New Taco Republic opens in Prairie Village's Corinth Square

Taco Republic, an authentic taqueria with house-made margaritas, is opening its second KC location tomorrow, June 10th, in Corinth Square at 4100 W. 83rd Street in Prairie Village, Kan.

The new, larger location replaces the previous Arby's and features almost double the interior seating capacity, a 2,000-SF patio and is its first concept drive-thru.

Owner Whitney VinZant and his team worked with local architecture and interior design firm, Generator Studio on the new design and vision for Taco Republic.

“We worked hard to establish the brand and its attitude with Bread and Butter Concepts ten years ago at the flagship location and were reinvigorated when Whitney Vin Zant acquired the brand. At at our first meeting he said, ‘This place is about tacos, it should be fun.’ That loose attitude about the environment, coupled with Whitney's exacting execution on the food and drink, are the drivers of the evolution of the brand that you will see at the second store,” said Generator Studio co-founder, Mike Kress, AIA, NCARB.

The L-shape patio is designed with a hand-laid stone perimeter, adobe-colored crushed granite flooring, a steel and wood beam awning, landscaping and fire pits, cornhole game area and seating for more than 100 guests.

The new Taco Republic will serve its signature menu; including street tacos, bowls, enchiladas, a smothered burrito and more. The Corinth location will mark the debut of new margarita and mojito flights, offered at both locations.

Grand opening events include giving the first 50 guests in line a customized card for a free taco every day for a year (dine-in only, one per family) and handing out 300 wristbands during the hours of 11 a.m. to noon, 2 to 3 p.m. and 3 to 4 p.m. on June 10th, 11th and 12th, respectively. The wristbands entitle those wearing them to free queso each time they dine at Taco Republic for the next 365 days.

Taco Republic is open Monday from 4-9 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. In addition to dine-in, a limited version of the menu is available for carryout and delivery online through ChowNow.

VinZant and operating partner Corey Gonzalez also own local favorites Gram & Dun, Va Bene, Louie’s Wine Dive, Fresko (Des Moines), The Latin King (Des Moines) and BRGR.

Wayside Waifs celebrates new campus additions

A virtual ribbon-cutting ceremony was held this morning (October 28, 2020) to celebrate the opening of the new Wayside Waifs Campus, located at 3901 Martha Truman Rd in Kansas City, Mo.

The campus additions include a new, 9,000-SF Canine Behavior Center and an 8,000-SF Education & Training Center expansion.

"We are honored to be the building partner for Wayside Waifs, the largest pet adoption campus in Kansas City. These state-of-the-art facilities will help to bring solutions to our community for both pets and people, " said Phil Thomas, president of A.L. Huber, who partnered with SFS Architecture on the project.

The Canine Behavior Center was built behind the existing, main shelter building and includes 21 indoor-outdoor kennels, three real-life rooms, indoor and outdoor play and training areas, a dedicated medical exam room with grooming space and a training classroom for visiting animal welfare colleagues.

The behavior center will serve 21-42 dogs at a time in a quiet and controlled environment. This building and program will be the second of its kind in the nation.

The Education & Training Center expansion, built on the northeast corner of the current shelter, will serve 15,000+ people annually.

The expansion includes three indoor multipurpose rooms that can be combined into one large room for hosting large group and events, indoor dog training classrooms, collaborative meeting space, office and work space for education staff and volunteers and 3,500 SF of storage and facilities offices​.

In 2018, Wayside adopted more than 5,600 animals into “loving, forever homes.” Wayside Waifs has served homeless, abused and abandoned animals for over 75 years.