You don’t say

Jan. 25, 20123:11 p.m.

“To save a couple of bucks, I switched.”

– Phil Ruffin, who dropped his Wichita cellphone and got a Vegas one instead because of roaming fees

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Phil Ruffin solves one headache, fights another and does lots of business in between

Jan. 25, 20123:09 p.m.

WICHITA — As always, Phil Ruffin has a lot on his plate, and some things are going better than others.

This week, a federal judge threw out an age discrimination lawsuit against Ruffin’s Treasure Island hotel and casino in Las Vegas.

“We wanted to put a first-class spa in,” Ruffin says of his wife’s namesake Oleksandra Spa & Salon. “Oleksandra was very familiar with that business and wanted a bunch of new things put in.”

That included hiring people with the necessary skill sets, he says.

“The ones who didn’t have the skills sued us,” Ruffin says.

He describes it as a typical headache.

“You get those things all the time. You try not to, but you can’t help it sometimes.”

He’s also added a second Starbucks on his property along with the Margarita Bar, both of which are near Treasure Island’s pirate show on the strip.

“Nine thousand people a night look at that,” Ruffin says. He wants to accommodate each of them with a drink.

Ruffin also is working with Cirque Du Soleil to revamp “Mystere,” one of the most popular Vegas shows, which also is at Treasure Island.

The new show debuts Feb. 12.

“It should be an even better show,” Ruffin says.

Back in Wichita, Ruffin is once again working on getting slots at his closed Wichita Greyhound Park.

“We keep trying,” he says.

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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services finalizes lease for former Davis Furniture space in Delano

Oct. 25, 20115:49 a.m.

WICHITA — The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has closed on its deal to lease the 13,000-square-foot former Davis Furniture space in Delano.

“It’s all done and signed,” says Chris Ruffin, director of real estate for his father Phil Ruffin’s Ruffin Properties.

In August, Have You Heard? reported the lease was a possibility.

At the time, Chris Ruffin — who previously planned a country-and-western bar for the space — admitted the immigration office might not have the same flair.

“You know, it’s not glamorous, but it’s a really vital part of government resources.”

The renovated space will be ready in about a year.

Spangenberg Phillips Tice Architecture is the architect.

“It’s going to look really good,” Ruffin says. “I love the plans.”

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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services may take 13,000 square feet of former Davis Furniture space in Delano

Aug. 3, 20111:43 p.m.

UPDATED — A deal is close for a new tenant in the former Davis Furniture space, and it’s as unlike a country-and-western bar as it can be.

It looked like there was a done deal earlier today, but it’s not finalized yet. If it happens, though, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services would take 13,000 square feet in the building.

“You know, it’s not glamorous, but it’s a really vital part of government resources,” says Chris Ruffin, director of real estate for his father Phil Ruffin’s Ruffin Properties.

Chris Ruffin says an Immigration Services lease would mean a lot for Delano, too.

“It’s a big deal,” he says. “It saves that derelict building. It’s been an eyesore in Wichita for a really, really long time.”

The Ruffins plan to heavily invest in the property, where they once planned a bar, before Immigration Services would move in.

“The building’s going to look spectacular,” Chris Ruffin says. “It’s not going to look like a government building per se.”

Read More »

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Deal in the works for the former Davis Furniture space in Delano

July 28, 20115:14 a.m.

WICHITA — Chris Ruffin is close to announcing a new deal for the former Davis Furniture space in Delano.

“I’m working on something big,” says Ruffin, who is director of real estate for his father Phil Ruffin’s Ruffin Properties.

Chris Ruffin at one point planned a 15,000-square-foot country-western bar and restaurant for the space, but he and his father decided to go in a different direction.

It sounds like the new deal is with a local company possibly looking to expand, but Ruffin won’t go into details about what kind of business it is.

“I really can’t because if our competitors find out, that wouldn’t be good for us. There’s a reason real estate is so secretive.”

Look for news within a week.

“It’s such a great deal.”

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You don’t say

June 24, 20119:51 a.m.

“We’re always looking at properties next door to us, but you can’t force someone to sell.”

— Treasure Island owner Phil Ruffin, quoted in Vegas Inc, when asked if he’s looking to buy more properties on the Strip

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You don’t say

April 21, 20114:41 p.m.

“She’s a very sharp businesswoman. I didn’t realize that.”

— Phil Ruffin on his tenant, Tanya Tandoc, who has reopened her Tanya’s Soup Kitchen to record sales

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Phil Ruffin: Presidential friend?

April 20, 201111:16 a.m.

WICHITA — Phil Ruffin’s good buddy Donald Trump is considering a presidential bid. So what does Ruffin think?

“I told him I would advise him not to,” Ruffin says.

“He’s on top of his game right now. He really doesn’t need that.”

For starters, Ruffin says, Trump would have to trade his $50 million TV career for a $400,000 government salary.

“Hell of a drop down, isn’t it?”

Ruffin is clear, though, that he’ll fully support Trump’s bid if he chooses to go that route.

“He’s creating quite a buzz,” Ruffin says. “He’s a very good speaker. He’s very entertaining. Speaks his mind.”

And it just may work, Ruffin says.

“He might have a good chance.”

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Siva Power Yoga owner to open Siva Hot Yoga at Sunburst Plaza at 1725

March 2, 20116:08 p.m.

WICHITA — Siva Power Yoga owner Adrian Tartler is expanding with a second studio.

His first is at 535 W. Douglas.

“My space in Delano is beautiful, and I love it, but we have 20-foot high ceilings,” Tartler says.

That and poor insulation don’t allow enough heat for his hot yoga classes, so he’s opening a second studio at 1725 E. Douglas where Tanya Tandoc is reopening her Tanya’s Soup Kitchen.

Siva Hot Yoga will take 2,318 square feet on the west end of Sunburst Plaza at 1725, which Phil Ruffin owns and recently renovated.

Tartler says the building has “brick and charm and character like my place in Delano has.”

One whole wall of his studio is brick.

“I like not having it feel like it’s a box,” he says.

“Plus, I really wanted to be next to Tanya. Plus I love the Donut Whole.”

That’s across the street.

Tartler will offer massages at the new location as well.

The main focus will be on hot yoga, which is at 95 to 100 degrees.

“The heat is meant to not only warm up the tissues . . . so your muscles can stretch, but it also offers an opportunity for your body to sweat and detoxify,” Tartler says.

“The heat just makes you feel so much more limber. It’s exciting because you actually feel like you’re making some progress.”

He says it feels great, but he adds, “You either like it or you really don’t.”

Look for the new studio to open around May 1.

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Sunburst Plaza at 1725 has space left to lease

Jan. 26, 20116:23 p.m.

WICHITA — With the almost 2,100-square-foot Tanya’s Soup Kitchen lease, the newly renovated Sunburst Plaza at 1725 still has 6,500 square feet left to lease.

Chris Ruffin, director of real estate for his father Phil Ruffin’s Ruffin Properties, is looking to make the building “more of a destination-type shopping area.”

Ruffin, a musician, took the Sunburst name and the building’s new color from his guitar.

He says Sunburst is the color of a wood stain technique used on Fender and Gibson guitars, and that’s where he got the inspiration.

Ruffin says he’s talking to some other possible tenants — “some exciting stuff” — but doesn’t have anything to announce just yet.

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