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.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , Filed under Downtown, Intrust Bank Arena, Real estate | Comments Off

Sugar Sister Kelli Sykes to reopen Sugar Sisters Bakery in Delano

Sept. 28, 201110:02 a.m.

WICHITA — The Sugar Sisters are back.

Kelli Sykes is reopening Sugar Sisters Bakery, this time in Delano, with a little behind-the-scenes help from her sisters Kristine and Katie.

The sisters closed their original Sugar Sisters Bakery & Cafe near Central and Oliver in January after struggling financially and with service issues for three years.

“I learned from our mistakes the first time,” Kelli Sykes says.

“My sisters kind of gave up (and) wanted to pursue their dreams, but I still wanted to do a bakery,” she says.

“In high school I went to Kapaun, and everyone called me Betty Crocker (and) Mom. They all wanted me to open a bakery. That’s kind of where my dream started.”

The new business will be in 1,200 square feet at 917 W. Douglas just down from Club Billiards.

Joey Ritchie and Leisa Lowry of J.P. Weigand & Sons handled the deal.

Sugar Sisters mainly will be a bakery but will have some lunch items as well and seating for about 10.

Sykes says her bierocks will be a staple.

“Anyone who’s had them has been instantly addicted.”

She’ll also serve chicken salad, quiche and some deli items such as cold pasta.

Since the other business closed, Sykes says she’s been doing special orders and has been receiving great feedback.

For instance, one drug rep orders about 100 cupcakes a week.

“She says every time she takes them somewhere people go crazy,” Sykes says. She says fans of the restaurant have “been going nuts since we closed.”

For those who weren’t fans or were disappointed by a previous experience, Sykes says, “I would invite them to give me another chance.”

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

Robert Eyster hits the trifecta with his acquisition of 100 S. Market

Aug. 30, 20115:04 a.m.

WICHITA — Developer Robert Eyster has purchased another downtown building.

Michael Ramsey, who is working with Eyster on several downtown projects, says Eyster has acquired the more than 20,000-square-foot, two-story building at 100 S. Market.

“It’s not a very exciting building — yet,” Ramsey says.

This follows Eyster’s purchase of the Board of Trade building at 120 S. Market earlier this summer along with Kelly Donham’s former property on Douglas Avenue between Main and Market streets that became known for a giant hole in the ground.

They’re also renovating and repurposing the Zelman building and the Victoria Park Apartments downtown.

Ramsey says the building at 100 S. Market is “an integral part of the trifecta of the old Donham property and the Board of Trade.”

“Now that we’ve secured all three of the key players in the plan, we can go forth with what the next step is.”

Except they’re not revealing that next step yet.

Ramsey says he’ll share news in a month or so.

Leisa Lowry with J.P. Weigand & Sons and Marlin Penner with NAI John T. Arnold Associates handled the deal for 100 S. Market.

“It holds enormous promise,” Ramsey says.

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

U Grill to open in former Linkhaus space

July 22, 20115:11 a.m.

WICHITA — An Oklahoma lawyer’s shopping trip to the Rock Road Sam’s Club led to him leasing the former Linkhaus space near the southwest corner of 37th Street North and Rock Road.

Will Clark was in Wichita shopping at Sam’s about six months ago.

“For some reason, I went north to 37th Street instead of south to . . . 96,” Clark says.

“It was nighttime, and I drove by the Linkhaus, and it was all lit up. And I thought, what in the world? I literally came in and bought a hot dog because I was curious about the building. I thought, that’s one heck of a building.”

He’s planning to open a fast-casual dining concept called U Grill in September.

“Basically what we’re looking at doing is like a fast food HuHot or a Genghis Grill,” Clark says.

Instead of having only rice or noodles to choose from along with grilled vegetables, U Grill will have hamburgers, cheese steak sandwiches and omelets for which customers can also select vegetables to grill.

The quarter pound burgers will be divided into two patties that are smashed and grilled quickly. The grilled vegetables will go between the patties.

Clark says he’s also getting a license for at least beer and wine and hopes to make U Grill a late-night spot for sporting events in addition to serving breakfast lunch and dinner.

“There’s a lot of potential for this area to have a after-hours place for people to gather.”

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By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , , Filed under Bars, East side, Leases, Real estate, Restaurants | Comments Off

Bossa Grill to close this weekend

April 20, 20111:52 p.m.

WICHITA — Less than a year after opening, Bossa Grill is closing.

“Sometimes you need to know when you need to quit,” says co-owner Alberto Moreira.

He opened what he and a partner from his native Brazil hoped would be the first in a chain of restaurants at Northrock Retail Center at 3242 N. Rock Road.

“So many people like my food — like everything,” Moreira says.

But not enough.

Moreira says not enough people came through for a good return on investment.

“It’s better we decide to close.”

Leisa Lowry with J.P. Weigand & Sons is now working to sublease the space.

The Bossa concept may not be dead, though.

“We need to think about it,” Moreira says. “We need to learn about our mistakes.”

His partner is talking with someone in Miami about opening there, which Moreira says might make sense with the Latino community in that area.

Moreira says Saturday is Bossa’s last day in business here.

“Thank you (to) my customers.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , Filed under Closings, East side, Leases, Real estate, Restaurants | Comments Off

Linkhaus to move; building near 37th Street North and Rock Road is available

March 22, 20113:05 p.m.

