Three Wichita restaurants announce that they’re closed, but owners say it’s only temporary
.jpg "Taqueria La Chona opened in January 2020 and has gained a following since. Its owner says it should reopen soon and will serve breakfast when it does.")
Several restaurants have closed recently, but in the case of three, the closings should be only temporary, according to owners.
One is Taqueria La Chona at 3415 E. Harry, whose Facebook page earlier this week features a post that read: “Sorry for the inconvenience, will be closed until further notice.” The post offered no further details.
Contacted this week, owner Alma Cerrillo — who opened the restaurant with husband Serjio Valadez in early 2020 — said that the restaurant closed over the weekend so that owners could “make modifications to the facilities.” She said that when the restaurant returns next week, it will open earlier and will add breakfast to its menu.
The closing was particularly concerning to its fans in light of the fact that Taqueria La Chona’s sister restaurant, Fonda La Chona at 1210 W. Pawnee, closed for good in late October after less than two years in business. That restaurant also posted a sign on the door saying it was closed for a remodel.
Also closed temporarily: Bocatto: Eatery and Pasta at 321 N. Mead in Old Town Square. Owner Arnulfo Garcia said that the restaurant has been closed since Tuesday for maintenance issues but that it should reopen “in a couple of days.”
Last month, Garcia shared news that he and his wife, Nathaly Martinez, were planning to open a new restaurant called Old Town Burrito in the former Lotus Leaf space at 251 N. Washington. He also said that the couple was planning to sell their portion of the 2-year-old Bocatto to their business partner, Jimmy Bolanos.
That’s still their plan, Garcia said, but it hasn’t happened yet. He’s put together a new menu for Boccato, taking off a few dishes and adding others, and it will debut when Bocatto reopens.
He also said that Old Town Burrito, which will serve burritos, tacos, nachos, enchiladas and quesadillas, could be ready to open as soon as next weekend.
The owners of a third local restaurant that recently closed also say they want to reopen. When they do, though, it will be at a different address, and they’re not sure how long it will be until they’re ready to try their concept again.
Ashlea and Andy Pfannenstiel, who opened Eddie’s Cafe at 8643 W. Central in May, closed their shop over the weekend. On Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon, they’ll be putting on a closeout sale at the cafe that will include equipment, restaurant supplies, decor, appliances and more.
Andy Pfannenstiel said this week that although business started off strong, revenue dropped off precipitously starting around August. The cafe had to cut its hours, which caused it to lose employees. Soon, the Pfannenstiels were running the shop themselves and missing out on family time, he said.
The Pfannenstiels, who have a son with a rare medical condition called Creatine Transporter Deficiency, opened the cafe as a place where people with special needs could find jobs. Owning such a business had been a dream since they’d visited a similar place in Florida a couple of years ago.
The cafe, though, didn’t bring in the business the Pfannenstiels were expecting. Andy Pfannenstiel says the location — which is a strip center tucked back from the corner of Central and Tyler — didn’t help, he said, adding that the economy also played a role.
“It was fun while it lasted,” he said. “We’re trying to just close for now until we find another location.”
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