OFFICIAL: Power & Light District

[KCPowercat]

Ummmmmmmmm.....yeah. 

[KCTigerFan]

Ummmmmmmmm.....yeah. 

[shaffe]

[KCMax]

Three new food operations joining mix in Power & Light District

?The locally owned roadhouse restaurant and sports bar Johnny?s Tavern has crossed the state line for the first time since it was founded in Lawrence in 1953.

On Wednesday it opened its eighth location, at 1310 Grand Blvd., across from the Sprint Center....

?Another locally owned operation, MeMa?s Old-Fashioned Bakery, opened its second area location at 1211 Main St. The cozy spot features a little corner nook for hiding out and front tables for seeing and being seen....

?National chain Genghis Grill?s new two-story spot at 1345 Main St. offers a ?build your own bowl? fast, casual, Asian stir-fry menu....

Kobe Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar is scheduled to open in late summer. The Mixx (fresh soups, salads, sandwiches and pasta) and Fran?s Restaurant (a breakfast, lunch and dinner diner) are looking at an early fall opening.

[KCLofts]

Looks like Vinino will be calling it quits next week.  Very surprised they made it this long.

[Highlander]

Looks like Vinino will be calling it quits next week.  Very surprised they made it this long.

Isn't Vinino actually owned by Cordish?  I wonder if they will simply change the concept or try to lease the space to an outside concern.  It's a pretty high profile location.

[grovester]

they put out a statement saying the space would close for 4? weeks, and re-open with a new look and menu, but the same "theme", Italian food.  Per Hearne.

[LenexatoKCMO]

Per Joyce Smith it will reopen as a pizza Parlor.  Joyce also seems to hint that this may not be sitting well with the Famous Dave's franchisee that wanted to convert his space into an Old Chicago.

http://economy.kansascity.com/?q=node/3276

[staubio]

Work is underway at the diner at 14th and Main.

[Highlander]

Per Joyce Smith it will reopen as a pizza Parlor.  Joyce also seems to hint that this may not be sitting well with the Famous Dave's franchisee that wanted to convert his space into an Old Chicago.

http://economy.kansascity.com/?q=node/3276

I think the difference is that Old Chicago is well known for having a wide variety of beers (a la Flying Saucer).  Vinino's is and will remain essentially a wine bar that also serves food and is not encroaching upon "territory" already promised to another tenant.

[trailerkid]

I bet cordish will be looking closely at spin! pizza when reworking vinino. overall this is a good upgrade by cordish by replacing a stale concept. a pizza concept is sorely needed in the district.

[heatherkay]

I agree about the lack of pizza.  I don't think the issue with Old Chicago was pizza, it was the beer, right?

[NDTeve]

I think the difference is that Old Chicago is well known for having a wide variety of beers (a la Flying Saucer).  Vinino's is and will remain essentially a wine bar that also serves food and is not encroaching upon "territory" already promised to another tenant.

Exactly...the leases that these restaurants/bars signed are likely very particular about not allowing similar concepts into the district. Very specific.

[Midtownkid]

Doesn't Tango Sed sell Ledo's Pizza through a window on the ground floor or something?  I don't think it's a sit down restaurant, but they do have pizza right?

[DaveKCMO]

Doesn't Tango Sed sell Ledo's Pizza through a window on the ground floor or something?  I don't think it's a sit down restaurant, but they do have pizza right?

you can pretty much get some kind of pizza at any restaurant these days: gordon biersch, flying saucer, vinino, cosentino's, bice. i think a pizza place is what's needed.

[rxlexi]

  I think Spin would be a perfect concept for Cordish to emulate with the new Vinino.  The south plaza location appears to practically print money.  Decent pizza, fast, with a unique atmosphere and some good wines at a Spin-like price point would be a hit in P&L.  Or, at least more popular than Vinino's current pseudo "wine-bar" theme.

[DaveKCMO]

  I think Spin would be a perfect concept for Cordish to emulate with the new Vinino.  The south plaza location appears to practically print money.  Decent pizza, fast, with a unique atmosphere and some good wines at a Spin-like price point would be a hit in P&L.  Or, at least more popular than Vinino's current pseudo "wine-bar" theme.

better yet, just offer spin a sweet lease. it would be a HUGE hit with downtown workers.

[mudjack]

Spin! would be great there. It would be awesome if they added a weekly bike ride like the other locations.

[ignatius]

downtown needs small counter pizza joints with little to no seating, not more sit down pizza places.  bice cafe was to be that but is a major.... fail.

[trailerkid]

downtown needs small counter pizza joints with little to no seating, not more sit down pizza places.  bice cafe was to be that but is a major.... fail.

open one.

these types of east coast-style, urban-oriented businesses don't seem to be much of a priority as spacious, horizontally-oriented, pseudo-suburban is how most of our new urban building stock is designed. most want upscale, open, airy to dense, vertical, and gritty.