Sunflower Restaurant Supply to close showroom but not leave Wichita

WICHITA — Sunflower Restaurant Supply is closing its retail shop at 432 N. Washington, but it's not going out of business.

The Salina-based company is looking for new office space that won't include a showroom.

Facility manager Rod Baumberger says issues related to rent and maintenance are forcing a move, and it made sense to no longer have a showroom.

The company has been in Wichita 16 years. These days, Baumberger says, most people fax, e-mail or call in orders.

"The focus of our business has changed," he says. "The walk-in traffic was just a nice bit of gravy or dessert on the side."

Baumberger is happy to get the news out about why Sunflower is moving.

"People think business is bad," he says. "We're not losing money. We're actually still profitable down here."

Also, he says, some customers are panicking thinking the business is closing.

"I've had schools that we've done business with freaking out, 'We're losing our supplier!' "

The company will be open in its current space until the end of the year. All items are on sale now.

This story was originally published November 11, 2009 at 2:39 PM with the headline "Sunflower Restaurant Supply to close showroom but not leave Wichita."