Creator of famous Wichita sandwiches closes her restaurant citing staff shortage

A longtime restaurant owned by the creator of some of Wichita’s most famous sandwiches is closing — at least for now.

On Thursday, Nancy Parish, owner of Nancy’s Amazing Sandwiches at 5125 N. Maize Road, said that she and her daughter, Dani, had decided to close their restaurant, which has been open since 2005.

“We have struggled for a while now trying to find help,” she said in the post.

Parish did say that she’ll continue to cater and serve sandwiches during concerts at the Cotillion Ballroom, which she’s been doing for years.

“I don’t know yet if this is temporary or permanent,” she said of the closing. “Time will tell.”

Parish, a former co-owner of the Artichoke Sandwich bar at 811 N. Broadway, was the inventor of that restaurant’s famous sandwiches, including one named for her — Nancy’s No. 8. When she opened her own restaurant in Maize, her former partners said she could sell the sandwiches there, too. She also served a weekend breakfast.

She said she’s planning to do some special dinners in the restaurant at some point in the future.

Parish is just the latest restaurateur to close her business permanently or temporarily citing worker shortages amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

This story was originally published September 24, 2021 at 9:25 AM.