St. Louis chain Lion’s Choice hopes to take former Winstead’s spot in Overland Park

St. Louis-based Lion’s Choice wants to open on the site of a former Overland Park Winstead’s.

The chain is going through Overland Park planning to open at 10313 Metcalf Ave. in the Metcalf 103 Shopping Center. Winstead’s closed its freestanding restaurant there in August 2015, after more than 30 years.

Lion’s Choice would put up a 2,500-square-foot building with drive-through that would be closer to Metcalf Avenue than the current building, so that will trigger a public hearing with the application.

It will be more in line with Jack in the Box next door to the Winstead’s, which is closer to Metcalf, said Mike “Kup” Kupstas, CEO of Lion’s Choice..

“This will be our third site in the market and there’s not a better place to be than in the heart of Johnson County. We hope to sign another location in the market on the Missouri side, within a month,” Kupstas said. “We are excited about the response we’ve received in our first two locations and will continue with plans to fill out the market.”

Lion’s Choice is a quick-service chain known for its slow-roasted beef sandwiches, shaved thin on-site and served with its secret seasonings on a toasted bun. It also serves other sandwiches, hot dogs, sides such as baked potatoes and coleslaw, and mini frozen custard cones for 25 cents.

It entered the market with an Independence location in November and an Olathe restaurant in early 2019.

A Putsch’s Coffee House shows up at the 10313 Metcalf address in The Star’s archives. It shut down in late 1986 to make way for the new 4,860-square-foot Winstead’s with a drive-through.

This story was originally published March 14, 2019 at 5:18 PM.