Artists, Wichita businesses have created ‘front porches.’ Here’s where you can see them

Six local businesses worked with Wichita artists, architects and more for about five months to build outdoor expansions of their businesses.

This Friday, the public gets to enjoy them at the Front Porch Project launch party.

The Wichita community is invited to attend the launch party from 6-9 p.m. at the front porches of the Wichita Cheesecake Company, Public at the Brickyard, Old Mill Tasty Shop, Lucinda’s, Standard Issue Company and Jenny Dawn Cellars. The first 100 visitors at each location will receive a gift.

The Front Porch Project — funded by a grant through the National Endowment for the Arts and the Knight Foundation Fund at the Wichita Community Foundation — was announced last year. Its purpose is to contribute to Downtown Wichita development.

“The first really important aspect of the front porch project is bringing businesses outside,” Emily Brookover, the director of creative engagement and placemaking for downtown Wichita, said. “The other would be the collaboration between creatives and small businesses.”

Front porches “aren’t new ideas. But the take that we’ve made is bringing together creatives and partnering with small businesses in order to create kind of really unique solutions to some of the [challenges] they’ve come across.”

Here’s what you need to know.

Wichita Cheesecake Company

The Wichita Cheesecake Company — a family-owned baking company specializing in cheesecake at 801 E. Douglas — worked with painter Engy AlGarf.

“She’s just been a great fit, her vision for publicizing the outside of our space and, you know, just making it look inviting and engaging for those people downtown walking around was a great marriage,” Mark Daniels, owner of Wichita Cheesecake Company, said.

“Anytime, I think, you can bring exposure to your business and be a part of something that’s going on in the community is always a good opportunity for a small business like ours,” Daniels said.

The front porch of the company features a mural on the ground and an outdoor seating area.

“We’re already starting to see some of the engagement,” Daniels said.

Daniels said that the longevity of the project was also an important factor.

“It’s not just for, you know, Friday, it’s an ongoing concept that will just kind of continue,” Daniels said.

The first 100 guests at the Wichita Cheesecake Company will receive a spatula.

Public at the Brickyard

Wichita State professor Kevin Harrison worked with Public at the Brickyard, 129 N. Rock Island, to create a space that promotes diversity and inclusion.

“I think our project says, ‘Hey, everyone is welcome here regardless of your race, your gender, your sexual preference. This is everyone’s Wichita and this is everyone’s Brickyard,’” Harrison said.

Harrison said the project’s purpose was bringing everyone together again to enjoy life.

“This was something that was encouraging people to go inside … and take advantage of Wichita’s downtown. I think that a vibrant downtown is the heartbeat of any city,” Harrison said.

Brooke Russell, one of Public’s owners, said that working with Harrison has been a good experience.

“It’s been a great fit for us and it’s been a really fun collaboration. We’ve brought a lot of ideas to the table but really when it comes to the art that the artist has wanted to display, we really tried to kind of take a hands off approach,” Russell said.

Harrison said the front porch has a lot of added light and colorful art. They had to work differently than other businesses, in that they couldn’t block the sidewalk so they had to be creative, Russell said.

Brickyard’s first 100 guests on Friday will receive a mason jar drinking glass.

Old Mill Tasty Shop

Mother-daughter duo Chiyoko and Sarah Myose worked with the Old Mill Tasty Shop, a restaurant and treat parlor at 604 E. Douglas. The business opened in 1932.

“It’s really exciting to be able to be paired with them because they are such an older business, with such a unique history,” Sarah said. “It’s really exciting to get this space because it’s such an out-there space. We’re right across from Naftzger Park. It’s really out in the open.”

Sarah said that considering the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s a step in the right direction to create more outdoor spaces for Wichitans to safely enjoy.

“I think it’s going to be a really great precedent for other businesses to create front porches and extend their spaces outside of just their inside space and kind of rethink and envision what their meeting, business place could look like outside of just their indoor space,” Sarah said.

The front porch features a variety of different colors and shapes. It incorporates Wichita’s flag and the number “90” — to commemorate the shop’s 90th anniversary.

The first 100 guests to visit the Old Mill Tasty Shop will receive a free ice cream scoop.

Lucinda’s

Graphic designer and fine artist Elisabeth Owens worked with Lucinda’s, an Old Town shop that sells unique jewelry, handbags, gifts and more at 329 N. Mead.

Joining the project was an easy yes for the store, owner Valerie Reimers said.

“When we were approached about it I mean, it just honestly seemed like a gift, a gift to have the opportunity,” Reimers said. “We do a lot of work curating what’s inside the store but outside the store often doesn’t get attention.”

Owens has been working with Lucinda’s for 15 years — she designed both their original logo and recently the re-branded logo. She said this relationship has made the experience even better.

“We share a lot of the same design aesthetic and taste in general. ... So they’re very relaxed and give me a lot of freedom. I think that’s been built up over the years,” Owens said.

Owens wanted to keep the spirit of Lucinda’s by staying true to their colors and branding. The front porch includes new planters and an interactive sculpture that’s meant to last year round.

“I think that’s kind of unique with what I’ve seen on the other front porches,” Owens said.

The first 100 guests to visit Lucinda’s Friday will receive a tote bag.

Standard Issue Company

Standard Issue Company — a men’s clothing store at 924 E Douglas — worked with architectural designer Drew Phillips.

Phillips described the creation of the front porch as a joint effort.

“I think it’s just a great example of community collaboration, bringing our local artists and creatives into the fold of development and things happening downtown,” Phillips said.

Standard Issue Company’s front porch includes a majority of repurposed material. It serves as a space to expand downtown to be an area where people like to “live, work and play,” Phillips said.

“Downtown has had a lot of growth and development, especially just in the last five but even 10 years, and I think that this is a step in the right direction, creating outdoor spaces that our community can use and really create a downtown that we’re all proud of and happy to be a part of,” Phillips said.

Phillips said he hopes that the front porches of all the businesses are not seen as multiple different projects, but as one collaboration.

The first 100 guests at Standard Issue Company will receive a sketchbook.

Jenny Dawn Cellars

Jenny Dawn Cellars CEO Jennifer McDonald said that being a part of the Front Porch Project was a perfect fit for the business at 703 E Douglas.

“It was good timing for us because our winery was going through an expansion and we were doubling the size of our outdoor patio, and thought we would accept the … nomination to be a part of [the project] so we could kind of beautify the new patio space,” McDonald said.

The business was matched with horticulturist Belinda Smith. McDonald said her skills were perfect for the space they wanted to design.

“She has a really great horticulture background, which aligns really well with us being an agriculture based business and winery. We’re really leveraging her knowledge of plants and the space she designed really turned out beautiful,” McDonald said.

The front porch includes an artificial turf for dogs, high-top tables made out of old whiskey barrels, and more. McDonald described the porch as “green, comforting and inviting.”

The launch party will include discounted drinks, a photo booth, and a sunflower grow kit giveaway.