Cassandra Bryan Design is first commercial tenant at Zelman Lofts downtown

April 12, 20125:00 a.m.

WICHITA — Zelman Lofts is getting its first commercial tenant to go with the nine residential ones already at the newly renovated building at Douglas and St. Francis.

Cassandra Bryan Design is moving into 1,000 square feet that fronts St. Francis on the northeast corner.

“I absolutely love the central location,” says Cassandra Bryan. “The space was just so perfect. … It has so much character.”

Bryan describes her company, which will be three years old this summer, as a creative boutique that designs logos and business cards and specializes in custom website development.

“She’s pretty gifted,” says Michael Ramsey, who is developing the Zelman building with Robert Eyster. “She’s going to be a great asset to the building.”

Previously, Bryan has been working from her home while the company’s other four employees work from theirs and occasionally pop over to her place.

“There’s only so many people that you can put in your basement before your husband starts complaining about your driveway becoming a parking lot,” Bryan says.

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By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , Filed under Advertising, Downtown, Real estate | Comments (0)

New bars and restaurants opening on east, west sides and downtown

Feb. 29, 20122:50 p.m.

WICHITA — There are several new bar and restaurant deals in the works.

Not unexpectedly, Charlie Badeen and David Allan have decided to reopen their O’Brien’s Irish Pub on East Kellogg by Scotch & Sirloin.

They closed it last year, and the short-lived Encore Restaurant and Nightclub took its place.

Earlier this month, Badeen told Have You Heard? he and Allan were considering various options for the space, including reopening O’Brien’s.

They originally closed because they were opening the new Joe’s Old Town Bar and Grill in Old Town, plus they already had Dudley’s Sports Bar and Grill on the west side and Mulligan’s Pub out east.

They’ve since sold Mulligan’s, and they’re ready to open Joe’s in the next week or two.

Badeen says O’Brien’s should open by the end of March.

“Basically everything’s going to be about the same.”

There’s another deal in the works to bring a Pacific Coast Pizza downtown near Intrust Bank Arena.

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By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Filed under Bars, Downtown, East side, New business, Old Town, Restaurants, West side | Comments Off

Plexus Inc. opens and leases space near Intrust Bank Arena

Feb. 15, 20124:34 p.m.

WICHITA — Business partners Shawn Spaeny and Nick Holt have started Plexus Inc. to sell high-definition surveillance cameras.

“High-quality surveillance is what we do,” Spaeny says.

The two have been in the business previously but decided to open their own place in almost 3,000 square feet at 535 S. Emporia.

“Seems prime, doesn’t it?” Spaeny says of being located just south of Intrust Bank Arena.

Ted Branson of Landmark Commercial Real Estate handled the deal.

In addition to offering new cameras, Spaeny says Plexus will offer service on other surveillance cameras as well.

“We’re ramping up all areas of that operation.”

 

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , Filed under New business, Real estate | Comments Off

You don’t say

Feb. 8, 20124:41 p.m.

“Maybe we can have a hot dog-eating contest.”

– Sedgwick County Commissioner Jim Skelton, joking about possible events this year at Intrust Bank Arena

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , Filed under County government, Intrust Bank Arena, You don't say | Comments Off

You don’t say

Feb. 2, 20124:28 p.m.

“I was hoping to come out with some fog and a laser light show.”

— Walter Berry, president of Berry Cos., speaking onstage at Intrust Bank Arena during Thursday’s chamber Chairman’s Lunch

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Zelman Lofts fully leased on residential side; commercial leasing is next

Jan. 25, 20125:49 p.m.

WICHITA — The nine residential spaces at Zelman Lofts are now completely leased.

“It’s some proof in the pudding that we’re hard workers,” says Michael Ramsey, who is redeveloping the building with Robert Eyster.

Now, they’re moving on to leasing 4,800 square feet of retail or restaurant space that fronts Douglas and another 1,000 square feet of office space that fronts St. Francis.

“The group is going to be particular about who goes in there because it’s very special space,” says Leisa Lowry of J.P. Weigand & Sons, who handles Ramsey and Eyster’s real estate deals.

The building, which was Sam Zelman’s namesake clothing store for decades, is across from Intrust Bank Arena and between an existing city park and another one being built just up St. Francis.

“It’s a tremendous corner,” Ramsey says.

Lowry says the response so far has been great, too.

She says interest has mostly been from restaurateurs, and it looks like that’s what will go in the space.

“We’ve had a lot of excellent activity on it.”

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Intrust Bank Arena assistant general manager takes GM job in Bakersfield, Calif.

Nov. 18, 20112:14 p.m.

WICHITA — Intrust Bank Arena assistant general manager Scott Neal – the longest-serving employee at the arena – is leaving to become general manager of Rabobank Arena, Theater & Convention Center in Bakersfield, Calif.

“It’s kind of the natural process within our company,” says A.J. Boleski, Intrust Bank Arena general manager.

Both arenas are SMG properties.

According to the Bakersfield Californian, the last Rabobank Arena general manager left in September amid a decline in bookings.

Intrust Bank Arena has had its own issues, including being $219,417 in the red through September.

Boleski says that has nothing to do with Neal’s departure.

“He’s done a phenomenal job.”

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Intrust Bank Arena proves to be a test kitchen for Carlos O’Kelly’s Mexican Cafe

Aug. 25, 20116:11 p.m.

WICHITA — Intrust Bank Arena has proven to be a good test kitchen for Carlos O’Kelly’s Mexican Cafe.

Jon Rolph says dishes prepared at his family’s chain of restaurants usually take about seven-to-10 minutes of prep time.

“When you’re at an arena, you’ve got to do it in about 20 seconds.”

That’s what led to the invention of the Baja Chicken Wrap.

“We played around with a bunch of different (dishes), and this rose to the top,” Rolph says.

“We were really surprised at how many people would be at the arena and then come in (our restaurants) and request it.”

So now, the wrap will be on the Carlos O’Kelly’s menu along with the cilantro lime rice that’s used to make it.

“I wouldn’t be surprised . . . if we don’t discover some new opportunities,” Rolph says of other menu items born at the arena.

The wide range of customers helps, he says.

“You get to see rockers, you get to see country music lovers and hockey moms all in one place throughout the year.”

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Intrust Bank Arena lays off five employees

Aug. 2, 201111:09 a.m.

WICHITA — Intrust Bank Arena has laid off five workers, which leaves 41 employees.

General manager A.J. Boleski calls it “obviously, a difficult decision to make.”

Cuts came from engineering, security, marketing and finance.

Last year, the new arena’s net operating income was $2,010,106.

It’s not on track to do that well this year.

“You know . . . it’s a tighter year,” Boleski says. “2011 is a different year than 2010 as it relates to the arena.”

Part of the issue, he says, is that last year was the arena’s inaugural year. That meant a big kickoff and more acts.

Also, Boleski says, the industry in general is slower right now.

“Therefore we need to tighten up expenses.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , Filed under Arenas, layoffs | Comments Off

You don’t say

July 27, 20111:41 p.m.

“Come on people, use your motivation!”

– What one person yelled out his car window after getting stuck in traffic after the Get Motivated Business Seminar at Intrust Bank Arena Tuesday

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