Category: Business

by Mary Rupert

Shoppers can expect some new businesses along with new and remodeled buildings for existing businesses when the 230,000-square-foot Wyandotte Plaza redevelopment is completed at 78th and State Avenue.

A new Price Chopper building on the east side of the shopping center is getting ready to open around July 16, and developers have now completed negotiations with some new tenants, said Dave Claflin, director of marketing for RED Legacy, which is handling the redevelopment project.

Claflin confirmed that PetSmart and Marshalls will open in the spring of 2015, on the shopping center’s west side, in the current Price Chopper grocery store building that will be remodeled.

The new 66,000-square-foot Price Chopper building on the east side is almost finished, and the middle section of the existing Wyandotte Plaza building is also almost completed, according to Claflin. Some businesses already have moved into new quarters in the middle section of the shopping center. Also, the new Advance Auto Parts building is completed.

Once the grocery store moves from the west side of the shopping center to the new building on the east side, the existing grocery store space can then be remodeled for Marshalls and PetSmart.

The new Price Chopper store’s sign now has gone up, noting a Starbucks coffee shop inside the store.

Another new tenant, Lufti’s Fried Fish, will open in August, Claflin said.

Some of the other stores and businesses at Wyandotte Plaza include Advance Auto Parts, MeMa’s Old-Fashioned Bakery, Simply Fashion, Sally Beauty Supply, Glam Tresses, City G.E.A.R., Radio Shack, Papa Murphy’s, Hans Jewelers, Dollar Tree, Sherwin Williams, H&R Block, Easy Home Living, and Advance America.

The Wyandotte Plaza shopping center complex also includes a Burger King restaurant and Payless ShoeSource store. The shopping center is more than 50 years old.

Claflin did not have total final cost figures yet for the redevelopment project. However, construction costs were estimated on Unified Government building permits, before construction started, at $4.89 million for the new Price Chopper building; $3 million for the Wyandotte Plaza renovations; and $767,125 for the new Advanced Auto building.

by William Crum

Finally open at 553 Central Ave. in Kansas City, Kan., is Slap’s Barbecue.

A lot of people have been waiting for Slap’s to open. This is a barbecue restaurant unlike anything else I’ve ever seen. The food in my opinion is some of the best barbecue I’ve ever tasted. Believe me, I, like a lot of people in the area, have tried some good barbecue, but Slap’s is in a category all by itself.

The sauce is not too spicy nor is it too sweet. It sits on your palate nicely and the meat is not greasy, which makes Slap’s Barbecue a true winner. I had the reserve with turkey and beef. The turkey melted in my mouth; it had a light smoked flavor that was not overbearing like a lot of smoked meats are. The beef on the other hand was nice and tender. It like the turkey also melted in your mouth. The flavor was phenomenal to say the least.

As a side dish I decided to order the hush puppies. When they came out they were golden brown and very tender and their flavor was beyond comparison the best hush puppies I’ve ever had in my life. In my earlier years I grew up in the deep South and I know what good hush puppies are, after all I was raised on them. These hush puppies I had at Slap’s Barbecue brought back fond memories of my childhood when my parents would take me out to a restaurant and I would order hush puppies.
The reserve sandwich is a huge sandwich, in fact I made two meals out of it.

While I was sitting at Slap’s I overheard other customers, one even said the warm potato salad was the best they’ve ever had. I cannot wait until next time I visit to try it.

They have other sides also such as beans, cheesy corn, and coleslaw, a favorite of any barbecue enthusiast.

The pricing is excellent; you truly get a lot of food for your money.

If you want to go to a barbecue restaurant where it is clean, the service is phenomenal, the food is something you want to pray to, it is so good. It is a place where you can take the whole family.

For more information, try it for yourself, Slap’s Barbecue is located at 553 Central Ave. in Kansas City, Kan. Hours are from 11 a.m. until sold out, Monday through Saturday. They also offer catering as well. The telephone number is 913-213-3736.