A local developer and his family have just added a unique new business to an unexpected corner in Wichita. Goldfinch Coffee and Cocktails quietly opened last week on the northwest corner of Waterman and Hydraulic in the Hyde Park neighborhood. The bar is owned by Brian Cunningham, his wife, Amy and his sister and brother-in-law. It offers coffee, cocktails, wine and beer in a 1925 building once occupied by a service station. The owners have added on to the building and filled it with plush furnishings and eye-catching murals by a local artist. They also added sliding garage doors that open the main space up to the outside as well as a big patio. Goldfinch is open from early in the morning until late at night every day except Monday and Tuesday, when it closes at 2 p.m.
Wichita can, as always, mark its calendars for more openings, both in the coming days and coming year. On Friday, Johnny’s Tavern out of Lawrence will open its new Wichita location in the spot on East Douglas formerly occupied by The Anchor. Johnny’s is a sports bar filled with more than 40 television sets that serves burgers, sandwiches, salads and beer. Also, a new restaurant is about to take over the old Sticky Bird’s spot at Kellogg and Tyler. Its called Mexican Burritos and it’s a quick-service restaurant owned by a mother and daughter who will serve super nachos, tortas, enchiladas and all-day breakfast burritos. It opens to the public on Monday and will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day except Sunday.
Finally, there’s news for the many people who were bummed out when Spangles axed its pita sandwiches during the COVID-19 pandemic. After years of customer emails and phone calls, the Wichita burger chain has just returned the sandwiches to its menu. Spangles serves two breakfast pitas and two lunch pitas: the turkey turkey and the chicken. Owners decided to cut the sandwiches when they had trouble sourcing the pitas and didn’t think it would be a big deal. Now, they’ve found the right pita, and the sandwiches are back on the menu to stay.