WICHITA — Linkhaus developers Robert Eyster and Michael Ramsey are planning to move their hot dog restaurant, which leaves their building near the southwest corner of 37th Street North and Rock Road available for another business.

“Over the past year we have seen how the market has driven us,” Ramsey says of the almost 1-year-old business.

“The market drives, at least in the hot dog-brat market . . . less of a price point,” he says. “The only way that we could capitalize on a smaller price point . . . is to decrease our overhead.”

The 3,500-square-foot, eco-friendly building with a large atrium for a dining room opened last year, but Ramsey says the hot dog and bar business didn’t draw people who wanted to stay for hours.

“It really didn’t work out as well as what we expected,” he says.

They’re not abandoning the concept, though.

“We’re certainly not dying,” Ramsey says.

He hopes to move to a strip center in the area and reduce prices.

Prices will drop starting April 2 in the current space along with an expanded menu, which will include chicken sandwiches, Angus burgers and fries.

“We’re adjusting to what the public wants,” Ramsey says.

He says a venue other than a restaurant could easily move to the Linkhaus space.

“The whole idea of the Linkhaus was the ability . . . for the concept to be modular, to be movable,” Ramsey says. “The building is that way.”

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By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , Filed under East side, Leases, Real estate, Restaurants | Comments Off

You don’t say

March 17, 20114:33 p.m.

“Thank heavens for these recession-resistant concepts that have pulled us through the past couple of years.”

– Leisa Lowry of J.P. Weigand & Sons, who did the deal for the new Dollar Tree coming to Westgate Market at 6840 W. Kellogg on March 31

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , Filed under Leases, New business, Real estate, Retail, You don't say | Comments Off

Dollar Tree coming to Westgate Market

Dec. 14, 201010:11 a.m.

WICHITA — Yet another new store is coming to Westgate Market on West Kellogg.

Dollar Tree will open at 6840 W. Kellogg on April 1.

It will join Northern Tool & Equipment, which is coming to the center in February, and Mattress Hub, which also is opening there in the new year.

Dollar Tree is taking the former Petco space, which is more than 10,000 square feet.

Leisa Lowry with J.P. Weigand & Sons handled the deal for Dollar Tree.

Look for more details on this deal later today.

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , Filed under Retail, West side | Comments (2)

Braum’s on South Rock to open in late June

Dec. 9, 20105:40 a.m.

WICHITA — More than a year ago, Braum’s closed on a deal for new space at 1261 S. Rock near Harry and Rock.

Now, the company is beginning work on the store.

It’ll be similar to the one on Seneca near Douglas that opened last month and the one near 21st and Amidon that opened last year.

Like those stores, the new one will be 5,756 square feet with a drive-through and a Fresh Market grocery area.

“That’s our largest model,” says spokeswoman Andie Schwab.

Braum’s has been replacing older stores with the newer model. The Rock Road store is new, though, and not replacing another store.

Leisa Lowry, a broker with J.P. Weigand & Sons, represented Braum’s in the deal, and Weigand brokers Grant Tidemann and his son Bradley represented the seller.

The new store is slated to open in late June.

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , Filed under Real estate, Restaurants, Retail | Comments (3)

It’s official: New Balance and Heads shoe stores to open near 21st and Maize

Oct. 21, 20105:26 a.m.

WICHITA — Cindy Warren confirms what Have You Heard? reported last week:

She’s bringing a New Balance store to the west side along with a new Heads shoe store.

Both will locate in the former Blockbuster space at 10231 W. 21st St. near Maize Road.

“We think that the area deserves the type of service and quality that we bring to town in a shoe store,” Warren says. “We think that they’re going to be very receptive of it.”

She says she’s done a lot of market research.

“It’s a different demographic out there than it is on the east side of town,” Warren says.

Warren owns Heads Village Shoe Store at Douglas and Oliver, Fair Village Shoe Store at 2407 W. 13th St., the New Balance shoe store at 1720 N. Webb, and the Little Feet Boutique children’s shoe store adjoining Heads.

“We’re taking our Fair’s shoe store on West 13th, and we’re lowering the price point,” says Warren’s son Andy, who is general manager.

Shoes have been averaging $90-$100 at Fair.

“We’re going to try to bring that down to about $60 to $70,” Andy Warren says.

The new stores will have the higher price point with more fashionable comfort shoes.

Warren says he sells a wide range of footwear, including orthopedic shoes, boots and “a cute little gladiator sandal.”

He says proper size and comfort are his main focuses.

At the 6,000-square-foot former Blockbuster space, New Balance will take 2,000 square feet and Heads will take 4,000 square feet.

“New Balance doesn’t require a lot of space,” Andy Warren says.

Leisa Lowry of J.P. Weigand & Sons handled the deal. Farha Construction is the contractor.

Construction will start in early November, and the new stores should open in early February.

“We’re doing a complete overhaul of the existing facility,” Andy Warren says.

Spangenberg Phillips Tice has created the plans.

“They’ve done just a phenomenal job,” Andy Warren says.

Expanding in the current economic climate isn’t daunting to Cindy Warren.

“You know, it should be, but at the same time, we’ve done our homework, and we feel like we’ve picked a spot that is central to the part of Wichita that’s growing very quickly. So hopefully our homework will prove out that we made a good choice.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , , , Filed under Real estate, Retail, West side | Comments (3)