 7, 20093:30 p.m.

WICHITA — Jim Emmert is now closed to the public, but he’ll continue to do wholesale jewelry design and repair work.

“It’s really a full-time job,” says Stephanie Nicholas, manager for Emmert’s Jewelry & Repair.

She says doing repairs and design and running the front of the store is “kind of hard for one person to do all that.”

Through Nicholas, Emmert expresses appreciation for all his customers through the years.

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , Filed under Retail | Comments Off

Chinese Acupressure to convert from kiosk to store at Towne East Square

July 7, 20093:06 p.m.

WICHITA — Four years after first opening a kiosk in Towne East Square, Chinese Acupressure is converting its business to a full store.

“We want to provide more services to our customers and more privacy, too,” says owner Anita Chou.

In May, she opened a full store at Towne West Mall, and Chou says the reception has been terrific.

“Everybody’s happy,” she says.

She offers chair massages, full-body massages and reflexology.

Look for the new store to open Aug. 1 across from where the kiosk has been near Dillard’s.

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , Filed under Retail, Towne East Square, Towne West Square | Comments Off

You don’t say

July 7, 20092:09 p.m.

WICHITA — “These days, all you can do on a shoestring is trip.”

– A sign at Don’s TV and Video on East Second Street

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: Filed under You don't say | Comments Off

Melanie Rene Jewelry to open in former Emmert’s Jewelry & Repair on East Central

July 7, 200911:22 a.m.

WICHITA — After 35 years in business, Emmert’s Jewelry & Repair at 4618 E. Central closed, but a new jewelry store is opening in its place.

Melanie Williamson hopes to open her Melanie Rene Jewelry by Aug. 1.

The custom designer says, “I do real modern, contemporary stuff, but I also will do remounting, repair, appraisal — everything.”

Williamson grew up in Wichita, went to the University of Kansas and never returned home until now.

Initially, she studied graphic design, but she says one bad teacher caused her to change her focus.

Williamson took an elective class that piqued her interest and caused her to shift her major to metalsmithing.

Eventually, she opened Gemesis Jewelers in Las Vegas, which she had for five years. She closed the shop three years ago but decided she wants to get back in the business full time.

Williamson says she’s “done with Vegas.”

“I was there almost 10 years. It’s really hard to get a business going there right now.”

Williamson likes that her new space is close to the popular Bella Luna Cafe.

Her mother, Barbara Williams of Prudential Dinning-Beard, helped her find it.

And though Williamson says she’s a very different jeweler than Jim Emmert is, she likes that she’ll occupy the East Central space where he was for 15 of his 35 years in business.

“It was previously a jewelry store, and everybody knows it’s a jewelry store,” Williamson says. “I’m just kind of relying on the old foot traffic.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , Filed under Retail | Comments (1)