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.”

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

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.

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

Tanya Tandoc to reopen her Tanya’s Soup Kitchen downtown

Jan. 26, 201111:15 a.m.

Tanya Tandoc and the team helping her reopen her Soup Kitchen: (from left) Sister-in-law Ann Tandoc, business consultant Jill Miller, husband Wayne Gottstine and brother Warren Tandoc.

UPDATED — For almost seven years, Wichitans have relentlessly asked: When is Tanya going to reopen her restaurant?

The answer: This spring.

Tanya Tandoc is bringing back her uber-popular Tanya’s Soup Kitchen.

She’s opening in a new spot with the same name.

“Don’t fix what ain’t broke,” is her philosophy.

Tandoc is taking almost 2,100 square feet at 1725 E. Douglas across from the Donut Whole.

That’s Phil Ruffin’s newly renovated Sunburst Plaza at 1725.

“The menu will be much like people remember it,” Tandoc says.

That includes favorite soups, such as her signature tomato bisque, which will be on the menu daily.

“Still, ridiculously, the very most popular soup I have ever served — ever!”
Sandwiches, such as the Milano and the Crocoville, will be back, too.

Tanya’s Soup Kitchen will be open for lunch 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

“It’s all flexible,” Tandoc says. “If people are banging down the door at 5 o’clock, well, we’ll open.”

Tandoc was forced to leave her space in the former Union Station baggage area when her landlord, Cox Communications Kansas, wanted it back in 2004.

She’ll have the same amount of seating — about 40 or 50 seats — as she previously did. She’ll also eventually have a patio.

Instead of having table service, though, customers will order at a counter and runners will bring out their food.

“We’re going to try and streamline the experience a little bit,” Tandoc says. “We’ll be able to turn tables a little bit faster than before.”

The “we” in the venture includes her brother, Warren, and his wife, Ann.

Their return to the Wichita area is part of what’s inspiring the restaurant now.

“It was like, oh, wait, the best line cook I ever met in my life and an incredible chef,” Tanya Tandoc says of her brother. “This is awesome.”

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

Phil Ruffin is looking for a new casino to buy

Dec. 27, 20103:55 p.m.

WICHITA — GamingToday.com last week reported that Treasure Island owner Phil Ruffin may want to buy the adjacent Mirage hotel and casino.

The publication couldn’t reach Ruffin, but Have You Heard? did.

“We approached them, and they don’t have anything on the market,” Ruffin says of Mirage owner MGM International Resorts.

He wants the Mirage in part because of its proximity to his property.

“Well, it hooks onto my casino here,” he says. “They kind of go together.”

He also made an offer on the Beau Rivage hotel and casino in Biloxi, Miss., which MGM also owns.

Ruffin says he likes MGM’s properties — the company sold him Treasure Island in 2008 — but he’s not pursuing them any further for now.

“It’s hard to buy them when they’re not for sale,” he says. “And you never want to chase a deal. You’ll pay too much when you start.”

Still, Ruffin is interested in buying another casino, and he says he has the money to do it.

“We’re always interested in expansion,” he says. “We’re just going to bide our time.

“At some point, we will pick up another casino down the road.”

So how many is he legally allowed to own?

“As many as you can afford, you can have ’em.”

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You don’t say

Sept. 15, 20102:47 p.m.

“Well, I finally decided that if the Big Guy comes into the Walkway (Cafe) or the Petroleum Club and wants to update his Facebook, I better be ready.”

— General manager Kathy Latham, jokingly referring to Bank of America Center owner Phil Ruffin as the reason the two restaurants now have Wi-Fi

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