Confirmed: Here’s the business taking the Anchor space — on one condition

After searching for a Wichita site for the better part of a decade, the owners of Lawrence-based Johnny’s Tavern — known as the longest-runnin’ tap in town — are taking the former Anchor space in downtown Wichita for their 14th sports bar.

“It seems to be a great fit for Johnny’s,” said Louie Riederer, an early partner in the longtime business.

“We’ve signed a lease, and we’re going through a due-diligence period right now,” Riederer said.

That means things such as the HVAC system, grease traps and everything related to city codes have to check out before the deal is completely finalized.

“I’m extremely confident that we’re going to get through it with no problems,” Riederer said. “We hopefully will have that due-diligence period completed no later than the 15th of November.”

At that point, his group will make a few updates to the space “just to turn it into a Johnny’s.”

“We have our way of putting our Johnny’s touch on it.”

That will include some painting, incorporating some Wichita history, including nods to Wichita athletics and athletes, and adding about 40 TVs.

“I’m hoping we can get open right after the first of the year,” Riederer said.

He said it’s important to his group to be part of the Wichita community, and that includes having local beers on tap.

“We’ll try to work with them as much as we can.”

Johnny’s has what Riederer called a KISS menu: keep it simple, stupid.

Most dishes are between $10 and $15.

“We try to keep prices as low as possible.”

That means there won’t be entrees like steak or salmon unless they’re on special.

There will be a variety of burgers, wings, pizza and other bar food.

Riederer said his group has been looking for a Wichita building to buy for years and even bid on the Anchor building at its July auction but didn’t get it.

Bobbie and Jonathan Lane and Adam Church now own the property and reached out to the Johnny’s Tavern owners.

In addition to adding murals and its own metal signs, it looks like the Johnny’s owners are going to keep the well-known Anchor sign, too, likely moving it to the west side of the building on Douglas just east of Washington.

According to the Johnny’s website, its first tavern has a storied history at 401 N. 2nd St. in Lawrence.

First Kansas governor Charles Robinson bought the land from Native Americans in 1910, and a Lawrence businessman built a grocery there with a hotel above.

It evolved to a pool hall then went back to a grocery and then a gin joint. A man named Slim Wilson sold farm implements there in the 1940s and had cold beer and gambling on the side.

His son, John, started Johnny’s in 1953 for working men. A juke box played country-and-western music, and a sign with a giant beer mug and a red arrow pointed the way in as it still does today.

By 1978, Rick Renfro and Doug Hassig took over the business and added a grill behind the bar.

Riederer joined in 1982, and the group converted the upstairs hotel space into a private club called Betty’s that today often functions as a place for private parties.

Partners now include Riederer, Renfro, Pat Roberts, Sean Haydock, Kyle Witherspoon, and David Allen. There also are 13 managing partners, each responsible for one of the Johnny’s locations in Kansas and Missouri.

“We’ve just evolved with the times,” Riederer said.

He said his partners wanted to wait for the right Wichita site and think they’ve found it.

Adam Clements and Banks Floodman of Builders Inc. handled the lease for the space.

“Downtown development has just been amazing,” Riederer said of Wichita’s core.

He visited Wichita during Riverfest.

“It was just a very vibrant community. It was just a great, great atmosphere,” Riederer said.

“We’re looking forward to Wichita.”

This story was originally published October 6, 2025 at 5:29 PM.