OneMain Financial changing South Seneca addresses to Tuscan Village

Feb. 21, 20135:00 a.m.

WICHITA — OneMain Financial, a consumer finance company that is part of New York-based Citigroup, is going to be more than doubling the size of its south Wichita branch.

The branch, which mainly does personal loans, has been at 2561 S. Seneca in the Westway Shopping Center since 1995. It has about 1,500 square feet there.

The new office, which opens next month, will be in 3,600 square feet at Tuscan Village at 1812 S. Seneca.

“It’s just a relocation to a new office because they needed more space,” says Mark Rodgers, director of public affairs for Citi, the consumer division of the company.

Scott Harper of Landmark Commercial Real Estate handled the deal.

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , Filed under Banks, Real estate, South side | Comments Off

Despite sign to the contrary, T.J. Maxx isn’t coming to New Leaf Plaza

Jan. 4, 201310:40 a.m.

WICHITA — Shoppers in the 21st and Amidon area had brief hope that T.J. Maxx is coming to the intersection. A business in the area even had a sign saying so, but it’s not true.

“It speaks to a need or a demand at that intersection that’s probably not being fully fulfilled,” says Scott Harper, a broker with Landmark Commercial Real Estate.

“We have contacted them,” Harper says of T.J. Maxx. He was courting the store for New Leaf Plaza at the southwest corner where a Walmart Neighborhood Market is but says he “didn’t really get too far with it.”

Harper says that soft goods retailers such as T.J. Maxx like to cluster together.

“At the moment, that’s a little bit of a challenge for the intersection,” he says. Harper says it’s only one of a couple of intersections in the city with three grocers.

“I think soft goods are under served at the intersection,” he says. “A lot of them aren’t overly attracted to grocery-anchored centers.”

He says grocery stores are a draw for fitness centers.

“That’s why it’s good for Planet Fitness.”

The franchise opened in New Leaf Plaza last year, and Harper says it’s convenient for people to pop into the grocery store after their daily or weekly workout routine.

“Or, in my case, once-a year routine.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , Filed under New Leaf Plaza, Real estate, Retail, West side | Comments Off

Artist at Large Tattoo owner Dennis McPhail plans ‘creative look’ for his building

May 3, 20122:00 p.m.

WICHITA — Artist at Large Tattoo owner Dennis McPhail is now also a landlord at large.

He has purchased the more than 8,000-square-foot building, which looks like three buildings, where his business is at the southwest corner of Douglas and Laura. That’s where Karma Konnections and Up N Smoke also are.

“I didn’t think I could do it, but we did it,” McPhail says of himself and his wife, Bunni.

“I just be creative and hand her the money,” McPhail says. “She makes me look legitimate.”

They were on a budget when they opened the shop eight years ago. More recently, they wanted to upgrade their space.

“I was getting ready to drop some money,” McPhail says. “I was just thinking, why should I do this on a place I don’t own?”

His landlord wanted to sell, and McPhail says he was nice enough to wait on him to be able to buy it.

“I always had it in the back of my mind,” McPhail says of owning his own space.

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

Planet Fitness signs two new deals

Feb. 20, 20125:00 a.m.

WICHITA — There are deals for two new Wichita Planet Fitness sites, though the chain still isn’t talking about its plans here.

Have You Heard? previously reported that the company is working on locations in the former Star Lumber space at Normandie Center at Central and Woodlawn, at Marina Lakes at 21st and Amidon where a new Walmart Neighborhood Market is and also at the 21st and Maize area.

Since then, Scott Harper of Landmark Commercial Real Estate and Grant Tidemann of J.P. Weigand & Sons finalized a deal for the Marina Lakes space.

On Friday, Tidemann and Landmark’s Nick Esterline finalized a deal for the former bowling alley space at 2350 N. Maize Road. That’s where Countryside West Lanes closed in 2007.

It looks like there may already be demo work going on at the possible Planet Fitness space at Normandie.

Planet Fitness isn’t the only new gym coming to the city.

Gold’s Gym International also has been working on sites here. In fact, it appears it was negotiating for some of the same space Planet Fitness nabbed.

Earlier this year, Have You Heard? reported that a Gold’s deal at Harry and Rock may already be done.

Both companies are being similarly silent. We should hear something from them soon, though.

 

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , Filed under East side, Health clubs, Marina Lakes, New business, Normandie Center, Real estate, West side | Comments Off

FDA to move to new Wichita office

Jan. 25, 201210:42 a.m.

UPDATED — The Food and Drug Administration is moving to a new Wichita office.

The FDA’s lease is up at 1861 N. Rock Road, so it’s moving to 1,700 square feet at 8440 E. 29th St.

Scott Harper of Landmark Commercial Real Estate handled the deal.

