Bryce Kuhn to open Twelve Restaurant & Bar in former Shorty Small’s space

April 18, 20132:45 p.m.

WICHITA — Bryce Kuhn is a familiar face to many Wichita diners from working for others at a number of restaurants here. Now, he’s going to have a place of his own in the space that Shorty Small’s left at the Westlake Retail Center at 119th and Maple.

“I’ve always loved the west side,” Kuhn says. “My heart’s over here.”

He’s opening Twelve Restaurant & Bar, which he describes as an American grill, in June.

“Twelve has been my favorite number since I was about 5 or 6 years old.”

Kuhn’s first basketball jersey was No. 12.

“It stuck with me.”

Also, he says 2012 “was pretty much my best year ever.”

Kuhn married last year, bought a house and found out he was going to become a father.

After a career traveling to various cities with Houston’s restaurants, Kuhn returned to Wichita to work for several restaurants here, including Bonefish Grill, YaYa’s Eurobistro, Newport Grill and the Lakeside Club most recently.

Kuhn plans for Twelve to be “upscale casual.”

“We want to give people an upscale dining experience, but we don’t want to make them feel like they’re paying an arm and a leg to have a nice night out on the town.”

The restaurant, which will have seating for about 150 and another 25 on the patio, will serve dishes such as hand-cut steaks, fresh seafood and roasted chicken along with sandwiches and salads.

Read More »

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , Filed under New business, Real estate, Restaurants, West side, Westlake Retail Center | Comments

Apricot Lane Boutique, a national chain, to open at Bradley Fair this spring

Dec. 18, 20124:59 p.m.

WICHITA — Along with tulips and daffodils popping up this spring, Wichita will have an apricot, too.

Apricot Lane Boutique, that is.

Wichitans Kami and Mark Murphy are opening a franchise of the California-based women’s boutique at Bradley Fair in March.

“The store is a fabulous women’s fashion boutique that is very unique,” says the chain’s founder and CEO Ken Petersen.

There are 82 Apricot Lanes in 30 states, and they’re known for having limited quantities– maybe only a couple of each size — of name-brand and nonbranded apparel.

“Customers love that,” Petersen says. He says they like knowing not everyone will be wearing what they’re wearing.

“Our product mix is fast, and it’s fresh, and it’s on trend, and it’s constantly changing,” he says.

Petersen calls the store a mother-daughter boutique that appeals to both age groups.

He says he’s found it to be even more than that.

“I can’t tell you how many times we’ve seen grandma, mom and daughter in the stores,” he says.

“I didn’t want to be a juniors retailer. We didn’t want to be a Talbots-type of retailer.”

There also will be shoes, jewelry, accessories and gifts in a variety of price points.

“We’re excited to bring something that’s so hip and also something that’s a little more affordable to Bradley Fair,” Kami Murphy says.

Read More »

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

YiaYia’s EuroBistro owners to open Newport Grill in former Cibola space at Bradley Fair

Aug. 18, 20106:00 a.m.
guysBill Crooks (left) and Paul Khoury, owners of Newport Grill, which is coming to Bradley Fair.

WICHITA — There have been a lot of questions, not to mention much speculation, about what’s going to go in the former Cibola space — Bradley Fair’s preeminent waterfront property that’s been empty since early 2009.

Now, there’s an answer:

Newport Grill, a new seafood concept created by PB&J Restaurants, the Kansas City firm that owns YiaYia’s EuroBistro, which also is at Bradley Fair.

“We were going to take our time and absolutely do it right,” developer George Laham says of finding a new restaurant for the space.

He almost immediately turned to PB&J’s Paul Khoury and Bill Crooks, who have developed menus for 27 restaurants.

“We just looked at the market,” Khoury says.

He says there are plenty of great steak houses and other restaurants here.

Although Bonefish Grill opened in 2006, Khoury says they still saw an opening for another seafood restaurant.

“Bonefish does a great job, don’t get me wrong,” he says.

Newport Grill will fly fish in six days a week, sometimes from as far away as the Mediterranean.

“When you walk through Newport Grill, you won’t be able to smell fish,” Khoury says. “That’s how fresh it will be.”

Where YiaYia’s ticket prices are about $25 or $26 a person, Newport’s will be more like $30 to $32 a person due to the cost of fish.

“We’re going to have an attitude about not using fish that is over harvested,” Crooks says.

Newport Grill executive chef and owner Aaron Whitcomb, who has been working at YaYa’s EuroBistro in Denver, says he wants to redefine some traditional seafood dishes.

There will be nonseafood items on the menu as well.

Crooks says there will be an emphasis on using locally grown produce and naturally fed and sustainably raised beef, pork and chicken. Lamb also will be served.

There will be 190 seats at Newport Grill, which is about 40 more than Cibola had.

Read More »

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Filed under Uncategorized | Comments