Ark Valley News - Pair of new restaurants opening in Valley Center

The former Burger Hut and Tucker's BBQ will be home to a Mexican restaurant that also will feature an American-style breakfast menu. The restaurant is expected to open in late September.

Pair of new restaurants opening in Valley Center
By Chris Strunk
Last Updated: August 20, 2015

In the coming months, Valley Center will have two more dining options.

Panda Kitchen Chinese Restaurant plans to open in the 200 block of South Meridian by the end of September, and work is taking place on the former Burger Hut (and Tucker's BBQ) building at the corner of Fifth and Meridian in preparation for a new Mexican-style restaurant.

"We welcome any new business to town and look forward to the new choices for dining," said Brian Jansen, president of the Valley Center Chamber of Commerce. "… Anytime you have growth in the retail area, it only serves the interest of the community at–large and it gives people more choices."

Panda Kitchen's Julie Yang, who owns the restaurant chain with her husband Fei "George" Yang, said they are eager to open their first store in Sedgwick County.

They have Panda Kitchens in Hesston, Hillsboro, Abilene and Herrington.

"We just want everybody there to try it," Julie Yang said.

The couple already hung a "coming soon" sign in front of the store their restaurant will occupy at 217 S. Meridian, which is between the liquor store and the laundromat in the Hometown Plaza shopping center.

Yang said they tried two years ago to expand into Valley Center but couldn't find an available building.

"There is no Chinese restaurant there," she said.

Yang said the store is smaller than their current restaurants. It will take about two months to remodel the former salon into a restaurant, with a kitchen and seating areas.

"It's quite a bit of work, but it's not too bad," Yang said.

The project started this week.

Bill Arick, owner of the Hometown Plaza shopping mall, said he looks forward to an increase in customers in the mall, which will help the other businesses there.

"I would like to have it because it gives the community a variety," Arick said. "It also will bring more people to the mall."

The shop was formerly home to SaBo Salon & Boutique before it moved across the street to 318 S. Meridian.

Owner of the restaurant being planned for the former Burger Hut could not be reached for comment this week. However, the building's owner, Daniel VanDerBom, said a Park City family hopes to open in mid- to late September, offering Mexican food for lunch and dinner as well as a full American-style breakfast.

The building housed Tucker's BBQ for nearly two years. It has been empty since Tucker's closed in June 2014.

The restaurants will bring to 11 the number of places to get a meal in Valley Center, including Pizza Hut, Tequila's, Big Larry's, Sonic, Spirits, Subway, Leeker's, Casey's and Kwik Shop.