Construction at former restaurant space has locals wondering what’s coming
An interesting mini-trend seems to be developing in Wichita.
It goes something like this:
Restaurant closes. Construction starts at site of closed restaurant. Wichitans begin wondering if a new restaurant is taking over. Wichitans discover that, instead, a bank is moving in.
The latest example is happening at 2616 N. Maize Road, where until nearly four months ago, a combination A&W/Long John Silver’s restaurant had been operating for years. (Long John Silver’s first moved into the space in 2010, and the A&W was added in 2014.)
Construction has been underway at that site for some time now, and some have assumed that a new restaurant would be taking over the space, which is on the north end of a strip center that’s also home to Jersey Mike’s Subs.
Nope. It’s going to be a bank.
This week, a Chase Bank spokesperson confirmed that the company was building a new branch on the former restaurant site. The spokesperson said that the branch should be ready late in quarter three or early in quarter four, which would be late September or early October.
Chase is also building another Wichita branch that should open about the same time, she said. It’ll be taking over the building on the southeast corner of Kellogg and Rock, at Eastgate Shopping Center, that once was home to Mattress Firm.
Local banks have expanded into former restaurant buildings a couple of times over the last year.
The onetime IHOP building at 515 S. Ridge Circle was converted into a Chase Bank branch last year.
Also, after Torchy’s Tacos closed at 3526 N. Rock Road in 2022, people began asking if another restaurant would take over the restaurant, which sits on a high-traffic corner across from Bradley Fair. But it also is becoming a bank: Last summer Hutchinson-based Heartland Credit Union shared that it would take over the space for a new branch.
Are you wondering about any other construction projects in Wichita? If so, email me at dneil@wichitaeagle.com and I’ll try to find out what it is.
This story was originally published April 7, 2026 at 3:52 PM.
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