Beloved Johnson County BBQ closed. Here’s what’s moving in instead (not a restaurant)

Johnny’s Bar-B-Q had been a Mission mainstay since 1983.

So when the founders decided to retire and close the restaurant in January, some customers hoped another eatery would open at the site at 5959 Broadmoor St.

A bar and restaurant owner had it under contract before the pandemic, but dropped out to concentrate on his other location, said Don Gessen of Block Real Estate Services, who handled the negotiations for the seller.

Now the space has new owners — but it won’t be a restaurant.

This week, Angela Janssen and Suzanne Phelps purchased the building for an undisclosed price. They will remodel it and relocate their Merriam salon to the space.

They were salon owners for five years before opening Stem Hair and Body Salon in early 2011 in Merriam Town Center. Stem offers haircuts, coloring and extensions, massage, manicures and pedicures, and balayage highlighting.

“We were outgrowing the space and we were tired of renting,” Janssen said. “We wanted to have more control to do what we wanted to do.”

Stem Hair and Body Salon has more than two dozen employees.

“I already feel more of a sense of community here,” Janssen said of Mission. “There’s more action. I can see all the businesses. My stylists are super excited.”

A Johnny’s Bar-B-Q Restaurant & Catering is still open in Olathe.

This story was originally published September 24, 2020 at 11:10 AM.