Kansas City restaurant came back from building collapse. But it didn’t survive pandemic

Calvin Davis was a third-generation restaurateur when he launched Freshwater (Fine) Dining in 2017.

His intricate menu made from locally sourced ingredients, and the restaurant’s intimate atmosphere — with customers just feet from the open kitchen — quickly gained him a following.

But the things that set Freshwater apart don’t work as well in a pandemic.

Davis said he would only be able to seat two tables in the dining area and one by the open kitchen under current restrictions. His menu of fresh-from-the-kitchen items doesn’t work for to-go. So the restaurant is now out of the space, and the landlord is looking for a new tenant.

“It would be restarting for the third time. My emotional investment has maybe reached its limits,” he said. “Will people feel safe? Will people come back? Now it is the same thing I went through before.”

When he took over the space at 3711 Summit St., it had little more than a stove, hood and walk-in cooler. He painted the walls and baseboards himself to save money. Tables and chairs came from Ikea.

But just weeks after opening, in the wee hours of a Saturday morning, a Honda clipped a tow truck, lost control and traveled across two lanes of Southwest Trafficway before striking Freshwater’s glass-fronted dining room. The impact collapsed the south end of the building. A 19-year-old passenger died at the scene.

It took months to repair the building, but Davis waited it out.

“I just loved the space so much. Hopefully we can pick up right where we left off,” he said at the time.

After he temporarily closed for the shelter-in-place order in March, he consulted with other struggling restaurants. One later called to say an employee had tested positive for COVID-19, and Davis later tested positive.

Now recovered, Davis plans to sell some of his popular items via retail outlets and agreed to let the landlord put the Freshwater space up for lease so he doesn’t have to keep incurring debt.

Haith & Company Inc. Real Estate Services has the 2,000-square-foot space listed and another 1,000 square feet next door available.

If the space is still empty when social distancing restrictions are lifted, Davis said he could reopen Freshwater there.

“I want to give a heartfelt thank you to all of our supportive fans and staff,” Davis said.