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Zelman Lofts is getting its first commercial tenant to go with the nine residential ones already at the newly renovated building at Douglas and St. Francis.
Cassandra Bryan Design is moving into 1,000 square feet that fronts St. Francis on the northeast corner.
“I absolutely love the central location,” says Cassandra Bryan. “The space was just so perfect. … It has so much character.”
Bryan describes her company, which will be three years old this summer, as a creative boutique that designs logos and business cards and specializes in custom website development.
“She’s pretty gifted,” says Michael Ramsey, who is developing Zelman Lofts with Robert Eyster. “She’s going to be a great asset to the building.”
Previously, Bryan has been working from her home while the company’s other four employees work from theirs and occasionally pop over to her place.
“There’s only so many people that you can put in your basement before your husband starts complaining about your driveway becoming a parking lot,” Bryan says.
She likes that the new space is walking distance to Intrust Bank Arena and her favorite coffee shop, Mead’s Corner.
There’s another 4,800 square feet left at the Zelman property for one large tenant, which possibly will be a restaurant.
Bryan’s move to the new space, which opens Monday, means her husband can reclaim the guest bedroom at their house.
“He’s already planning what sort of man-cave things he’s going to do to it.”
‘Better situation’
The 2-year-old Jordan Sports is expanding at Chisholm Trail Center – Outlet & Retail Shops in Newton.
The shop, which does screen printing and embroidery and sells promotional products and sporting goods, has been in 1,200 square feet. It’s moving to 4,500 square feet between Carter’s and the Kansas Sports Museum.
“It was just a better situation,” Landon Jordan says.
He says the landlord made it worth his while to move.
“It just made more sense to come over here.”
Jordan says if the weather cooperates for a move this weekend, the new store will open Tuesday.
Don’t say Cheez
He’s not planning “ Grilled Cheez” for the menu, but Kababs owner Syed Jillani finally is ready to open a restaurant in the former Red Mesa Grill space at 756 N. Tyler Road.
Jillani moved his catering business, Wichita Private Chef’s Catering, into the space four years ago. Three years ago, he announced plans to open Grilled Cheez to serve a combination of American and European food.
He says the economy forced him to put those plans on hold. Now, Jillani has decided to open Olives & Pitas, a Mediterranean restaurant, instead.
That’s even though the economy still isn’t where he’d like it to be.
“It’s too long, me sitting on this building for three years,” Jillani says. “I need to change my thinking based on the market needs.”
He says there’s no Mediterranean food in the area except for Cafe Bella Luna near 21st and Maize.
“My focus is going to be 100 percent Mediterranean,” Jillani says.
His Kababs, which is at 746 N. Tyler Road, serves Indian and Pakistani food.
At Olives & Pitas, Jillani will have chef stations where customers can choose shawarma toppings and order flatbread pizza from a clay oven. They also can be seated and order from a limited menu.
In another area, customers can watch pitas being made.
Look for the restaurant to open within the next two or three weeks.
Carrie Rengers first reported these items on her blog. Be among the first to get her business scoops at blogs.kansas.com/haveyouheard.
