Daily Archives: Jan. 13, 2010

Beau Monde to open makeup bar at Douglas and Oliver

Jan. 13, 20105:44 p.m.

WICHITA — Years ago, Michele Wheeler’s dream was to open a small makeup and skin-care store.

Instead, the former Blockbuster Video executive bought the much larger Beau Monde Spa and Boutique (with a popular makeup bar) at Comotara Center, remodeled and expanded it, and then opened a second location at NewMarket Square.

Now, she’s getting back to her first idea with a 1,300-square-foot makeup and skin-care boutique in the former Myoptix space at Douglas and Oliver.

Wheeler hasn’t settled on a name yet, but it will include the words Beau Monde.

“It’s the try-before-you-buy concept,” Wheeler says of the products she’ll offer.

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By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , Filed under Comotara Center, Retail | Comments

You don’t say

Jan. 13, 20102:52 p.m.

“I’m going to start a rumor about how Uptown Bistro is closing down.”

— Restaurateur Melad Stephan on how his business at the east-side Sabor skyrocketed after a Have You Heard? item about how the restaurant was struggling

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , Filed under Uncategorized | Comments

Key Construction lets Pat Ayars go

Jan. 13, 20101:37 p.m.

WICHITA — The last week has been a challenging one for Pat Ayars, to say the least.

Friday was his mother’s funeral.

“And then I had a nice little surprise on Monday, and I’m now a free agent.”

After years as the public face of Key Construction, Ayars lost his position as vice president.

You can tell by the shirt he’s wearing.

“Everybody at Key wears white shirts . . . every day, all the time, and, baby, I got a blue one on today,” Ayars says.

“There are some philosophical differences, let me say it that way,” he says. “I shared some of my philosophies at Key pretty strongly over the last year . . . and I don’t know if we connected. That’s their choice. It’s their firm.”

No one at the firm returned calls for comment.

Ayars says he’s now exploring other options.

“There’s plenty of room in the world for all of us.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , Filed under Construction | Comments

Wazabz Japanese steak house and sushi restaurant to open in former Sumo space

Jan. 13, 201011:01 a.m.

WICHITA — This must be the week for Japanese restaurant news.

In addition to Emperor’s Japanese Grill and Tsu Basa that will be opening on the east side, the Japanese steak house and sushi restaurant Wazabz will open in the former Sumo (which moved farther east) space at 3236 N. Rock Road.

That’s not to be confused with the new Wasabi Japanese Restaurant, which is opening in Old Town.

Wazabz owner Evan Spicer says the Wasabi owner let him know he didn’t care for his name choice, but Spicer isn’t changing it.

“It’s almost kind of like ‘hamburger,’ ” Spicer says. “How are you going to patent that?”

Spicer is an owner in the Chalet, a sports bar at 3030 Penstemon St., and a partner in numerous Sonics in Kansas.

He wanted to open a Japanese steak house for personal reasons.

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By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , , Filed under East side, Leases, Real estate, Restaurants | Comments