This east-side Wichita restaurant won’t reopen even after the coronavirus threat ends
When the coronavirus pandemic ends and restaurants are able to reopen, one east-side eatery won’t be one of them.
Kurt Schmidt, who opened a Picasso’s Pizzeria at 5900 E. Central two and a half years ago, said he’s decided to close the restaurant permanently and put all of his focus on his original Picasso’s in Delano.
The east-side location, which he opened in November 2017 in a remodeled travel agency space, already wasn’t doing well, he said. He’d been trying to come up with ways to keep it open when coronavirus hit.
“It just didn’t make any money, and with what is going on now, the time was just right to close down,” he said.
The restaurant has been closed since March 24, and Schmidt moved out of the space last weekend. But the flagship restaurant at 621 W. Douglas has remained open for carryout throughout the pandemic.
His plan now is to channel all his energy into the original restaurant, which he opened in March 2012 and expanded in early 2016. Schmidt had tried opening a second Picasso’s once before, moving into Derby in 2013. But it closed after six months.
“We need to focus on Delano and making it the best pizza place it can be,” Schmidt said.
Picasso’s is known for its New York-style slices and its big beer menu.
This story was originally published April 11, 2020 at 11:51 AM.
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