WICHITA — Occidental Management now has its second tenant in its new development at Union Station, which it is planning to transform into a multi-use destination in the heart of the city.
“We’re going to be putting in a Scooter’s coffee cafe,” says Occidental president Chad Stafford, who handled the deal with chairman and CEO Gary Oborny.
Wichita businessman Tad Fugate will open the Scooter’s in 1,500 square feet on the east end of what was the Grand Hotel immediately to the west of The Wichita Eagle. The businesses are across from the entrance to Old Town.
“So they’ll have great presence along Douglas,” Stafford says.
“To have them in this with their coffee brand is pretty exciting,” he says of Fugate and his company.
This won’t be a typical Scooter’s kiosk.
“This is a little bit different for them in that they’re getting into a little cafe style.”
There are similar Scooter’s cafes on the Plaza in Kansas City and in Overland Park.
There will be a drive-through at the cafe.
“So traffic on Douglas can get in and grab their cup of joe and get on their way,” Stafford says.
Spangenberg Phillips Tice Architecture is the architect on the project.
Work will start in the next couple of months and the business will open about four months after that.
The already-announced Smoothie King, which is opening next door in Rock Island Depot, will be on a similar construction schedule. Owner Neil Bhakta also plans a restaurant behind that but hasn’t shared details yet.
“We’re looking forward to getting the work started there,” Stafford says.
“There’s still some things we need to do with the historic piece of it so we can make sure we’re following all the necessary guidelines there to make sure we’re doing it right.”
Stafford says it’s not as easy as building a new building from the ground up.
“There’s a little more complexity to it.”
Stafford says there will be more deals to announce and plenty of construction soon.
“You’ll see a lot of activity and a lot of action there.”
