Kansas City area hidden gem restaurant has a new owner. Here’s how it’s changing
New Vivilore, same as the old Vivilore. Mostly.
That’s the message from Jollene Hastings, who bought the elegant Independence restaurant-art gallery-gift shop in January from Whit Ross and Cindy Foster, the sibling duo who opened Vivilore in 2012.
“Same name, same hours, same retail space,” Hastings said. “And a lot of the same menu items.”
Hastings, who is from California and New Jersey originally, lives in Lee’s Summit with her two kids and husband, Mark, who runs medical services companies. She’s never owned a restaurant before, but said she’s worked at a few places around town: hostessing at Cafe Trio, serving at 1924 Main.
Hastings said she discovered Vivilore back in 2019 at a birthday lunch held in the courtyard.
“I kind of fell in love with it,” she said. “Then I saw last year the article in The Star about it being for sale, and that’s what started everything.”
Swan Dive, the event space on the property, has been renamed The Mandarin, and Hastings said she plans to use the building more for weddings, anniversaries, pop-ups and programming related to the Englewood Arts District.
At the restaurant, longtime favorites like the chicken salad sandwich and the crab cakes are sticking around, but new chef Chadd Williams is adding some weekly specials and new dishes, Hastings said.
In addition to owning Vivilore and running the kitchen, Ross was also the resident gardener at Vivilore — the man responsible for the lush courtyard so treasured by many of the city’s ladies who lunch. Not to worry: The courtyard will be back open by Mother’s Day, per usual.
“We’ve hired new gardeners,” Hastings said. “It will still be lovely.”
Vivilore is open Wednesday through Saturday, serving lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner from 5 to 8 p.m.
This story was originally published March 21, 2024 at 4:01 PM.
