WICHITA — The Jack’s North Hi Carryout auction was today, but it didn’t sell – yet.
The highest bidder declined to proceed with the sale, which is unusual but not unheard of.
McCurdy Auction is still working with potential buyers, including one in particular, who were at the auction.
Since the building across from North High School is still for sale, other interested buyers who weren’t at the auction still have time to buy as well.
WICHITA — Jack’s North Hi Carryout owner Austin Herron and McCurdy Auction auctioneer Megan McCurdy would like to get one thing clear before the April 11 auction of the business.
When Herron bought the business at auction in 2010, it sold for $116,600 – not $106,000 as the previous owner said. It looks like a buyer’s premium or some other real estate fee accounts for the discrepancy.
McCurdy says a lot has changed since the last time the business sold.
“The business is in a different condition today.”
She says there have been improvements to the building and the equipment in it.
“He’s really turned it around,” McCurdy says of Herron.
She says personal reasons are prompting him to sell.
“He’s not leaving for the sake of it not doing well. In fact, he’s got a good demand. I’ve been in there, and it’s been very busy.”
UPDATED — After decades and decades with only a couple of owners, Jack’s North Hi Carryout has been in a fairly constant state of transition for the last decade.
Current operator Austin Herron has hired McCurdy Auction to auction the building across from North High School on April 11.
“He is planning on going back to school,” says Ramona Herron, who bought the building in 2010 for her grandson to run the restaurant. She paid $116,600 for it.
Herron says her grandson is helping her with an ill family member as well.
“He thought, well, he can’t do all three,” she says.
Even before he decided to sell, Ramona Herron says her grandson fielded inquiries from people interested in buying the piece of Wichita history. The restaurant opened in 1951 and was an immediate hit.
“There’s been a lot of people … come in and ask him about it,” Herron says. “A lot of them have tried to get the money but can’t.”
The restaurant has been closed for several days for spring break but is reopening Wednesday.
Herron says her grandson plans to keep the restaurant open until the auction.
And if it doesn’t sell?
“Well, he’ll keep it open until it does.”
WICHITA — Here we go again.
After years and years of Jack’s North Hi Carryout having the same owner, there have been several changes in recent years, and it looks like there’s about to be one more.
Owner Barbara Moore has hired Bud Palmer Auction to auction the restaurant at 10 a.m. on Sept. 16 at Jack’s, which will remain open through Sept. 15.
“I came out of retirement basically to keep it going,” Moore says. “I’m like Brett Favre. I’m going back into retirement.”
Moore’s husband, Joe, reopened the restaurant in March 2009 but then died in November.
The restaurant and its restoration was his labor of love.
“All of that was his design, and he restored it,” Moore says. “And, of course, it looks great. He did a great job.”
Included in the auction is the longtime menu board from the restaurant, some North High School yearbooks from the 1930s and books with signatures from North High students from 1929 to the present.
WICHITA — Laura’s Super Tortas owner Jose Barrera is relocating one of his restaurants and changing its name — slightly.
The new restaurant will be at 527 W. 13th across from North High School (and just down from Jack’s North Hi Carryout).
Barrera is closing the Laura’s near 25th and Arkansas in the Plaza Mexico building.
“The business was OK, but it gets more attractive when the people see your face,” Barrera says of owning his own stand-alone building.