Kickstarter campaign for Columbus Park Ramen Shop

Josh and Abbey-Jo Eans want to open another Columbus Park food operation and they are turning to the public for help.

They have a new Kickstarter campaign for Columbus Park Ramen Shop - Kansas City’s First Ramen Shop, hoping to raise $37,000 in the next 29 days. By 12:35 p.m. Friday, 32 backers had pledged $2,445.

Josh Eans said they will keep the concept simple. The shop will have several types of Ramen (perhaps tonkotsu, chicken, dashi, and vegetarian) and bone broth, as well as canned beer and unique sodas. It would open in the garage next to their Happy Gillis Cafe & Hangout at 549 Gillis St.

“We really like the idea of being part of the community and letting the community support us. It gives them a say of what they want to see in their city,” Josh Eans said.

Happy Gillis would continue to serve breakfast and lunch, with the ramen shop open dinner-only Thursday through Sunday. The two venues would share a kitchen. But the couple would have to put in a new bathroom for the garage to meet codes, heating and cooling units, and fixtures and furnishings. They will have lots of bowls made by a local potter.

The Columbus Park location would seat only 12 to 16 people, serving food hot and fast for the “eat it & beat it” ramen shop style popular in Japan.

“There are tons of them in Japan. You pay outside, sit and eat at the counter, eat it fast while it’s hot, and go on your way,” Josh Eans said. “We want to stay true to that tradition. People will come here because they want that one thing so we will do that one thing and do it well.”

The couple took over Happy Gillis in late 2013 and now live in the Columbus Park area.

This story was originally published March 20, 2015 at 12:40 PM with the headline "Kickstarter campaign for Columbus Park Ramen Shop."