Jimmie’s Diner to replace Toc’s Coffeehouse

Dec. 14, 20115:11 a.m.

Joe Davidson (left) with his parents, Linda and Jack Davidson, who are turning Toc's Coffeehouse into a Jimmie's Diner.

WICHITA — A new restaurant is opening where Toc’s Coffeehouse closed this spring.

“We’re going to remodel it and open it as a Jimmie’s Diner,” says owner Jack Davidson.

Davidson and his wife, Linda, purchased Jimmie’s at 3111 N. Rock Road in 2007.

“We want to continue to … take this legendary store and spread it out to more than one location,” Jack Davidson says.

Jimmie’s “was one of the first things on North Rock Road back in 1987,” he says. “As a matter of fact, it sat out here all by itself on a two-lane road.”

The history of Jimmie’s, Kings-X Diner – the restaurant at 21st and Amidon the Davidsons also bought in 2007 – and Toc’s goes back even farther.

“We have a direct line back to White Castle in Wichita,” Davidson says.

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

Toc’s Coffeehouse won’t reopen; building is listed for lease

April 29, 20111:57 p.m.

WICHITA — A Wichita tradition has come to an end.

Toc’s Coffeehouse is not reopening after all.

Earlier this month, owners Paul and Eunice Nam said they were temporarily closed due to an issue with a hot water heater and that they were struggling to find a new one.

The Nams took over the more than 60-year-old Toc’s, a breakfast favorite, at 1519 S. George Washington Drive four years ago.

They said their restaurant would reopen despite an issue with back taxes.

State figures show they owe $23,244, though Paul Nam says he’s not sure that is correct.

The Nams didn’t return a call for comment this week.

Landmark Commercial Real Estate has the building listed for lease. Interested individuals can contact Landmark broker Lewis Kelley.

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

Cherry Creek will be home to a new Cricket store

March 3, 201111:48 a.m.

WICHITA — There’s a new Cricket store going in the Cherry Creek shopping center at Harry and Rock.

Ikoma George, whose company name is Unlimited Wireless, is a Cricket dealer who will sell cell phones and accessories.

He plans to open in 1,400 square feet around April 1.

Lewis Kelley of Landmark Commercial Real Estate represented George. Landmark’s Don Piros represented Cherry Creek.

George says he would like to open more Cricket stores after this.

“I hope so,” he says. “It depends on how this goes.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , Filed under Cherry Creek, Leases, Real estate, Retail | Comments Off

Empire Energy establishes Wichita office following oil well acquisition

Feb. 22, 201111:15 a.m.

UPDATED — An oil acquisition has led to a new lease at Twin Lakes Office Park at 1900 N. Amidon.

Pennsylvania-based Empire Energy is establishing a Wichita office in 1,600 square feet at Twin Lakes.

“We’ve just bought a whole bunch of oil wells in Kansas,” says president and co-CEO Bruce McLeod.

He says his company has purchased about 220 operating wells from TNT Engineering. McLeod says the wells produce about 550 barrels a day for a value of about $57 million.

Lewis Kelley of Landmark Commercial Real Estate handled the lease.

McLeod says Empire is looking for other wells, too.

“We’re looking to expand in Kansas,” he says.

McLeod is a little puzzled by Kansas weather, though.

“Wichita seems like a nice place, although it seems to get very cold there,” he says. “I arrived in a blizzard and left in sunshine.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , Filed under Leases, Oil and gas, Real estate, Twin Lakes | Comments Off

Tommy’s Restaurant & Lounge for sale

Aug. 26, 201010:54 a.m.

WICHITA — Want to own a piece of Wichita history? Now you can.

Tommy D’Annunzio is selling his Tommy’s Restaurant & Lounge at 21st and Tyler.

“I’m 62 years old,” he says. “I’ve been in the business 40-some years.”

He’s had Tommy’s for 20 years. Before that, he had a couple of restaurants, including Tom & Sonny’s with his friend Sonny Glennon, who now is a co-owner of Scotch & Sirloin.

Tommy’s seats almost 300.

D’Annunzio is trying to sell the restaurant. The lease at the space is separate.

Lewis Kelley and Gary Snyder of Landmark Commercial Real Estate are handling the sale of the business.

D’Annunzio can’t say what he’ll do next.

“I don’t know. I’m still here, so it’s hard to say.”

And if it doesn’t sell?

“I don’t know. I’ll be here.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , Filed under Restaurants, West side | Comments

Cleary, Wagle, Soderberg and West, a new group of attorneys, to lease Landmark Commercial Real Estate building space

May 19, 20106:00 a.m.

WICHITA — A new lease at the Landmark Commercial Real Estate building at First and Emporia will bring the building to 100 percent occupancy.

Landmark and 1Point LLC have 7,920 square feet of the Old Town space, which Landmark renovated and moved into in 2007.

A new group of independent lawyers are forming an entity — not a law firm — to share the remaining 3,912 square feet on the building’s first floor.

The new group is Cleary, Wagle, Soderberg and West, which includes Mike Cleary, Karen Barry West, Jennifer Wagle, Ann Gottberg Soderberg and Stephen Turley.

Floodman, Wagle and West has been sharing space at 323 N. Market for more than four years.

With the new entity, West says the group needs more room. She says there are a lot of things they like about the Landmark building, including that the group will be easily accessible on the first floor with plenty of parking not far from courthouses.

“We need to be able to get in the car and go, and so that was very appealing,” West says.

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