Category Archives: Real estate

Pink Door What-Not Shop in Delano to shrink by 10,000 square feet

WICHITA — When one door closes, it doesn’t necessarily mean another one opens.

In the case of the Pink Door What-Not Shop in Delano, the closing of one of the two buildings the store has will mean a much smaller shop.

“We have two buildings side-by-side, and we’re not going to be able to renew our lease on our big building,” says co-owner Deborah Weber.

She says the rent is going up, which is why the shop is leaving that side.

The 2-year-old store, which sells collectibles, antiques, furniture and home decor, is at 1316 W. Douglas.

Its small building is 1,300 square feet, and its big one is 10,000 square feet.

“We’re working on getting the furniture side closed down,” Weber says. “We’re going to see if we can make it without the big building.”

The store still will carry some furniture, but not as much.

“We’re going to do some reconfiguring on the floor in here,” Weber says of fitting it on the small side.

She says business has been up and down since the Pink Door opened.

“It’s been a little rough lately.”

If the smaller version of the shop doesn’t do well, Weber says she’s not sure if the store will move or close.

“We haven’t even thought that far ahead,” she says. “We keep our fingers crossed and just hope we can keep our nostrils above the water line.”

Precious Debut 4D Ultrasound to open at Bristol Square Shopping Center

WICHITA — Precious Debut 4D Ultrasound will make its debut in the Bristol Square Shopping Center in Derby next week.

The business will cater to pregnant women in 1,600 square feet at the center, which is at the northeast corner of Madison and Rock Road.

Tammy Dvorak and Shelly White, who have 30 years of ultrasound experience between them, are partners in the business.

Dvorak says 4D ultrasound is basically 3D with motion. She and White prefer that expectant mothers have permission from their doctors before getting these elective ultrasounds.

“This is more for … fun,” Dvorak says. “Kind of bond the family together.”

The business will be available for baby parties. Dvorak says she hasn’t had final word from the fire marshal yet, but she thinks the space may be able to hold up to 50 people.

Cristi Howell of J.P. Weigand & Sons handled the lease.

Precious Debut also will offer diagnostic ultrasound with a doctor’s order and offer a variety of general health screening services.

Dvorak says she and White hope to open on Monday.

Wichita Habitat for Humanity moving to Inter-Faith Ministries building

WICHITA — Wichita Habitat for Humanity is getting a new habitat of its own.

The nonprofit is moving into the building that Inter-Faith Ministries owns at 829 N. Market.

“We’ll be in business there on July 1,” says Habitat executive director Ann Fox.

“We’ll have our own entrance,” she says.

Habitat’s address will be 130 E. Murdock since its entrance is on that street.

“That’s important to us that we have our own identity in that building,” Fox says.

She also likes that it’s close to residential areas.

“So it’s more comfortable and accessible for families that we serve.”

Currently, Habitat is at 420 E. English just east of Intrust Bank Arena. Habitat’s lease is up.

Fox says that building has been great, but she says, “As a conscientious not-for-profit, you always look for what is out there.”

The Inter-Faith lease is at a good price, Fox says.

“That becomes a nice benefit for us,” she says. “This is a very economic decision for us.”

At the new space, Habitat will have 2,200 square feet for its offices and another 2,200 square feet of common area that it will share with other tenants.

Carl Hebert of InSite Real Estate Group handled the deal.

“He is just incredible,” Fox says. She says Hebert “made our decision making easy.”

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Wallflower Studios to move to former Roots & Bloom space on South Laura

WICHITA — Wallflower Studios isn’t a floral company, but you wouldn’t necessarily know that from its name or address — present or future.

Aaron and Christina Patton started the photography business from their home studio in March 2008 and last year moved into the former Flower Factory space at 1302 E. Waterman.

Now, they’re expanding at a new site.

“Ironically enough, we’re moving to another flower building,” Aaron Patton says.

The Pattons are moving from their current 4,000-square-foot space to more than 11,000 square feet in the former Roots & Bloom building at 151 S. Laura.

“It’s massive,” Aaron Patton says.

Roots & Bloom closed early last month when owner Chris Coburn decided to devote all his time to his job in sales at Doonan Truck & Equipment of Wichita.

Patton says he and his wife like the openness of the former Roots & Bloom space plus the extra rooms it has, which they can convert to studios, a gallery and a showroom.

There will be a 1,500-square-foot separate studio for other photographers to rent, which Patton says is more sizable than some other photography spaces for rent in the area.

“We’re just kind of hoping to offer something a little more versatile,” he says.

Their lease is up where they currently are.

“It’s been really great,” Patton says of the building. He adds, though, “We had been looking at having more of a showroom.”

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Sunflower Restaurant Supply to reopen in Wichita on the west side

WICHITA — Sunflower Restaurant Supply is reopening in Wichita.

The store closed here a few years ago.

