Soma Intimates to open at Bradley Fair

May 21, 20125:00 a.m.

WICHITA — Chico’s FAS Inc. is bringing another new store to Bradley Fair.

Almost seven years ago, the Florida-based Chico’s opened two brands – Chico’s and White House/Black Market – at the development.

Now, the company has plans to open Soma Intimates, which sells lingerie and sleepwear.

“Because the women of Wichita have embraced Chico’s and White House/Black Market, the company is eager … to bring Soma to Bradley Fair,” says Cathy Erickson, vice president at Laham Development.

The first Soma Intimates opened in 2004. Now there are almost 200 of the boutiques nationally.

The Bradley Fair store, which will be between Brick’s and Trio’s, will be 2,520 square feet.

“We’re taking excess space not being used by Brick’s and building that out for Soma,” Erickson says.

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By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Filed under Bradley Fair, East side, New business, Real estate, Retail | Comments (0)

You don’t say

May 2, 20124:25 p.m.

“He said i could leave him out (of) the press, but not out of the commission.”

– A text from J.P. Weigand & Sons broker Bradley Tidemann about his father, Grant, and whether he wanted a mention for handling a real estate deal

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , Filed under Uncategorized | Comments (0)

Spirit AeroSystems leases two buildings for temporary storage

April 25, 201211:00 a.m.

UPDATED — Spirit AeroSystems has leased two warehouse spaces at the B1 Industrial Park on Rock Road to temporarily store materials.

The materials, including raw materials and overflow items used for manufacturing, have been in a building on Spirit property. That building was damaged in the recent tornado.

“Obviously, it’s been nice to have warehousing on site,” says spokesman Ken Evans.

Spirit has leased about 48,000 square feet at 2510 S. Eastmoor and 120,000 square feet at 2652 S. Eastmoor.

Bradley Tidemann of J.P. Weigand & Sons handled the deals.

Evans says the leases will be “probably for at least six months, and then we’ll look at it after that.”

He says the company looked at several options for storing the material.

“This is the best that we thought we could do.”

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

American Bikes 4 You to move to Wichita

April 23, 20125:00 a.m.

UPDATED — Andover-based American Bikes 4 You, which sells pre-owned Harley-Davidsons, is moving to Wichita and almost doubling its space.

“Right now we average just over 300 bikes a year that we sell,” says LoRisa Fouch. “We’re hoping to double that. We’ll be able to have more motorcycles.”

Fouch owns the business with her husband, Larry, who has sold pre-owned Harleys for more than 25 years.

The 6-year-old company is moving to 8,500 square feet at 12345 E. Kellogg, which is east of Lowe’s and Walmart where Suburban Equipment used to be.

Currently, the Fouches rent two buildings, which are about 2,300 square feet each, at 13916 U.S. 54.

LoRisa says in addition to getting more space, the move will allow them to own their building, which she says makes more sense.

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By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , , , Filed under Andover, Real estate, Retail | Comments (0)

Hibachi Grill & Supreme Buffet to open at Westgate Market in September

April 11, 20121:25 p.m.

WICHITA — A new restaurant is going to replace two retail spaces at Westgate Market near Kellogg and Dugan.

Hibachi Grill & Supreme Buffet is taking 12,000 square feet where Payless ShoeSource and Fashion Bug used to be.

“It’s sort of a hybrid between sushi, Japanese Steakhouse and Chinese buffet,” says Sheryl Vickers of Kansas City, Mo.-based Copaken Brooks.

Vickers represented the restaurant in the deal.

Doug Malone of J.P. Weigand & Sons represented New York-based landlord Kimco Realty.

Hibachi Grill manager Michelle Guo says the restaurant will have about 10 bars with various offerings, such as sushi, Chinese food, desserts and homemade breads.

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By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , , , Filed under New business, Real estate, Restaurants, West side, Westgate Market | Comments (0)

Title Boxing Club to open at Shops at Tallgrass; two more clubs could follow

March 30, 201211:16 a.m.

WICHITA — Even Wichitans who aren’t looking to get in shape are going to have a hard time avoiding gyms soon.

In addition to new Planet Fitness and Gold’s Gym locations, Title Boxing Club is coming to the city.

It may sound exclusive to boxers, but the franchise actually is a fitness center.

“We’re basically taking the danger out,” says Chris Gerhardt, who is opening the business with Matt McClure. Gerhardt says they want it to “be something everyone can do just to get in shape.”

The first of what they think will be three Title Boxing Clubs will open in 5,527 square feet near 21st and Rock Road at the Shops at Tallgrass early this summer.

Gerhardt is a business consultant and former employee of equipment dealer Title Boxing, which is the company that started the fitness franchise in Kansas City.

So far, 144 franchises have been purchased, and 25 are open nationally.

