Day: October 24, 2024

Third Street Social has been looking for the right opportunity to make the move over to the Kansas side of the state line. Enter downtown Olathe. The local restaurant with the big city feel has found a home in downtown Olathe at 135 S. Kansas Ave. “Downtown Olathe offers the chance to be pioneers in a rapidly growing area with tremendous potential,” co-owner Andy Lock said. “Its well-developed infrastructure, combined with a thriving nearby residential community, makes it the perfect setting for our expansion.” The new Third Street Social in downtown Olathe will offer the same signature mix of elevated American comfort food and vibrant social atmosphere that has made the concept a standout on the Missouri side. The downtown Olathe location will serve lunch, dinner, daily happy hour, and weekend brunch, ensuring a dynamic experience for every occasion. “Olathe is an ideal choice due to its geographic position, allowing us to extend our brand across the metro area,” Lock added. “The city’s leadership is also aligned with our values, making it a great environment for building strong, lasting business relationships.” Since Third Street put down roots in downtown Lee’s Summit, they have consistently grown its reputation for delivering a delicious menu and exceptional service. Third Street Social has been well-received in Lee’s Summit, Gladstone, and the Plaza area. With so much positive feedback and support for the concept, we believe the timing for our expansion to the Kansas side is ideal, and we’re excited to continue growing our brand in the metro area. “The (downtown Olathe) location’s visibility, traffic, and building size, combined with the vision for its transformation, create the perfect foundation for a destination restaurant,” Lock said. “We believe it will reshape downtown Olathe and attract significant foot traffic.” In the middle of a burgeoning downtown district that will see other new restaurants around Third Street Social, the food is what draws the crowds, but they’ll return for the whole experience. https://youtu.be/Jsx9Gg2I0H0 “Olathe residents can expect a vibrant gathering spot with chef-driven food, great happy hours for meeting up with coworkers, friends, and family, and the best brunch in the metro,” co-owner Domhnall Molloy said. “It’ll also be an ideal lunch destination for local businesses, offering both a buzzing atmosphere and private meeting spaces.” The first Third Street Social in Kansas is set to open sometime in 2025 and will offer the same attention to quality, community and memorable dining experiences that have made it a favorite among diners. After experiencing the culture of restaurants in Chicago, both Lock and Molloy wanted to bring the same experience to their home in KC. Third Street Social is certainly unique. There’ll be plush booths, exposed beams, a large open kitchen and an outdoor patio suitable for just about any weather Kansas can serve up. Well, except those pesky Kansas winters. “As with all of our restaurants, Third Street Social is about more than just great food; it’s about creating a place where people can come together,” Molloy added. “Olathe is the perfect place for us to continue that tradition, and we’re excited to bring this new dining experience to Kansas.”

Jason Pryor and Kevin Timmons are self-proclaimed history geeks. They’re also two of the preeminent restaurateurs in Kansas City. The combination of their personal and professional passions has them renovating an old service station in downtown Olathe to help breathe new life into Olathe’s central core. Pryor, the owner of Pizza 51 in South Plaza area near UMKC, is collaborating with Timmons, owner of Nick & Jake’s in Overland Park, to bring a fast casual atmosphere with not only its pizza menu but also great sandwiches, salads and cold beer to downtown Olathe. “We’re both history geeks,” Timmons said. “So, we certainly want to work in conjunction with the Olathe Historic Preservation Board on this project.” Currently, the building is 1,700 sq. ft., but Pryor said they will add to the historic building to almost double the space to accommodate demand. https://youtu.be/1lUMnn6akyM Pizza 51 will bring its distinct hand tossed, stone baked and always fresh East Coast style pizza, also sold by the slice, to Olathe. The restaurant has begun construction at 200 S. Kansas Ave. with plans for a tentative opening in the spring of 2025. “What a great, unique opportunity to be in on the revitalization of downtown Olathe,” said Pryor. “We can’t wait.” The newest restaurant in downtown Olathe is the perfect combination for the history buffs and top-notch entrepreneurs. The downtown Olathe location – to be called Pizza 51 South – has a similar look and feel to their original location in Kansas City, Mo. Like that location, the new restaurant will be housed in an old service station. The building – which the Olathe Historic Preservation Board helped save –was constructed nearly 70 years ago and originally served as a Phillips 66 station. “It’s the experience and that atmosphere that we pride ourselves in and that is what makes it unique,” Pryor added. “Downtown Olathe has character, and this building has that old-school style and design. The building has character. You sit outside, relax, have a slice of pizza and watch the trains go by.” The arrival of Pizza 51 South continues the revitalization of downtown Olathe, bringing a great new dining option to our community’s core. “We offer a fast casual atmosphere. We’re known for pizza by the slice with a pizza menu that people who know us are accustomed to,” Pryor said. “We also have five great sandwiches and five great salads for those who don’t want pizza all day.” “We’ll also have the best sangria in Olathe and the best 49-degree beer in town, too,” Timmons added. Pryor and Timmons have secured Thomas Nolte as their architect and Phil Crafton with CPS Construction as the general contractor for the renovation of the mid-century service station. “We chose Thomas because he does such a great job with that nostalgic look,” Timmons said. “They both do such great jobs on projects like this.” While Pizza 51 is celebrating the announcement of their arrival in Olathe, they also just finished celebrating the 20th anniversary of their original location near the Plaza. They began serving their delicious pizza, salads, sandwiches and cold beer at their flagship location in September of 2004.

It’s time for Char Bar to make its mark in downtown Olathe. After taking Westport by storm a decade ago and opening in Parkville, Mo. last year to rave reviews, downtown Olathe is the next, and it will be their biggest and best. Culinary Virtue Restaurant Collective is launching their newest – and largest – CharBar BBQ concept in downtown Olathe. The new restaurant will be their first location in Kansas. The new Char Bar Smoked Meats & Pickleball will occupy the northwest corner of Kansas Avenue and Santa Fe Street on the site where the downtown Olathe Fire station once stood at 200 W. Santa Fe. “From our original inception, Char Bar has been all about burning, searing and smokingmeats,” Char Bar partner Mark Kelpe said, “so it’s an absolute thrill to have the opportunity to resurrect this iconic downtown Olathe fire station into our newest Kansas City barbecue palace.” James Westphal and Mark Kelpe are the two partners bringing this concept to life in downtown Olathe. The destination restaurant will feature seven pickleball courts, lawn games, a two-story fire pit, outdoor lounges and plenty of room to let the kids run wild. Char Bar is a southern-inspired smokehouse featuring award-winning KC barbecue and one of the metro’s largest outdoor beer gardens. Their menu also offers a range of gluten-free offerings, several delicious vegan options, signature cocktails and a killer list of happy hour specials. The addition of Char Bar continues the redevelopment of Olathe’s downtown core and offers more than just a place to stop and grab a bite to eat. It’s a place to hang out and enjoy yourself.  The newest Char Bar location in downtown Olathe will be a true family friendly destination. “We’re extremely passionate about Olathe’s family-oriented community and its burgeoningdowntown,” Westphal said. “We look forward to being a part of its future.” The expected time frame for the newest Char Bar opening is late 2025 or early 2026. (Photos are from the Char Bar in Parkville, Mo.)