The Wichita FDA office, which is one of six offices associated with the FDA’s district office in Kansas City, is part of the FDA’s Office of Regulatory Affairs. That division is responsible for inspecting manufacturers and regulating their products to ensure the safety of such things as food, drugs and medical devices.

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , Filed under East side, Federal government, Real estate | Comments Off

Across Time and Page scrapbooking store to open at Cambridge Market

Dec. 29, 20115:01 p.m.

UPDATED — Another new scrapbooking store is coming to Wichita.

Carmen Ned is opening Across Time and Page in Cambridge Market at 21st and Webb.

Earlier this month, Kathryn and Jeffrey Welch told Have You Heard? that they’re opening Kat Scrap Fever in Clifton Square in College Hill.

A scrapbooking store is a big departure for Ned, who has almost 30 years of HR experience.

When the company she was working for here was purchased by another company, Ned’s position was eliminated.

“My husband brought to my attention that WSU was having a new ventures program,” Ned says.

She attended to learn how to do business planning.

Ned says Timothy Pett, the director of Wichita State University’s Center for Entrepreneurship, was instrumental in her decision to start Across Time and Page.

“He actually liked the idea,” she says. “He saw that it was just a viable business idea and just encouraged me to move forward.”

The store will be in almost 2,000 square feet between Sports Time Fan Shop and Chelmsford Tea & Gifts.

Scott Harper with Landmark Commercial Real Estate handled the deal.

“It has been a hobby of mine,” Ned says of scrapbooking, “and I always noticed that there wasn’t a store in the northeast area.

She says she’ll have space for 20 people to work on projects or have a scrapbooking party. Ned also plans to offer classes along with “just the latest and greatest scrapbooking merchandise.”

 

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

Atwell LLC to move to North Andover Road

July 20, 20112:21 p.m.

WICHITA — Atwell, an international consulting firm, is taking 1,050 square feet at Jack Newman’s almost 10,000-square-foot center at 1145 N. Andover Road.

This brings the development to 100 percent occupancy.

“In this economy, it’s nice to have a building completely full because, boy, there sure (are) a lot of them that are sitting empty right now,” Newman says.

He credits Scott Harper of Landmark Commercial Real Estate for making the deal, but Harper says it’s thanks to Newman.

“He’s a landlord that does meticulously maintain his property and really cares about his tenants,” Harper says. He says that makes the difference.

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

Avon Beauty Center to open at Pawnee and Broadway

July 8, 20115:20 a.m.

WICHITA — A third Avon Beauty Center is opening in Wichita.

“It used to be just door-to-door, and Avon opened the opportunity for any representative who wanted to . . . get a license to sell in a store setting,” says Christine Watkins, who is opening the new store.

Watkins, who has been selling Avon products for a decade, is opening her store early next month in front of the Walmart on the southeast corner of Pawnee and Broadway.

“It’s a great opportunity to increase my sales,” she says.

With Avon Beauty Centers already in the northeast and west parts of Wichita, Watkins says she had to go south to make sure she didn’t take sales from the other stores.

“It’s going to be a really good opportunity for the south part of Wichita, and a great opportunity to expand Avon,” Watkins says.

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

Natural Grocers By Vitamin Cottage will be a full-scale grocery store with a deli

June 15, 20115:31 a.m.

UPDATED — The new Natural Grocers By Vitamin Cottage that’s coming to the former Borders Books space at 1715 N. Rock Road will be a complete grocery store in addition to a vitamin shop.

“A great many of our customers do just that — they only shop for groceries at our stores,” says co-president Kemper Isely.

“We offer our products at everyday affordable pricing.”

The Denver-area family business started in 1955. When it opens here Dec. 13, the Wichita store will be the company’s 51st.

The chain used to be called Vitamin Cottage.

“Since we sell more groceries, we changed our name,” Isely says.

He says the company sells only 100 percent organically grown produce and fresh and frozen meat that is hormone and antibiotic free. Also, he says, there’s a line of frozen natural foods in addition to 100 percent organic produce and bulk items.

“We do it a little bit differently,” Isely says of the bulk items.

They’re prepackage to avoid contamination, he says.

“We also refrigerate all our nuts and seeds and flours that can go rancid.”

The store will be 24,000 square feet. About 1,500 of that will be for a seminar room, which Isely says nonprofits can use for free.

Read More »

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , Filed under East side, Grocery, New business, West side | Comments Off

Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage coming to the former Borders Books space

June 9, 20112:00 p.m.

UPDATED — Colorado-based Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage has signed a 10-year lease for the former Borders Books space at 1715 N. Rock Road.

The chain, which is in Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and Wyoming, has been in business since 1955. It has new stores coming to Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

Scott Harper of Landmark Commercial Real Estate handled the deal locally.

Look for more information soon.

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