We now know exactly where the fourth Wichita location of this chain will go

In February, the owner of Mokas Coffee & Eatery parent company JRI Hospitality said that the chain’s next Wichita restaurant would go up at Central and Oliver.

At the time, though, the exact spot that the restaurant would occupy hadn’t yet been chosen.

Now, it has, and it should make many smoothie-loving middle schoolers giddy.

The new Mokas will occupy the vacant pad at Third and Oliver, which is directly to the north of Robinson Middle School. The pad is a bit south of the corner where a vacant Dillons building sat for years before being torn down last year.

JRI Hospitality is tentatively eyeing a spring 2027 opening, said vice president of development and construction Chris Hitchcock. It will be Wichita’s fourth Mokas: Over the past four years, the Salina-based chain also has opened restaurants 143 N. McLean Blvd., at 1344 N. Veranda Drive and — just a few months ago — at 3851 N. Ridge Road.

A big section of the southeast corner of Central and Oliver is being redeveloped. A conceptual site plan has been posted by Commercial Real Estate near the future Mokas pad and shows that a restaurant could go where the vacant Dillons was as well as on the space just east of it, where the Albero Cafe building stood until it was demolished. The plan also shows that the lot just east of Bleckley on Central could be suited for a drive-through coffee business.

Jason Ingermanson said earlier this year that he liked the College Hill vibe of Central and Oliver and felt it was underserved by restaurants and coffee shops.

He also said that the Central and Oliver Mokas won’t be the last for the Wichita area. The company’s plans call for opening another Mokas each year for the next three years, both inside the city limits and in Wichita-adjacent communities. Once Wichita is up to seven or eight company-owned stores, the city will become a home base for the chain and serve as a training ground for potential franchisees.

This story was originally published June 26, 2026 at 2:53 PM.

Denise Neil

The Wichita Eagle

316-268-6327

Denise Neil has covered restaurants and entertainment since 1997. Her Dining with Denise Facebook page is the go-to place for diners to get information about local restaurants. She’s a regular judge at local food competitions and speaks to groups all over Wichita about dining.