Metro Grill IV a possibility for downtown

Nov. 20, 201210:27 a.m.

WICHITA — At long last, Michael Gonzalez is looking to bring his Metro Grill downtown.

“Since Day 1 at the mall, they’ve been asking me to come downtown,” he says of customers from his Metro Grill stand at Towne East Square. “They’re dying for us to go downtown.”

In addition to the mall location, Gonzalez has a sit-down Metro Grill at the Waterfront at 13th and Webb Road, and another restaurateur has Gonzalez’s former Metro Grill in Andover.

The downtown location, which would be close to Cafe Bel Ami near South Broadway and East William, isn’t official yet.

“This is not 100 percent,” Gonzalez says.

He says he’s only in talks with a developer, who approached him.

“If it’s a sweet deal, I’ll take it.”

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

T-Mobile the Phone Zone enters Wichita

March 29, 20121:58 p.m.

WICHITA — A new T-Mobile retailer is entering the Wichita market with plans for at least six locations.

Readi Connections, which does business as T-Mobile the Phone Zone, bought an existing T-Mobile outlet at Towne East Square this month and is preparing to open one in Andover Village at 321 S. Andover in April.

Missouri residents Chris Michael and his mother, Melissa, had been in commercial real estate previously.

“We bought out one of our tenants and saw the great potential with wireless,” Chris Michael says.

They’re planning to open 25 stores in the next 36 months in a six-state region.

Michael says they decided to come to Wichita in part because the T-Mobile signal is strong here.

“It’s extremely strong,” he says.

Michael says the Towne East store was a good starting point.

“I felt like that had a really strong retail presence in it and some really strong growth potential as a store.”

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By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , , , Filed under Andover, East side, New business, Real estate, Retail, Towne East Square | Comments Off

Third Metro Grill to open at the Waterfront

March 9, 201212:07 p.m.

WICHITA — Michael Gonzalez is preparing to open his third Metro Grill, this time in the former Chill Gelato space at the Waterfront at 13th and Webb.

Gonzalez opened his first Metro Grill in Towne East Square. Last year, he opened one in Andover and then sold it to an employee.

Gonzalez says this location, which will seat about 40 and have additional outside seating, will open in about two months.

“I want to thank the people of Wichita for hanging in there with me.”

 

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

Encore Restaurant and Nightclub and Metro Grill enter partnership to serve food

Nov. 18, 20117:27 a.m.

WICHITA — Since selling his Andover restaurant, Metro Grill owner Michael Gonzalez has been thinking of ways to expand his business, which started in Towne East Square.

“I can’t stay away from the kitchen, so here I go,” says Gonzalez, who has been making pitches to other area restaurants to carry his popular sandwiches.

“He was like, ‘Hey, I know this sounds kind of crazy, but I think I have the best food in town,’” says Encore Restaurant and Nightclub owner Michael Todd, who is one of the business owners Gonzalez made his pitch to.

“I just assumed it was another guy trying to make a dollar.”

Encore is in the former O’Brien’s Irish Pub space next to Scotch & Sirloin.

Gonzalez brought along his brother, Jose, for the pitch. Todd had two thoughts after meeting them.

“Either these are the best salesmen I’ve ever seen, or they have the best food.”

So he went to Towne East to check it out.

“Sure enough, they are the best salesmen and they have great food,” Todd says. “They’re so pumped. Their food isn’t just a product they made. It’s really from their heart.”

He quizzed people he knows about Metro Grill.

“It’s just nonstop love for the place. Not a bad remark for anything from there.”

So Todd is discontinuing most of his current menu, except for pizza, and adding eight Metro Grill sandwiches and two salads. He may expand the offerings eventually.

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By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , , , Filed under Restaurants | Comments Off

Metro Grill to open in Andover and not on Rock Road

Oct. 6, 20105:01 p.m.

WICHITA — The Metro Grill deal at 366 N. Rock Road has fallen through.

Instead, Michael Gonzalez, whose popular Metro Grill sandwich stand is at Towne East Square, is heading to Andover.

“We live in Andover,” Gonzalez says of his family.

That’s only one reason he’s opening next month at 321 S. Andover Road.

“The reason why is there is nothing to eat in Andover in my eyes,” he says. “Nothing unique like Metro Grill has to offer.”

Gonzalez is known for sandwiches like his Cuban, which he effortlessly makes for a customer while fielding questions about his new restaurant.

The new place will seat about 35 and have a similar concept that Gonzalez had planned for Rock Road.

The kitchen will be in the middle of the restaurant so diners can see him cook.

Diners will be able to bring their own beer and wine with no corking fee.

“It’s a great concept,” Gonzalez says. “From where I come from, New York and New Jersey, those restaurants do phenomenal.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , Filed under Real estate, Restaurants, Towne East Square | Comments

Metro Grill II to open on North Rock Road

April 7, 20103:13 p.m.

gonzWICHITA — Metro Grill owner Michael Gonzalez is still opening a new restaurant, but not where he originally planned.

Gonzalez’s Metro Grill stand is at Towne East Square, which is where he also hoped to have a sit-down restaurant.

Instead, he’s going to open Metro Grill II at 366 N. Rock Road in a building that’s been home to Plant and Patio and Rugs to Riches in recent years.

“It’s going to be amazing,” Gonzalez says of the three-level space.

He plans to have the kitchen be a central part of the restaurant by putting it by the windows that face Rock Road and by leaving it visible for diners to see throughout the restaurant.

Read More »

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

Tax issue won’t keep new restaurant from opening

May 7, 20093:53 p.m.

michaelmugMetro Grill and 5-10 Gourmet owner Michael Gonzalez, who on Tuesday told Have You Heard? about a new sit-down restaurant he’s opening at Towne East Square, is almost $22,000 behind on taxes. But he says it’s no big deal.

“I was a little behind on my sales tax, but that’s taken care of,” Gonzalez says. “It’s not going to affect any opening of any restaurant.”

Gonzalez, who is still considering two Towne East entrance locations to open 5-10 by Metro Grill, says the amount he owes is more like $10,000 and that the state must have its figures wrong.

He says he got behind when he combined the billing for his two Towne East food court restaurants and didn’t have a good accountant to help him.

Now, Gonzalez says, he’s on a payment plan and has an accountant “that I can feel comfortable with.”

“She’s at the top of the game, so that’s good.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , Filed under Restaurants, Towne East Square | Comments

Metro Grill owner to try fine-dining concept

May 5, 20096:31 p.m.

michael2Michael Gonzalez, the sandwich aficionado who draws even nonshoppers to the food court at Towne East Square, is working on another new restaurant.

“We’re going to be putting fine Italian gourmet within the actual mall itself,” Gonzalez says.

This time, it won’t be in the food court like his Metro Grill and 5-10 Gourmet.

“We’ll be at one of the main mall entrances,” Gonzalez says.

He plans to close his 5-10 Gourmet. The new restaurant will be 5-10 by Metro Grill. It will have a bar in addition to the restaurant, which will serve what Gonzalez calls Hispanic-Italian cuisine with some American dishes. It will be similar to 5-10 Gourmet but not the same.

“I’m going to add and take away and keep a lot,” Gonzalez says.

Metro Grill will remain open.

“Always,” Gonzalez says. “That’s my baby.”

He says there weren’t problems with 5-10 Gourmet.

“It’s working fantastic,” he says.

But mall management wants that space — more on that coming soon — and he thinks the mall could use a sit-down restaurant with adult beverages.

“Towne East is ready for it,” Gonzalez says.

He’s considering two locations and should make a decision shortly.

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , Filed under Restaurants, Towne East Square | Comments