He’s back: Movie star Harrison Ford’s 2019 visit to Wichita has begun
Let the Harrison Ford Watch of 2019 commence.
The movie star, who for the past three years has been spotted in Wichita right around this time of year, appears to have returned for his 2019 visit. Ford, who also is an avid pilot, is known to come to Wichita to have his airplane serviced. When he does, locals excitedly report sightings at local stores and restaurants for at least three or four days.
Ford arrived in Wichita on Thursday evening, said Melad Stephan, owner of the Latin restaurant Sabor at 309 N. Mead. Ford was there on Thursday for dinner, Stephan said, and that makes sense. Sabor is frequently Ford’s first Wichita stop.
Social media also spotted Ford on Thursday evening. At least two people posted on Facebook that they saw the actor in the Best Buy store on West Kellogg.
One of them was Mikaela Rehmert-Fira, who said she spotted him leaving Best Buy just before 5 p.m.
“I always hear about him being around from time to time, but never thought I would see him,” she said.
Over the past several years, Ford has provided Wichita with some needed late January/early February excitement.
We’ve tracked his visits since 2016, reporting on places people have seen him around town. Those who do spot him, businesses owners and bystanders have said, are always polite and respect his privacy, though a few ask for photos or autographs. Ford always patiently obliges.
Last year, Ford dined at Sabor, at the Chipotle at the corner of Maple and Ridge, at Harvest Kitchen & Bar in the downtown Hyatt, at Chester’s Chophouse, and at Lemongrass: A Taste of Vietnam at 300 N. Mead. He also was seen shopping for shoes at the Red Wing Shoes store at 6600 W. Kellogg.
In 2017, he dined at Sabor and also stopped at Georges French Bistro and Doo-Dah Diner. On that visit, he also spent an evening at Chester’s Chophouse, where he was spotted by Gregg Marshall, Wichita State’s men’s basketball coach. Ford gamely posed for a photo with Marshall and listened patiently as Marshall performed a few lines from “The Fugitive.”
If you see Ford around town over the next few days — or even better, if you snap his picture — let me know by e-mailing me at dneil@wichitaeagle.com. We’ll see if he adds any new favorites to his list.
This story was originally published February 1, 2019 at 8:04 AM.
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