Wichita restaurant owner says he was surprised to learn his building was for lease
A listing that appeared online on Thursday is raising questions about the future of the Fuzzy’s Taco Shop at NewMarket Square.
The listing, by ReeceNichols of South-Central Kansas, features a picture of the Fuzzy’s building at 10728 W. 21st St. and says that it is for lease. The text accompanying the post reads: “Rare freestanding restaurant opportunity located at 10728 W. 21st St. N. in one of Wichita’s premier retail destinations.” The listing, by local commercial agent Alex Ibarra, also points to the building’s ample 5,631 square feet, its large patio and its ample parking.
Contacted on Friday morning, franchisee Darl Heffelbower said he had not seen the listing. His lease is up later this year, he said.
“We are working feverishly to keep the store open and I am surprised and disappointed that it is up for lease,” he said in a text-messaged statement.
The building that Fuzzy’s occupies does not belong to Slawson Companies, which owns NewMarket Square. Slawson sold the building — a former Applebee’s — to Thrive Restaurant Group in 2021, and Thrive later sold it to 366 Rock LLC, owned by local developer Hamid Bakhtiari and Bryan Nguyen.
Bhaktari said on Friday that Heffelbower told him in February that he did not plan to renew the lease when it was up.
“We never intend to put pressure on anybody and don’t want to hurt employees or do anything that would negatively affect a tenant,” Bakhtiari said. “But at the end of the day, if you tell me you’re going to leave, I don’t have many options at that point.”
He said he’d reach out if he was able to work something out with Heffelbower.
The Fuzzy’s at NewMarket Square opened in 2022, when the franchise was owned by Whitney Reitz. The new franchise owner is Heffelbower, who also has the Fuzzy’s restaurants at 306 N. Rock Road and 4521 E. 21st St., in Braeburn Square.
This story was originally published May 15, 2026 at 12:48 PM.
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