Deal to buy Luca Italian Kitchen falls through, but Pho Hot Bistro owner Danny Nguyen still looking to open in Old Town

June 18, 20135:00 a.m.

WICHITA — Restaurateur Melad Stephan is back from an overseas trip, so now it’s possible to ask about a little situation that happened with his Luca Italian Kitchen a few weeks ago.

Luca, the Old Town restaurant that replaced Stephan’s once-popular Uptown Bistro, has struggled since opening in 2011. It briefly closed around the time Stephan left for his native Lebanon and a European tour, but the closure wasn’t related to the trip.

Stephan had been negotiating for months with Pho Hot Bistro owner Danny Nguyen to sell him the restaurant.

Nguyen’s Vietnamese restaurant is at 306 N. Rock Road, and he’s interested in having one in Old Town as well.

“We just couldn’t come to an agreement,” Stephan says.

He says he thought the deal would go through, so he stopped ordering food. Stephan says when the sale didn’t happen, he’d already run out of food and had to briefly close.

Nguyen isn’t discussing what happened.

Luca is now open for dinner only. Stephan says he’s saving money by not having to pay for lunch labor. He says the restaurant will remain open, though he adds his standard line: “Everything I have is for sale for the right price.”

Nguyen says he’s still interested in coming downtown.

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By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , , , Filed under Old Town, Restaurants | Comments

Jason-Paul Febres to open second Taste & See in part of former Doc Howard’s space

June 17, 20135:00 a.m.

UPDATED – Jason-Paul Febres is heading back to Old Town.

“Now I’m moving back to my roots,” says the man who became known as Sabor Latin Bar & Grille’s first executive chef.

The Venezuela native is returning to Old Town with his own place — a second Taste & See.

“Well, first of all, it’s about time,” Febres says. “I don’t think it was a matter of if we were going to expand. It was a matter of when we were going to expand.”

Febres is taking 4,532 square feet at 252 N. Mosley, which is part of the space developer Dave Burk is converting at the former Doc Howard’s Lounge building.

“I love Old Town,” Febres says. “I like the crowded scene. That’s what I’m made for.”

Febres bounced around to various restaurants before opening Taste & See with a partner at Office This in the former Wichita Mall. Febres says he plans to keep that site, which will be open for lunch, classes and private events. It will be known as Taste & See The Venue.

The new Taste & See will be open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. Febres is planning a “very, very upscale tapas lounge” and “a beautiful patio.”

He’s also working on a new menu.

“It’s going to be a little more out there, and it’s going to be more fun,” Febres says. “I’m going to have the chance to play with more food than I was able to.”

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

Loony Bin likely to open this fall on St. Francis in greater Old Town area

April 15, 201311:03 a.m.

UPDATED — The Loony Bin, which closed in late March, could reopen in the Old Town area by fall.

“We have a contract out on a building on St. Francis downtown,” says co-owner Larry Marks.

“That part’s real encouraging.”

In September, Have You Heard? reported that the club was looking to leave Oxford Square at the northwest corner of 21st and Woodlawn.

Marks, who lives in Oklahoma City, and co-owner Jeff Jones, who lives in Little Rock, still have a few things to iron out before the downtown deal is done.

“It’s just a matter of completing the financing process, which probably isn’t going to be no problem,” Marks says. “In today’s economy, you never know.”

The 13,000-square-foot building is between First and Second streets on St. Francis across from the urban park on the southeast corner of Second and St. Francis.

The Loony Bin had been in Oxford Square since 1999.

“That club was very special to us,” Marks says.

He and Jones also own Loony Bins in their hometowns and Tulsa, but Wichita was the best-performing one for a long time.

“That was the premier club for a good nine, 10 years,” Marks says.

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By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , Filed under Bars, Old Town, Real estate | Comments Off

You don’t say

March 29, 201311:07 a.m.

“The days of the giant club are over, and it’s time to freshen things up. Stay tuned!”

