Wichita food business closing after 6 years but owner hopes someone continues the concept
Kira Watt says she has mixed emotions about the big life decision she’s announcing today.
Though she’s sad and “super emotional” to be closing her Perfect Plate meal service business after six years, she said, she’s also looking forward to the next chapter in her life.
“I’m just ready to do something different,” Watt said late last week. “I’m ready to start a new chapter, spend time with my kids, travel and spend with my husband.”
Feb. 3 will be the last day for all Perfect Plate locations, including the original at 5255 N. Maize Road, which Watt opened in 2018, plus her satellite store on the lower level of the Garvey Center, 250 W. Douglas, which she opened in 2019. Feb. 3 also will be the last day Watt stocks her meals at The Coop in Derby.
Watt shared her decision with her customers on social media on Monday morning.
“When I think about the last 6 years, I feel proud to say that ‘I did it,’” Watt wrote in the post, noting that she’d served more than 180,000 meals during her time open.
When Watt decided to start her business, she wanted to provide other people with the same type of gluten-free, low-calorie meals that had helped her lose 85 pounds — things like turkey meatloaf and Parmesan-crusted tilapia.
She developed a loyal client base, she said, but when she opened, she was a single woman.
Now, five years later, she’s married and has two small children — a daughter, 4, and a son who is almost 1.
Running the business has gotten to be too much, she said. Her plan now is to continue building her face-painting business, and she wants to write a cookbook. She also plans to help her husband, Doug, run his concession business, which includes two concession trailers and a tent.
Watt said she’s keeping ownership of the name Perfect Plate: “I want to have the liberty to resurrect it someday,” she said.
But the ideal scenario, she said, is that someone else who runs or wants to run a meal prep business takes over her spaces and buys her equipment.
“It would be turnkey for them and would be a great opportunity,” she said. “And then, my customers would have somewhere to go.”
Anyone interested can contact Watt by messaging Perfect Plate on Facebook.
This story was originally published January 8, 2024 at 8:00 AM.
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