“They just kind of realigned the whole company and started over, and here we are,” says Gary Perry, who will manage the store.

Perry sold his Premier Restaurant Supply, which he used to operate here, to Sunflower last year.

He says the economy and management issues caused Sunflower to close here, but it has remained open in Salina where the company is based.

The new store will be at 6803 W. Taft, which is between Ridge and Dugan.

The 3,000-square-foot store will be open to the public, though its main customers are likely to be restaurants and hotels.

The store will sell large equipment, such as ranges and refrigerators, and small wares, such as pots, utensils and dishes.

Look for Sunflower to open in early June.

Randy Cooper’s Fine Jewelry and College Hill Cleaners to move within Bradley Fair; new national retailer coming soon

WICHITA — The latest round of musical chairs — business style — is almost over at Bradley Fair.

“The first piece of the puzzle was moving Howard’s Optique, which we did at the end of last year,” says Cathy Erickson, vice president at Laham Development.

Howard’s moved from its freestanding space to new space between Sephora and Jason’s Deli.

Now, Randy Cooper’s Fine Jewelry is moving into the freestanding building that Howard’s left. Amy’s Hallmark shop already is there.

Cooper’s impending move has been one of the worst-kept recent retail secrets, but now that it’s happening, she’s eager to talk.

“I am so thankful that George Laham has given me this opportunity,” she says of the center’s developer.

“I probably wouldn’t have stepped out on my own and done it,” Cooper says. “It just makes it so much more convenient for our customers to visit.”

Her new space will be 4,000 square feet, which is about 20 percent more than what she has now.

“So we can grow and be a better store and offer new lines and offer more of some lines that we have,” Cooper says.

College Hill Cleaners also is moving. It’s taking 1,300 square feet where Origins used to be and will have a new after-hours box for customers to drop off items needing cleaning.

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Midwest Hearing Aids to move two offices

WICHITA — Midwest Hearing Aids owner Terry Brewster is on the move again by partnering on two new locations with ophthalmologists.

“We’re trying to really put ears and eyes together,” he says. “It’s all about co-branding.”

Brewster says years ago it used to be that optical shops also sold hearing aids because people who needed hearing aids often needed glasses, too.

“Everything comes back full circle,” he says.

Brewster is moving his Newton shop to 1715 Medical Parkway in the same area that William Beck has his ophthalmology clinic.

“We have worked very hard, but we finally got a lease,” he says. “We’ve been working on Newton forever. . . . We’re real close to moving in.”

Brewster also is moving his office at 21st and Woodlawn to the Grene Vision Group office at 1851 N. Webb Road.

“It’s where the main Grene Vision Group offices are at,” he says. “I’m going to try to co-brand with Dr. (Mark) Wellemeyer.”

Wellemeyer says that the patient demographic for both groups is similar so there are benefits for both.

Brewster expects to make that move in early July.

There are 37 Midwest Hearing Aids sites in Kansas, and Brewster says two more are in the works. Look for news on those in the coming months.

 

 

Casual Male XL to expand at Eastgate Plaza and convert to Destination XL brand

WICHITA — The Casual Male XL store at Eastgate Plaza is going to undergo an expansion and rebranding in the coming months.

The move is part of a national expansion for the Massachusetts-based Destination XL Group.

The company’s new stores, including the one in Wichita, will be called Destination XL. They’ll offer expanded sizes and brands — more than 100 in all — along with wider aisles and bigger dressing rooms.

Currently, the Eastgate Casual Male is in about 3,500 square feet at the east end of the center in a free-standing building. It will expand to about 7,000 square feet. While renovation is under way, the shop will temporarily move to between Kirkland’s and Dress Barn within Eastgate.

Andy Boyd of Walter Morris Cos. helped with the deal.

The new store should be ready in early 2014.

You don’t say

“They’re just working through some of the details and getting ready for the season.”

Fred Hanley of Cambridge Market on how Baskin-Robbins is reopening in its former east and west-side spaces this summer

Loony Bin deal is close to closing

WICHITA — The final contract is yet to be signed, but Loony Bin co-owner Larry Marks is confident the club will open on St. Francis downtown as early as September.

“It looks like we’re rolling ahead there,” he says.

“We are due to close on it in about a couple of weeks.”

Last month, Have You Heard? reported that Marks and his partner, Jeff Jones, are interested in a 13,000-square-foot building between First and Second streets on St. Francis across from the urban park on the southeast corner of Second and St. Francis. Their Loony Bin had been at 21st and Woodlawn until it closed in late March.

They’re looking to do more than comedy in the new space.

“We may expand our entertainment format a little bit,” Marks says.

He says that could be trivia nights, improv and “even newlywed games and all kinds of stuff.”

There also will be room in the building to possibly do retail or to use the space for an office or apartments.

Marks says he and Jones are considering proposals and should make a decision on the extra space within 60 days.