Harrison Ford’s first night in Wichita: quest for the perfect pillow, Italian for dinner
The Celebrity Jets Twitter account, which on Monday noted that Harrison Ford’s Cessna Citation was on its way to Wichita, was correct, it appears.
The 2022 sightings of the movie star in Wichita have commenced and just goes to prove the old adage: “Stars — they’re just like us.”
Based on reports that trickled in from readers on Monday evening, Ford, 79, had a pretty typical business traveler’s first night in town.
It appears that after landing at Wichita’s Eisenhower National Airport late on Monday afternoon, he made his way to Denver Mattress Co. on West Kellogg in search of a down pillow. That’s where he was spotted by Sara Perkins, a store employee who is new to Wichita and wasn’t aware of Ford’s annual visits.
In a hilarious email, she described hearing Ford’s voice as a co-worker assisted him and thinking the voice sounded familiar. Perkins was in the middle of her lunch at her desk (a messy bowl of mac-and-cheese from Noodles & Company) when she, fork in hand, made eye contact with the star and gave a polite smile and nod.
“Another way to say that would be, ‘I ignored legend and multi generational film icon Harrison Ford in favor of Wisconsin Mac and Cheese,” she wrote.
Alas, the store did not have Ford’s pillow of choice in stock so he left. The co-worker helping Ford said, “I think that was Harrison Ford.” But Perkins scoffed, only to have her co-worker send her the link to the Wichita Eagle article announcing Ford’s possible visit.
“I emailed immediately to let someone know Harrison Ford was certainly in town, he does not have the pillow he wants, and I am the most embarrassed human in Wichita this evening,” she wrote.
Not long after, around 5:10 p.m., another traveler reported seeing Ford checking in behind him at the Wichita hotel where Ford typically stays when he visits. The traveler also thought he recognized the star, even though the person with Ford in line, when asked, insisted that he was “nobody, just looks like someone.”
“I knew it was him and did a search with his name and Wichita and your article popped up,” the traveler said in his email. “Timeline was perfect.”
Later that evening, Ford made a stop at a Wichita restaurant where he also dined during his 2021 visit.
Grace Whitmire, a server at Jeremy Wade’s Napoli Italian Eatery at 7718 E. 37th St. North, waited on the star while he enjoyed a dinner of pasta puttanesca and veal piccata. After dinner, a smiling Ford posed for a photo with Whitmire. It was snapped around 9 p.m., after which Ford presumably returned to his hotel for a restless night of sleep on an inferior pillow.
If you happen to spot Ford during his 2022 visit to Wichita, let me know. Shoot me an email at dneil@wichitaeagle.com.
We’re not trying to bother the man — and in fact, Wichitans over the years seem to have for the most part treated Ford with respect. But it’s always fun to find out what Han Solo chooses to do when set loose in the place we call home.
Tuesday update:
Ford brunched on Tuesday morning at Homegrown off of Naftzger Park in downtown Wichita, said general manager Brian Donnelly. It was the actor’s third Homegrown visit in three years.
Ford recognized Donnelly and invited him to sit down and chat for a bit, Donnelly said. The two caught up on what Ford had been up to, he said, and the star told him about his time shooting “Indiana Jones 5” in London.
Other diners noticed Ford and were whispering and looking over at his table but left him alone to eat with his longtime pilot friend, Spike Minczeski, Donnelly said.
“He’s always just very gracious and kind,” Donnelly said. “The guy’s in fantastic shape. He’s almost 80 years old. He’s amazing.”
This story was originally published April 19, 2022 at 10:25 AM.
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