Daily Archives: June 14, 2010

Il Primo Espresso Caffe has new owners

June 14, 20104:43 p.m.

WICHITA — Jolanda James has been a longtime customer and fan of Il Primo Espresso Caffe, so when owners Billy and Debbie Howell wanted to sell, it made sense for her to buy the business.

“The employees actually wanted me to buy it,” says James, who bought it with her husband, Bill.

“My husband and I just dove into this,” she says. “We have a passion for keeping it alive and going just like it is.”

The business, which is at Normandie Center at Central and Woodlawn, seats about 45 inside and has more seating outside.

It serves breakfast and lunch.

James says Il Primo was the first coffeehouse of its kind in Wichita.

“It’s kind of like the Cheers of coffee shops,” she says. “We just did not want that to go away.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , Filed under Normandie Center, Restaurants | Comments Off

You don’t say

June 14, 20103:41 p.m.

“Next month I’m gonna post “WE’LL NEVER GET A REAL GROCERY” and see what happens.”

—Delano Neighborhood Association president Karen Cravens, who recently printed in the Delano Dispatch newsletter that readers shouldn’t hold their breath for a new Braum’s, although now it appears to be under construction

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

Players Sports Bar & Grill owner discusses switch to Brooklyn Chophouse and Brew Tavern

June 14, 20103:18 p.m.

WICHITA — Players Sports Bar & Grill owner David Chaffin is now ready to talk about his plans to convert to Brooklyn Chophouse and Brew Tavern.

Have You Heard? broke the news about Chaffin’s plans for his West 21st Street business last week, but he wasn’t yet ready to discuss them.

“It’s been on the back burner for five years,” Chaffin says of the changes.

The main change is a menu upgrade, and Chaffin says that necessitates a name change.

“If I do that, and I called it Players, it’s a tough sell,” he says. “It really is.”

Now, almost all the meat he’ll serve will be choice grade, and he’s eliminating what he calls junk food — such as a plate of fried appetizers — from the menu.

“It’s not that we were ashamed of Players food,” Chaffin says. “But we had food that reflected Players Bar and Grill.”

He adds, though, “Anything that’s great about Players we’re keeping.”

He chose the Brooklyn name because he was going for a New York feel, with what he calls New York kind of steaks and deli sandwiches.

“Bronx didn’t sound right,” Chaffin says.

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By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , Filed under Bars, Restaurants | Comments