Will The Rieger in the Crossroads return? And two other KC-area restaurant closings

The pandemic continues to devastate the restaurant industry, locally and across the country.

The National Restaurant Association says about 100,000 restaurants have closed — permanently or for the long term. Now three more area restaurants have joined the list.

▪ After several pivots since the pandemic, The Rieger restaurant recently announced it would close Nov. 1 after a nearly decade in the Crossroads. Its basement speakeasy, Manifesto, also is closing.

But it is not necessarily last call.

Chef and owner Howard Hanna said he is in negotiations with his landlord, and with more federal relief and a widely distributed vaccine, The Rieger could reopen later.

“I don’t want to be open until there is a vaccine. We’re treating it like it is the end. Hopefully it is not,” Hanna said.

He called the closing a “gut-wrenching decision,” and it was especially hard to break the news to his employees.

More than 350 people posted comments on the closing to the Rieger’s Facebook page: “You fought the good fight. You showed the community amazing food, service and what it means to be part of this community.” And: “This has been my go to place to bring family, friends, employees, and anyone else who I wanted to show how amazing KC’s culinary skills have progressed in the last decade.”

Now due to the “huge outpouring of support” since the closing announcement, reservations are filling up. The restaurant has been open Wednesday through Saturday, but Hanna also will open for dinner Oct. 27.

“To kind of give our friends and neighbors another chance to get in,” Hanna said.

The building once housed The Rieger Hotel (circa 1915). Owner Alexander Rieger was the son of the founder of J. Rieger & Co. Whiskey.

Hanna and Ryan Maybee opened The Rieger restaurant in the space in December 2010. Maybee later left to co-found the J. Rieger & Co. distillery, which has continued to operate in the East Bottoms during the pandemic.

After the pandemic started, Hanna turned the restaurant into the Crossroads Community Kitchen. Meals were to-go and “pay as you can,” and 100% of the proceeds went to pay staff and overhead.

“It was a life changing experience. The whole city really came together. People were super generous and really looked out for each other,” Hanna said. “We served 85,000 meals.”

Then he continued to pivot.

“Different versions of ‘how do you operate under COVID’ — to-go, patio seating, private events,” he said.

In September, Hanna announced his two new operations — a modern diner and a natural wine bar — opening next year in the City Club Apartments, just across the street from The Rieger.

He signed on before the COVID-19 pandemic and hopes to open in a post-pandemic period in spring or summer 2021. He also is a partner in Ca Va in Westport.

▪ Black Sheep Restaurant + Market, which opened a couple of years ago at 1815 W. 39th St., also has closed. A manager said the owners would not be commenting on the closing.

▪ Smashburger has closed at 6551 W. 119th St., Overland Park, after more than a decade.

A sign on the door reads: “Thank you for your business over the years. We have closed for business.”

It directs customers to the Olathe location at 15241 W. 119th St.

In a statement, the company said: “As we continue to strengthen our position as a leading better burger restaurant, we unfortunately must make the tough decisions to close select stores. Regretfully, Smashburger did close its doors in Overland Park earlier this week.”

This story was originally published October 24, 2020 at 5:00 AM.