Four more KC-area restaurants close for good, a couple noting uncertainty of pandemic

More area restaurants have confirmed they will not reopen — with a couple putting the blame on the pandemic.

Six years after opening in The Village at Briarcliff in the Northland, Jose Pepper’s Border Grill & Cantina has closed its doors.

A new sign on the front door reads: “We are sad to say that we will not be reopening this location. Thank you for your support and loyalty through our time in the Village.” It referred customers to its Liberty Commons restaurant.

Jody Sight, spokeswoman for Jose Pepper’s, said the location officially closed in April. When dining rooms started to reopen it was too small to space out customers and the larger Liberty location wasn’t too far away.

Sight said it was also hard to keep servers when the location didn’t have as many customers as before and the next few months are “such an unknown at this time.”

“We just couldn’t sustain it at half capacity,” she said. “We loved our customers there. It was a very hard decision.”

Jose Pepper’s took over the former Cafe at Briarcliff Village freestanding building, 4125 N. Mulberry Drive, in April 2014. After a remodeling it opened later that summer.

The Overland Park-based company currently has a dozen Jose Pepper’s locations and Cactus Grill in Leawood. It plans to open Cactus Grill at Bluhawk in south Overland Park by mid-July.

In Grandview, 54th Street Grill & Bar closed at 12130 S. U.S. 71 highway.

Its lease was up after 15 years, and the owners decided not to renew it.

“That center has had multiple new ownership and it wasn’t getting any traction,” said Michael Norsworthy, CEO of the North Kansas City-based chain. “It had nothing to do with the pandemic but with the viability of the center.”

In Overland Park, Stagecoach Tavern also has permanently closed.

Jake Chappelow, his wife, Amanda, and another partner spent several weeks remodeling the spot and adding a new beer garden before opening at 9617 W. 87th St. in late 2015.

“We had to shut down for the COVID-19. Our lease was up at the end of May, and we chose not to renew with the unforeseen situation with the pandemic,” Jake Chappelow said.

The Chappelows also own Burg & Barrel in Overland Park and Leawood, and customers have been so supportive they are looking for a spot to open a third location.

And Applebee’s has closed its location at 7901 W. 151st St. in Overland Park.

A sign on the door says: “This location is permanently closed. Thank you for being our neighbor the last 21 years.”

It directed customers to locations in Belton, Olathe and Overland Park.

A corporate spokeswoman said it was scheduled to close June 9.

This story was originally published June 25, 2020 at 5:00 AM.