They were getting so many food orders, they had to expand into a new Kansas City spot
This & That Eatery started as a home-based business during the pandemic.
After losing her job in finance, Ashley Frazier sat down with her family to decide her next move.
“It had to be something profitable and something we loved to do already and would be good for the community,” she said. “I always just loved to cook and had already catered some events.”
With the help of her fiancée and four daughters, she designed the logo for the new eatery, formed a limited liability company, created the menu and put out the word on Facebook. Within a couple of months they were getting so many orders, they needed to expand to a retail location.
Her father, Aaron, then joined her. They took an East Side space on a month-to-month lease. But when the landlord saw how much traffic they were generating, Ashley Frazier said he wanted to more than double the rent.
Instead, they returned to a home-based operation while renovating a building at 5946 Troost Ave. This & That Eatery opened there in late May. The to-go operation has a double drive-thru and walk-up window offering an extensive made-to-order menu.
A decade ago, Ashley Frazier owned a hair salon across the street from the spot.
“When I would sit at my salon I was always ‘There’s not anything healthy to eat around here,’” she said. “It’s right in the center of Kansas City, and Troost is always filled with cars and people. We have so many obese kids, and when you have it fresh, it makes it better. I also have the salads and smoothies on there, too.”
The breakfast menu, which is served all day, includes BLTs, honey chicken biscuits, French toast or waffle sandwiches (with meat, egg and cheese), pork chop sandwiches, shrimp burritos or tacos, omelets and more.
The lunch and dinner menu includes chicken tenders, wings, birria tacos, nachos and burritos, salads, sandwiches, wraps, po’boys, tilapia, catfish, basa, shrimp, burgers, dessert and more.
It also has appetizers including jalapeno bombers, egg rolls (Southwest, Philly cheesesteak or chicken Philly), smoothies and shakes.
Starting in July, it will offer soul food on Sundays, including baked chicken, meat loaf, brisket, smothered pork chops, greens, dressing, cabbage, sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and cornbread.
Off-premise eateries are becoming more popular since the pandemic, and the segment is expected to continue to grow. Panera Bread opened Panera To Go in Chicago on Friday, and it plans to open locations in California and Washington, D.C., this year, according to QSR, a trade magazine for the quick service restaurant industry.
The Fraziers also received some funding and business advice through Kansas City GIFT. The nonprofit was founded in 2020 to give out grants to Black-owned businesses in the inner city. Grants are $10,000, $25,000 or $50,000. The businesses also have a business coach and they can tap into legal, marketing and accounting services.
The This & That Eatery lot had once had a Buick dealership. Then it was home to a variety of quick service restaurants — Arby’s, Texas Tom’s, Rally’s Hamburgers, Mr. Tender’s, and Steak ’M Take ’M.
The grand opening will be at 3 p.m. June 25, with giveaways, horseback riding, face painting, bounce houses and more.
This story was originally published June 11, 2022 at 5:00 AM.