– A Facebook post from Doc Howard’s Lounge owner Bryan Shapiro on the Old Town bar closing this weekend

 

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , Filed under Bars, Closings, Facebook, Old Town, You don't say | Comments Off

Doc Howard’s Lounge is losing its lease, but the rest of the situation is unclear

March 6, 20132:40 p.m.

UPDATED – Doc Howard’s Lounge is losing its Old Town lease at 252 N. Mosley.

That much is clear, but not much else is.

When initially contacted about the situation on March 5, owner Bryan Shapiro said he no longer owns the business and referred calls to the new owner, which he said is his brother, Keith, who couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

Early afternoon on March 6, building owner Dave Burk said the Doc Howard’s lease is expiring at the end of the month and that he chose not to allow the business to renew it.

The bar has been a lightning rod for critics due to violence and other issues in and around it.

It sounds like there’s a chance the business is reopening elsewhere in Old Town, but Bryan Shapiro said he didn’t have any information about it.

Burk said he’s still considering what to do with the 26,000 square feet Doc Howard’s is leaving.

“Well, I can’t tell you for sure what I’m going to do with it. I’ve got some ideas,” he said. “I just know what I’m not going to do with it.”

That means, Burk says, the space “isn’t going to be a large bar with a lot of capacity.”

He says it’s possible the area could be divided.

“It’s something I’m looking at.”

Keith Shapiro called later to say he’s not the owner of the business. He wouldn’t say what his role is.

“I can’t tell you anything other than we have other plans for this building with Dave Burk,” Keith Shapiro said. “We’re reconcepting and doing something different with this whole building itself.”

He further said, “There is nothing happening with the business. We are doing other things.”

In a follow-up call with Bryan Shapiro, he said he forgot that he is the owner of the business.

“I’m just mentally retarded,” he said. “We got a lot going on.”

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Courtyard by Marriott renovates in Old Town

Feb. 22, 20131:14 p.m.

WICHITA — What’s the fun in traveling only to be stuck in a hotel room?

That’s what Marriott International thinks, and that’s why the Courtyard by Marriott at 820 E. Second St. in Old Town has had a major renovation of its lobby and other public areas.

Jim Korroch, developer of the 128-room hotel that opened in 2006, says the buzz word for the renovation was to “activate” the lobby.

He says the idea was “to really make it an area where guests feel like they can get out of their rooms and … socialize with other guests.”

There’s a new bistro called Table 820. It’s mainly for guests, although Korroch says, “Anybody is welcome to use it.”

It’s in the same area as a bar and a Starbucks service station.

Without these kinds of amenities, Korroch says, “Frankly, it causes us to hang out more in our rooms.”

The hotel’s traditional front desk has been replaced with welcome pedestals of sorts, which are more private and personal, according to the hotel.

There’s free WiFi, computer terminals, a printer and the thing that often proves the most elusive for business and other travelers: plenty of electrical outlets.

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

Ruben’s Mexican Grill to move within Delano this spring

Feb. 5, 20133:18 p.m.

WICHITA — Ruben’s Mexican Grill is moving, but not far.

“Pretty much I can’t afford to stay here,” Ruben Acosta says of his current location near the northwest corner of Douglas and McLean.

He says his rent is substantially increasing, so he’s moving to 915 W. Douglas, which is still in Delano.

Acosta will take the first floor of the building, which is 2,600 square feet. That’s a bit bigger than his current space, where his lease is up at the end of April.

Ruben’s moved to Delano in 2003. Previously, it was in Old Town and was known as Ruben & Anita’s Tacos.

Acosta says his wife, Anita, is returning to the restaurant following an illness. He says they decided not to revert to the former name because the restaurant offers more than tacos.

The Acostas also considered returning to Old Town.

“I like Old Town,” Ruben Acosta says.

He says parking can be a problem, though. In the end, he says Delano was the natural choice.

“Delano has been great to me,” Acosta says. “Delano has been growing so fast so much.”

