WICHITA — Almost 35 years after working as a 14-year-old at McLeod's, a stationary store that was at Kellogg and Edgemoor, Brian Stuart is now going to open his own business there.

Stuart and his brother, Mike, are opening Midwest Chef Supply in 11,000 square feet on the southeast corner of the intersection on Monday.

"It was really weird that we even came across it," Brian Stuart says of the location.

The Stuarts were having lunch at Scotch & Sirloin and discussing the business, which has been in the works for more than a year.

"We drove out of the Scotch and drove by there, and I was like, 'Hey, that's open.' "

Stuart used to own Discount Restaurant Equipment, which was in a more industrial area at 3665 W. McCormick before it closed in August.

Stuart closed the business in preparation for the new store.

"To be honest, the Internet was hurting us so bad on the restaurant equipment, we decided to focus on small wares," he says.

Customers found they could skirt sales tax by ordering big equipment through the Internet, he says, whereas customers bought small items they needed immediately from him.

While his last business catered more to restaurants, his new one also will focus on retail sales.

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