Like savory crepes? How about sweet? Both kinds will be available at this new business.
By Carrie Rengers – The Wichita Eagle (TNS)
Dec. 30—As the city of Maize began to plan a new arts district for the community several years ago, Joanna Kilgore started to think how she might contribute to it.
It’s been a rather circuitous route, but she’s decided to open a crepe restaurant across from her MOXI Junction in Maize.
Kilgore said the city approached her about building on MOXI in other ways, “which was quite humbling.”
MOXI stands for Moms of Exceptional Individuals, and Kilgore opened the business in 2014 to give her autistic son someplace to work along with the special-needs children of her friends.
Kilgore bought some houses across from MOXI with the idea of giving those kids, who are now adults, a place to live.
“It turned out all those houses were too big for them,” she said. “I still want things like that, but they need to be small and manageable.”
So Kilgore visited with an arts district consultant about the houses to see if they might fit in with the area’s plans.
Then the pandemic happened along with street construction.
“I don’t like waiting,” Kilgore said. “Finally, I just decided to put in my own little shop.”
She doesn’t have a name for the crepe business yet, but she’ll announce one this spring when the shop is ready to open.
Kilgore said she’s taking inspiration from some high school students who, through their school, had been operating culinary pop-ups at the house.
They came up with a lot of ideas for the space, which is at 109 W. Academy.
“If those kids had been older, those concepts would have been amazing,” Kilgore said.
She’s built a new house on the foundation of a previous one.
“There’s a lot to do though, still,” she said.
That includes adding a commercial kitchen.
The new business will serve savory and sweet crepes starting with lunches.
“It will not be breakfast because I have MOXI, and MOXI is my passion,” Kilgore said.
Look for more information when the crepe business opens this spring.
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