The Acostas will make a number of changes at the new space, including adding a full bar, a patio, big-screen TVs and a new menu. There will be expanded hours as well. Ruben Acosta says he and his wife hope to make the restaurant more of a destination. He says they plan to open in early May shortly after the current restaurant closes.

“I hope I can get it ready by then.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , Filed under Delano, Old Town, Real estate, Restaurants | Comments Off

Bliss-fullness Custom Cakes & Pastries to leave the west side for Old Town

Jan. 31, 20133:36 p.m.

WICHITA — There’s blissful news for denizens of Old Town.

Angie and Johnny Vasquez are moving their Bliss-fullness Custom Cakes & Pastries from Tyler Plaza near Central and Tyler, where it opened last summer, to Old Town.

The shop will locate between Larkspur and Wasabi.

“We were eating lunch at Wasabi one day, and my husband was like, ‘Let’s go take a walk,’” Angie Vasquez says.

They saw that a space next door along with a loft above it were available.

“Basically, that was the selling point for us,” Angie Vasquez says. “We can have a business and a family all at one place.”

The couple has two toddlers and a 19-year-old, Johnny Jalali.

“My 19-year-old is kind of like a baking prodigy,” Angie Vasquez says.

Bliss-fullness has cupcakes, cakes and pastries, such as croissants, which are made fresh daily.

“We are definitely going to go up on the pastries,” Angie Vasquez says.

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

Pacific Coast Pizza and Walkers Bar and Venue to open by arena in March

Jan. 30, 20133:21 p.m.

Aaron Moore (left) and Rusty Law, who are opening Walkers Bar and Venue and Pacific Coast Pizza near Intrust Bank Arena.

UPDATED — Before Intrust Bank Arena opened in 2010, there was a lot of buzz about how many bars and restaurants it would attract to that part of downtown.

That hasn’t happened, but two new venues are preparing to open in a month or so, and one more may follow this summer.

It’s been about a year since Have You Heard? first reported it, but Rusty Law is getting ready to open his second Pacific Coast Pizza at 222 S. Commerce St. That’s at the south end of a series of buildings attached to the back of the former Spaghetti Works space, which is east of the arena.

The 5,350-square-foot space was built in the 1980s. It will be adjacent to the 4,950-square-foot space to the north where Law’s longtime friend Aaron Moore is opening Walkers Bar and Venue. The 1908 building was a flour mill at one time.

Law and Moore hope to open both businesses in early March.

“I think what we’re going to … have is something Old Town does not necessarily have,” Moore says. “Location’s obviously key.”

He’s calling his business Walkers “because people seem to walk here.”

“It’s quite obvious when you come down here on event night that everybody’s walking,” Moore says. “When you watch the flow of traffic on event night, I can’t see why everybody wouldn’t want to stop in. I think we’ll capture a large audience just by being something fresh.”

Law says he plans to capitalize on Old Town revelers who may have had a few adult beverages by selling “a slice of pizza for them at 2 o’clock in the morning.”

He says the area will become a destination.

“Location wise it’s perfect for us being right next to the arena, right next to all the development in downtown,” Law says. “The customer count down here is going to be really good.”

He says Wichita Thunder hockey games bring in a potential 4,000 to 5,000 people, and concerts and other events can bring in as many as 12,000.

“It’s almost free advertisement being down here by the arena.”

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Doc Howard’s Lounge reopens

Dec. 18, 20125:12 p.m.

WICHITA — Doc Howard’s Lounge is back open.

The Old Town bar’s temporarily lapsed liquor license was restored after owner Bryan Shapiro had a new fire door installed as the city dictated.

Shapiro says his business, which has been a target for critics due to fights and disturbances in and around it, was affected by having to close.

“Of course it was affected,” Shapiro says. He says, though, “I don’t think it was any evil intention.”

The city had several demands before it would restore the license.

“They gave us a list, we complied, we’re open, thank God.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , Filed under Bars, Old Town | Comments Off