This old Wichita fire station is finally about to reopen as a barbecue restaurant
It’s been six years since local barbecue legend John “Jetman” Thien closed his Jet Bar-B-Q restaurant that always drew big lunchtime crowds to a converted old fire station at 1100 E. Third St.
At the time, Thien announced that his landlord of 20 years at the old firehouse No. 8, built in 1928, had sold the building to the father of local chef-on-the-rise Alex Eftekhar, and Eftekhar said that he planned to renovate the 4,500 square-foot-space and open his own barbecue restaurant there.
That’s the last Wichita heard of that.
Soon, though, Eftekhar will make good on his promise. This summer, he plans to start opening a pop-up version of his barbecue restaurant every Saturday. He says he’ll likely stick with the name Station 8.
He’s giving the concept a test-run this Saturday, when he’ll put on a fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society where he sells barbecue sandwiches, a bag of chips and a cold Shasta for $5. The event will last from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
But soon — likely in late May — Eftekhar said will start serving four or five meats by the pound each Saturday along with side dishes. If it goes well, he’ll add Fridays.
“The dream is to be open four or five days a week here,” he said.
Eftekhar already has years of experience on the Wichita restaurant scene. He worked at Flint Hills National Golf Club as a sous chef for almost seven years and left that job to work as a butcher at The Anchor Meat Market. He’s also rented Station 8 out as an event venue over the last couple of years and offered barbecue catering on the side as well as working for his father, Reza Eftekhar, who owns Autohouse Stuttgart nearby at 1106 E. Second St.
He was preparing to start serving food to the public last year when the pandemic hit, so he put it off until now. But he’s ready to give it a try, he said, inspired by a growing trend in Kansas City where barbecue chefs with weekday jobs open craft barbecue pop up restaurants on the weekends.
Jetman would let people dine inside the fire house, but he didn’t have central heat or air, so it was more popular as a drive-through place, especially since the drive-through went straight through the center of the building.
But Eftekhar has added climate comfort to the fire station and will also have seating for about 50 inside, he said, though all the ‘cue will be sold in to-go containers. His specialties, he said, are brisket, pulled pork and turkey, and he also became a fan of making his own sausages during his days at The Anchor Meat Market and will do that at Station 8, too.
Though he won’t serve alcohol right away, Eftekhar said he’s also added a nice, 1930s-era bar inside the space and hopes to someday use it for its original purpose.
Those who want to try out Eftekhar’s barbecue at Saturday’s fundraiser can place pre-orders by calling 316-841-8549. Saturday’s event will be drive-through only.
I’ll let you know when Eftekhar is ready to start his Saturday service at Station 8.
This story was originally published April 15, 2021 at 11:29 AM.
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