Category Archives: Uncategorized

Petroleum Club to take over food operations at the Ruffin Building on East Douglas

WICHITA — The Petroleum Club is branching outside of the Bank of America Center at Douglas and Broadway.

Building owner Phil Ruffin approached club general manager Kathy Latham about a month ago to see if she might be interested in running food operations at his Ruffin Building at 9111 E. Douglas, which perhaps is better known as the former Pizza Hut headquarters.

For the last four years, Youssef Youssef has run Fattoush Deli there, but he’s now on only a month-to-month lease.

Latham decided it made sense for the Petroleum Club to venture east for an additional operation.

“It’s evolving, it seems like, just because of the success that we’ve had here,” she says of the downtown property.

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Want tickets to Intrust Bank Arena shows? Don’t call Intrust Bank

WICHITA — If you want tickets to any of the upcoming shows at Intrust Bank Arena, don’t call Intrust Bank.

That may seem obvious, but apparently it’s not to everyone.

“You heard that I was Ticketmaster or something?” says Diane Iseman, vice president of corporate communications.

It’s true, she says.

“I’ve been getting calls.”

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The Butler expands to St. Louis

WICHITA — The Butler is now serving customers in St. Louis.

Adam McCollough started TB Enterprises of Wichita, which does business as the Butler, in 2000.

The company does plumbing, water damage restoration, roofing and remodeling.

McCollough has been expanding to such places as Dallas, Fort Worth, Kansas City, Oklahoma City and Tulsa almost every year since.

As of this month, the Butler is now in St. Louis, too.

“St. Louis can be huge,” McCollough says.

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Hangar One Steakhouse named top aviation site in USA Today

WICHITA — In a recent USA Today story, Aviation Week deputy managing editor Jennifer Michels shared “her top places for flights of fancy,” as the newspaper put it.

Her top 10 choices include some naturals like the Wright Brothers National Memorial and the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

Wichita makes the list too, but not because it’s the Air Capital.

It’s because of Hangar One Steakhouse.

“What else would you do in Wichita — home of Cessna, Hawker Beechcraft and Spirit AeroSystems, as well as excellent beef — but eat a steak at an aviation-themed restaurant facing the airport?” Michels said.

She also mentioned Hangar One’s Control Tower lounge.

In addition to being extremely excited, owner Greg Hiser says, “Actually, we were very honored.”

He just had a meeting with restaurant employees to say the bar has been raised and, “Let’s make sure we stay there.”

Yoder Meats owners are purchasing YB Meats

WICHITA — Only one week ago, Yoder Meats owner Alan Waggoner called YB Meats owner Eric Kauffman to see if he might be interested in selling his store.

Kauffman was, and now the longtime store at 798 N. West St. will operate as Yoder Meats. It officially opens Wednesday (though there may have been a sale or two in the last day or so) and the deal will close in January.

“He was motivated to be done, and I was motivated to take over,” says Waggoner, who owns a meat plant and retail shop in Yoder with his wife, Carol.

If a one-week turnaround seems like a crazy kind of time frame, Waggoner agrees.

“Yeah, way crazy.”

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George Strait and Reba McEntire coming to Intrust Bank Arena

george3WICHITA — Country fans have a lot to like about Intrust Bank Arena so far.

Brad Paisley is the arena’s inaugural act Jan. 9. News of Taylor Swift’s April 1st show came shortly after that. And Tim McGraw announced he’ll play there June 11.

Now, country legends George Strait and Reba McEntire will play the arena together Feb. 19.

“The ‘King of Country’ is back!” heralds a press release from the tour promoter, and “. . . this time, he’s bringing along one very special lady.”

Strait is a 17-time CMA Entertainer of the Year.

McEntire is a four-time CMA Female Vocalist of the Year.

River City Paint opens new showroom

WICHITA — Earlier this year, River City Paint moved from a 110-square-foot office downtown to a 2,700-square-foot building on the southeast corner of Maple and Meridian.

Now, the company’s new showroom is ready.

“It’s kind of a new concept,” says owner Tony Lynch. He says the idea is to showcase “things that customers . . . don’t traditionally see from a paint contracting company.”

Since it opened in 2005, the business has done a lot of different work, including exterior and interior painting, faux painting and murals.

“We kind of have a little bit of everything here,” says artist Tracey Weaver.

But River City never had a way to conveniently show customers its work before now.

The new showroom has a 16-foot mural near its entrance and offers before-and-after pictures of its work along with samples of its floor finishes.

Customers can visit the showroom now, and there’s a grand opening Nov. 6.

Until then

Just wanted to let you all know I’m on vacation until Oct. 26. If you have any tips to share before then, please contact business editor Dan Loving at 269-6706 or dloving@wichitaeagle.com.

Otherwise, just e-mail or call me, and I’ll be in touch when I return.

Thanks!

Carrie

Andy’s Woods By Design to close at the end of the year

WICHITA — After fourteen years in business in Old Town, Andy’s Woods By Design is closing.

“We have some health issues in the family that we need to address, so that takes priority,” says Carol Anderson, who owns the business with her husband, Andy.

They have a lot to look forward to, though.

“We are at the stage in our life that it’s time to make changes and take some vacations,” Anderson says.

Also, the couple is expecting its first grandchild in March.

The eclectic Andy’s Woods, which is at 300 N. Mead, sells gourmet food, home decor items, souvenirs and, until a month ago, custom woodworking.

The Andersons stopped taking new woodworking orders in order to get everything done by the time they close at the end of the year.

A closing sale starts Oct. 19.

“There’s a little excitement, but there’s a lot of regret because we like it down here,” Carol Anderson says. “We love Old Town. It’s a wonderful place to be, and we’ve had a lot of good customers come in.

“We have a made a lot of good friends.”

The land of the living

As you can probably tell by the two items I just posted, I’m back in the land of the living — barely.

I’m going to try to squeeze in as much news as I can over the next three days because — and this is a tad bit of bad timing — I’m on vacation next week.

So, if you have news, please let me know. And quick!

Thanks,

Carrie