Changes coming to Plaza, Prairie Village restaurants as new owner takes over

Earlier this month, Urban Table closed permanently in Prairie Village’s Corinth Square.

But now new owners plan to reopen it under a new name and concept.

Whitney VinZant said he closed on the purchase of both Urban Table and sister restaurant Gram & Dun on the Country Club Plaza on Tuesday.

He plans to open a new restaurant in the Urban Table space and will soon release more details such as name, menu and opening date.

As for Gram & Dun, VinZant said in a statement: “We are excited to have the opportunity to become a part of this beautiful restaurant and the Country Club Plaza community. We wanted to keep this iconic restaurant in local Kansas City hands. … Our initial focus will be on fostering talent within our team, thereby elevating the food and beverage programs and updating the leasehold finishes throughout Gram & Dun.”

Stephen Molloy will be Gram & Dun’s managing partner, and Thomas Pelkey will serve as executive chef. Hours will be expanded in the next few weeks, including a revamped happy hour.

VinZant said he is meeting with electricians, cleaning crews, interior designers, furniture manufacturers, and food and beverage vendors on further changes.

Gram & Dun opened at 600 Ward Parkway in late 2011 as a “gastropub” — described as a bar and restaurant hybrid with tufted leather banquettes in the dining room, and fire pits and heaters on the patio.

Urban Table opened in mid-2011 at 83rd Street and Mission Road and was designed to serve a variety of neighborhood needs — sit-down breakfast and to-go coffee and pastries, lunch and dinner, and wine bar offering small plates.

Both were part of Bread & Butter Concepts. The locally owned restaurant group filed for bankruptcy in November and hoped to remain a “viable organization.”

But in August it said a sale of the two restaurants was the best option to eliminate secured debt and preserve hundreds of jobs.

At the time, founder Alan Gaylin said in a statement, “COVID continues to take its toll on small local restaurants.”

VinZant, founder of Louie’s Wine Dive, previously formed two companies to take over Bread & Butter Concepts’ BRGR Kitchen + Bar and Taco Republic.

A BRGR recently closed in Leawood. But Taco Republic is expanding with a new location in Corinth Square.

This story was originally published September 17, 2020 at 3:31 PM.