The long and much-anticipated wait is almost over. Within the next few weeks, the doors at Pizza 51 at the southeast corner of Kansas and Loula streets will open.
“We’re close,” Pizza 51 co-owner Jason Pryor said. “Honestly, I’m a little scared with all the hype around this place. We only have one chance to make a first impression.”
Pryor’s tongue was firmly planted in his cheek when he said he was a bit scared. The veteran restaurateur has opened his share of restaurants, including his flagship Pizza 51 in 2004.
Let’s call it pregame jitters. That’s all. From the way their trial run went at the May 23 Fourth Friday event, they’re certainly ready to go.
“No, we’re ready,” Pryor said, grinning ear-to-ear. “We’ve done as much as we can and have planned for every scenario.”
The small-scale trial run featured their signature Italian beef sandwiches, their already famous Olathe Ice Water and other beverages at a booth on Loula, just north of their nearly completed restaurant.
“I gotta tell you, we owe a huge shoutout to Phil Crafton and CPS Construction,” Pryor said. “They’ve done everything we’ve asked them to do. They’ve been phenomenal.”
Not only is the exterior taking shape, the interior is almost ready, too.
Pryor said that the area on the northern edge of the building is set up for the fast, casual diner along with the easy access for mobile orders. The true beauty of the space comes as you make your way toward the south side of the former service station where the old service bays have been turned into a spacious dining area overlooking the patio to the west and the kitchen to the east.
“We want them to come in that (north) door because we’ve got a little place set up for those just picking up food (or third-party delivery),” Pryor said. “That way, we don’t interrupt the flow of dining customers. Their food’s already waiting for them right there.”
The new additions to the building are the kitchen on the east side and the private dining area on the south side of the building, which will be perfect for large groups, baseball teams, corporate gatherings, etc.
Both the larger dining area and the private room to the side will be lined with TVs, but the real pop will come from the patio up front, facing west.
“We’ve got wrought iron fencing along the perimeter,” he said. “But instead of a canopy, we’re going with heavy sails that stretch from the posts to the building. We thought the sails would be a better angle for the western sun.”
One thing that future Pizza 51 patrons will need to familiarize themselves with is the one-way parking lot. For ease and flow, all cars will enter off of Loula Street, from the north. Then, they’ll exit to the south onto Kansas Avenue.
As the opening approaches, Pryor and co-owner Kevin Timmons, can’t wait to welcome Olathe to the Pizza 51 experience. It’s been a lot of work over the past few months to get the place ready, but they wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I mean, obviously, it’s a labor of love,” deadpanned Pryor.
Soon, all of Olathe will benefit from that hard work.