Restaurant updates from North Maize Road include a recent addition, a delayed opening
.jpeg "Wichita’s latest McDonald’s is being built near 37th and North Maize Road and could open sometime in December.")
Something’s always opening on Maize Road — and those somethings are quite frequently restaurants.
The northern part of Maize Road has been full of restaurant construction lately, all in different stages: One restaurant recently opened. One is opening a week later than predicted. Another is getting closer to completion. And the status of yet another remains a mystery.
The opening to mark on your calendar: The Panera that has operated at NewMarket Square, 2441 N. Maize Road, since 2001, will finish its move to the old Torchy’s Tacos space less than a mile to its north at 2901 N. Maize Road on Wednesday, Oct. 30. The last day for the NewMarket store will be Tuesday, October 29.
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Last month, the franchisee — Flynn Group — said that the store would be open by Wednesday, Oct. 23. But they pushed that back a week.
To celebrate the move, the new Panera will give away free bagels for a year to the first 50 people in line on opening day. Winners, who will get one free pack of 13 bagels and two tubs of cream cheese each month for a year, must be in line when the store opens at 6 a.m. on Oct. 30, and they must make a purchase. Only people ages 16 and older are eligible.
The new cafe has 3,950 square feet and also has a drive through, something that wasn’t possible at the NewMarket Square address. According to a release, the new store will add 15 jobs.
The hours will be 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays. The drive-through will be open for a half hour after the dining room closes every day.
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Just opened
The already-operating new business is Smoothie King, which quietly opened its doors about two weeks ago in the parking lot in front of the Lowe’s near 29th and Maize Road. The address is 2620 N. Maize Road.
The corporate-owned shop is Wichita’s fourth Smoothie King. The others are at 2926 Greenwich Court, 8000 W. Central and 711 E. Douglas. Derby also has one at 1861 E. Madison. The new Smoothie King’s hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays; 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays; and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays.
Making progress
When I checked in with McDonald’s franchisee Joe Lane back in July, he was hoping to be chosen by McDonald’s corporate to operate a new restaurant it had planned for 3825 N. Maize Road, which is north of the strip center that has Five Guys and Noodles & Company.
He now reports that he was, in fact, awarded the store, and construction is well underway. Lane says he’s working on a grand opening plan but what day the restaurant will be ready is “still up in the air.” His best guess, he said, is mid-December.
Lane Enterprises has 34 McDonald’s restaurants in Kansas, which are split between founder Bob Lane and his wife; Bob’s Son, Michael; and Bob’s nephew, Joe. Lane Enterprises also has the McDonald’s at 21st and Maize.
Awaiting an update
Also in July, I spoke with the local Slim Chickens franchisees about their long-awaited west-side location, which was planned for 2848 N. Maize Road. At the time, a spokesperson for 3PRG Management, the restaurant group behind the project, said that construction was about to start and that the restaurant should be ready by fall or winter.
But so far, there’s not much happening. I’ve been in touch with Shanda Carney, the director of marketing and communications for the restaurant group, and she’s said she’ll be in touch with an update soon.
Led by former K-State football star Jamie Rheem, the restaurant group also owns the Slim Chickens at 2313 N. Greenwich that that opened in 2017 as well as a Slim Chickens restaurant in McPherson and Walk-Ons Sports Bistreaux, which opened in 2022 at 2661 N. Maize Road.
This story was originally published October 24, 2024 at 10:48 AM.
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