After years of little bar and restaurant activity by the arena, a new spot is opening

The bars and restaurants that were predicted to spring up around Intrust Bank Arena when it opened in 2010 haven’t exactly happened. Marketer Bruce Rowley — the same one who started a campaign to call the area the Arena District — thinks it’s a matter of timing.

Now is a good time to start, said Rowley, who also is an owner through an investment group in seven properties around the area, though he said bars and restaurants aren’t solely about the arena.

“People looking at offices and living down there, they’re going to want to know that there’s a place for them to go,” he said of lunch, dinner and cocktails.

That’s why he’s partnering with longtime operators Alex Thomas, Paul Drace and Justin Brown to open a new restaurant and bar at his group’s ArenaPointe development at 400 S. Emporia just south of the arena.

The trio plan to open Solly & Jude’s, named for Thomas’ son, Solomon, and Brown’s son, Judah.

“Having a diversity of businesses within an area makes it much more vibrant,” Rowley said. “Certainly, it’s the right time for this to come into . . . that area, and it will only become more important as we continue to develop down there.”

Thomas said many people have confused what businesses he and Brown own and think they’ve been partners on several.

“This will actually be the first venture Justin and I have done together.”

Thomas got to know Brown when he sold him Barleycorn’s and then stayed on for a few months to help in the transition.

Brown owns that, Snug Harbor, Jerry’s Bar & Grill and the Shamrock.

Thomas owns Lucky’s Everyday, Kirby’s Beer Store and is a partner in the Cotillion and a partner with Drace in Lava & Tonic.

“Justin and I will be running the show,” Thomas said.

Part of the inspiration for the sandwich-focused menu came from a trip Thomas made to Pittsburgh, Pa., years ago when working for a software company owned by Alan Banta, who happens to be a partner in ArenaPointe.

“It’s just a weird little synergy,” Thomas said. (In another bit of coincidence, Brown also happened to work for a furniture company that used to be in the building.)

The company sent Thomas to Pittsburgh for training, and he tried the famous Primanti Brothers.

“I was enthralled with it ever since then.”

He likes old-school sandwich shops with sandwiches that are served in butcher paper.

Then his future father-in-law — who is from Pittsburgh — said to him, “Primanti? No. You need to go out there and go to some neighborhood sandwich shops.”

So Thomas returned and investigated. He said all the partners have been checking out sandwich shops all over for the last six months.

Former Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers partner Scott Redler has been a consultant on the menu, which also will include tater tots, coleslaw, chips and maybe one other kind of bar food, such as pretzels.

Thomas said they’re aiming for lunch and after-work crowds and will have beer gardens for walk-up service before arena shows and events.

For previous events, he’s worked with Rowley to do beer gardens in his lot at RSM Marketing at 500 S. Topeka, and Barleycorn’s set up in the former Lexus parking lot during the NCAA Tournament in 2018. “And that was hugely successful.”

Thomas said there could be some sample test kitchens at the site yet this year, but Solly & Jude’s probably won’t fully open until next year.

“It’ll be an interesting spot for right across from the arena,” he said.

Rowley said that at its peak, the arena does just over 100 events a year, which is not enough to support bars and restaurants because even if they could make money, they wouldn’t be able to keep staff in slow times.

He said that he’s “quite excited with their ability to scale the staffing up when there are big arena events” since his partners have eight other businesses between them.

Rowley said his partners are consummate pros who know how to operate businesses.

“They’ve crushed it in every single attempt.”

However, Thomas already may have made one strategic mistake with Solly & Jude’s. Though he and his partners are discussing naming things in the restaurant after all their children, Thomas’ daughter, Lucille, was not pleased that her brother is getting top billing.

“She gave me a little bit of a business. She’s a bit of a firecracker.”