For $59.99 a month, clients can have group classes and individual training using the same exercises as those who box or do mixed martial arts.

“We just turn it into (a) regular workout program for everybody,” Gerhardt says.

There’s a boxing ring, but he says the majority of the class is on a boxing bag.

The classes have a warm-up, boxing rounds and core work at the end.

“This gym offers a coach that’s with you the entire time,” Gerhardt says. “There’s some pretty fantastic coaches that are already on board.”

That includes pro boxer Manny Thompson and Ross “The Boss” Puritty, a former heavyweight world champion.

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By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , , Filed under Fitness, New business, Real estate | Comments (0)

Rock Island Cafe to open in May in Yogurt Xplosion space on North Rock Road

March 27, 20124:56 p.m.

WICHITA — It was late December when Kirsten Teague, a former Rock Island Cafe manager, announced she’s bringing back the restaurant.

“It seems like it’s been a long time,” she says.

She’s been looking for space since then, and now she’s found it at 3236 N. Rock Road where Yogurt Xplosion will be closing.

“It’s just that location – North Rock Road – that’s what I’ve been looking for,” Teague says.

Kianga Coleman of J.P. Weigand & Sons handled the deal.

Yogurt Xplosion owner Amber Dunn, who opened the business less than a year ago, didn’t return calls for comment.

The original Rock Island Cafe was open from 1985 until the mid-1990s next to Union Station in the former Rock Island Railroad baggage terminal. That’s the building that became home to the original Tanya’s Soup Kitchen.

“We’re going back to the original Rock Island,” Teague says.

That means the restaurant will serve breakfast and lunch but won’t have evening hours.

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By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , , Filed under East side, New business, Real estate, Restaurants | Comments (0)

Riverside Cafe not closing despite sale sign

March 5, 20129:51 a.m.

WICHITA — Some panicked Riverside Cafe fans are concerned about a J.P. Weigand & Sons sale sign on the building at 739 W. 13th St.

“The landlord’s selling the shopping center,” says Riverside owner Paul Cohlmia. “We tried to get him to take it off … you know, put it on something else, because everybody’s freaking.”

Cohlmia says he has no plans to close.

He has had some tax trouble, though. Cohlmia says he got behind on about $11,000 in state sales taxes.

“When I was putting in the Derby restaurant, I just kind of neglected some stuff,” he says of his Riverside Cafe of Derby, which opened last year.

“To me, it’s not a real big deal,” Cohlmia says.

For customers, though, it’s further cause for worry.

Cohlmia says it was “stupid” to get behind, but he says he’s on a payment plan and now owes only $3,500.

 

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Planet Fitness signs two new deals

Feb. 20, 20125:00 a.m.

WICHITA — There are deals for two new Wichita Planet Fitness sites, though the chain still isn’t talking about its plans here.

Have You Heard? previously reported that the company is working on locations in the former Star Lumber space at Normandie Center at Central and Woodlawn, at Marina Lakes at 21st and Amidon where a new Walmart Neighborhood Market is and also at the 21st and Maize area.

Since then, Scott Harper of Landmark Commercial Real Estate and Grant Tidemann of J.P. Weigand & Sons finalized a deal for the Marina Lakes space.

On Friday, Tidemann and Landmark’s Nick Esterline finalized a deal for the former bowling alley space at 2350 N. Maize Road. That’s where Countryside West Lanes closed in 2007.

It looks like there may already be demo work going on at the possible Planet Fitness space at Normandie.

Planet Fitness isn’t the only new gym coming to the city.

Gold’s Gym International also has been working on sites here. In fact, it appears it was negotiating for some of the same space Planet Fitness nabbed.

Earlier this year, Have You Heard? reported that a Gold’s deal at Harry and Rock may already be done.

Both companies are being similarly silent. We should hear something from them soon, though.

 

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , Filed under East side, Health clubs, Marina Lakes, New business, Normandie Center, Real estate, West side | Comments Off

Grubb & Ellis/Martens Commercial Group to do real estate forecasts at Wichita Area Outlook Conference

Feb. 15, 20122:56 p.m.

WICHITA — After a decade of doing commercial real estate forecasts every January, Grubb & Ellis/Martens Commercial Group is now going to partner with Wichita State University’s Center for Economic Development and Business Research to do the forecasts each fall.

Steve Martens’ company will be a major sponsor of the Wichita Area Outlook Conference and provide an exclusive commercial real estate forecast at the conference.

“We feel it is a stronger avenue for us to reach customers and clients with relevant commercial real estate information,” Martens says.

It’s a bigger one, too, since CEDBR director Jeremy Hill is expanding the conference’s reach.

“It’ll give us statewide coverage,” Martens says.

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By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , Filed under Economy, Real estate, Wichita State University | Comments Off