East-side Sabor's closing not a rumor

Despite numerous protestations from management that it wouldn't happen, the east-side Sabor Latin Bar & Grille at the Waterfront has closed.

When first contacted late last year about whether the restaurant was closing, owner Melad Stephan had a good laugh over how rumors get started.

Then last month, Sabor district executive chef Jason-Paul Febres said those rumors would disappear for good with some changes that were coming to the restaurant.

But Saturday was its last day in business.

"I just got fed up with it, not having the sales," Stephan says. "It's cheaper right now for me to shut it."

He has five years left on his lease.

"I need to visit with my partners about it to see what we might want to do."

Selling is an option.

"I'm willing to entertain an offer," Stephan says. "I'm willing to walk away."

He's also considering bringing a franchise to the space.

The fondue restaurant the Melting Pot is his most likely choice.

"I have to really study it very well," Stephan says. "I'm going back and forth on that one."

He's already spoken to executives at the chain.

Regardless of what he does with the space, Stephan says the business will remain upscale.

He's not sure why Sabor didn't do better in the space.

"We've been so successful downtown."

Downtown Sabor sales slipped some because of the east-side restaurant, though not dramatically, Stephan says.

"I don't think there's enough support for two Sabors."

Stephan says he was disappointed with the east-side Sabor's weekday lunch sales, although weekend sales "were awesome."

Stephan has experience with starting over with a new concept in space where a previous restaurant didn't work.

He opened Bellini's in Old Town Square where the failed Zyng Noodlery once was. Bellini's did OK, but not well enough to keep the concept.

That's when Stephan opened his first Sabor.

He opened the Waterfront Sabor in November 2008.

Stephan says he'll make a decision about what to do next probably within two or three months. In the meantime, Febres will return to the Sabor in Old Town.

Full-time hobby

Lee Engler has been a bike fanatic for a long time, and now he's making his hobby his business.

Engler, a former landscape architect for WDM Architects , is opening Lee's Bike Shop at 135th West and Maple.

That's at Auburn Pointe , an Occidental Management property.

"It's a really good location because of the neighborhood that's there," Engler says.

It's also close to a lot of bike paths, he says.

Engler also likes Auburn Pointe's large parking lot and location as a good meeting point for bikers heading on west-side rides.

Lee's will sell a variety of bikes, accessories and clothing. It also will have a full-service shop.

"I'm going to have a quite a few bikes," Engler says.

The shop will open in the middle of March.

It's quite a switch from landscape architecture, though Engler points out that he has previously designed parks and bike paths.

Engler shows his passion for biking daily. Monday, he even pedaled through the snow to the YMCA to work out.

"It was wonderful."

But with owning his own business, will he still have time to bike?

"Well, definitely. As much as possible."

You don't say

"Another snow day for the kids... reason enough to head to work early!"

—A Monday morning Facebook entry by Jane Deterding of Citizens Bank of Kansas

This story was originally published February 9, 2010 at 12:00 AM with the headline "East-side Sabor's closing not a rumor."