Wahlburgers opens in Olathe to big crowd with surprise visit from its celebrity chef

Less than three weeks after Shake Shack entered the market with a new Country Club Plaza location, another specialty burger chain — this one owned by celebrity brothers — has joined the mix.

The first Wahlburgers restaurant opened in Kansas in Tuesday. The Massachusetts-based chain was founded by actors Mark and Donnie Wahlberg, along with another brother, celebrity executive chef Paul Wahlberg.

Their new Olathe location, at 11935 S. Blackbob Road, drew a line that nearly wrapped around the freestanding building before the 11 a.m. opening.

This location is in partnership with Hy-Vee, which now has a Wahlburgers in the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., and another in its West Des Moines hometown. Hy-Vee plans 26 freestanding Wahlburgers locations, and will add select Wahlburgers menu items to its in-house Market Grille operations.

In Olathe, the restaurant took over the former Dodge City Distillery building, dark since mid-2014.

“Burgers obviously never go away. It’s a staple for most people,” said Randy Edeker, CEO and president of Hy-Vee Food Stores during a pre-opening event last week. “Shake Shack’s been very successful with what they do. Wahlburgers does things just a little bit different than they do. They have their twist on everything.”

Edeker said the celebrity is just an added bonus, the brothers are “very, very good business people.”

“It’s a unique experience. It’s fun. People love Mark. People love Donnie. People love Paul. Paul has a big following and that makes it kind of extra cool that it’s their place, they’re involved,” Edeker said.

The Wahlbergs each has a favorite menu item.

For Mark, who has an early morning daily workout, according to Edeker, it’s the Thanksgiving Turkey burger (one-fourth pound fresh ground seasoned turkey burger, stuffing, mayo, house-made orange-cranberry sauce and roasted butternut squash, $8.50).

For Donnie it’s the BBQ Bacon (one-third pound burger, bacon, white cheddar cheese, fresh jalapenos, house-made barbecue sauce and avocado spread, $9).

Paul picks “The Our Burger” (one-third pound burger with lettuce, tomato, onion, “government cheese,” Paul’s signature Wahl sauce and pickles, $7.50).

The Wahl Sauce is a blend of ketchup, mayonnaise, Sriracha, caramelized onions and paprika. It also is a dipping sauce with Wahlburgers tots. Sides are $3.50 each.

The “government cheese” is a nod to the brothers’ hometown of Dorchester, Mass. Government cheese was a staple provided to welfare beneficiaries and food stamp recipients.

Their mother, Alma, prefers Mom’s Sloppy Joe (on thick-cut grilled bread and topped with crispy onions, Wahl sauce and cheese sauce, $9).

The menu also includes smoked bacon arugula salads, Caesar salads (customers can add chicken or crispy haddock), portobello sandwich, house-made chili and Smoked Bacon Mac ’N Cheese.

“They tell me the salads are very good. I haven’t explored that part of the menu myself,” Edeker said to laughs at the pre-opening event.

The restaurant also offers draft beers, bottle beers, wines by the glass or bottle, and adult frappes, including the Hot Fudge Sundae with Pinnacle cherry vodka, banana liquor and chocolate ice cream with whipped cream and a cherry on top.

Edeker said Hy-Vee will have one or two Wahlburgers in specific markets. The burger chain now has 29 locations in 16 states and Canada.

The owner of the former Zoom toy store on the Plaza said Hy-Vee officials had seriously considered his space, which is about a block south of the new Shake Shack. Edeker said the company looked at a Plaza location but said it didn’t work out.

“This is a good partnership that made sense for us but we’re not venturing out to move into other restaurants,” Edeker said. “The focus is our food stores. That’s the core of what we do.”