Johnson County Ethiopian restaurant closes. What’s next for the space?

After 14 years as an Ethiopian restaurant, the space at 8016 Santa Fe Drive in Overland Park has gone dark.

Elizabeth “Elsa” and Haile Michaels opened Elsa’s Ethiopian Restaurant in 2011. Last year, family friends Dereje Eticha and Tseday Teklemichael took over the Johnson County space and renamed it “Abol.”

But now that Abol’s owners have decided to move on, the restaurant’s future is uncertain.

Eyob Hailemariam, son of the original owners, said he’s considering reopening the spot as Elsa’s. Since his parents are currently out of the country, he would be the primary owner.

But the space is for lease and Hailemariam is exploring other ideas. His parents own the building.

“Ideally, it would be nice to be an Ethiopian restaurant because it’s got so much history there, but just any offers that are available.”

Before it closed, Elsa’s sold veggie sambosa, beef tibs, key wat (beef stew), veggie pasta and more.

Months prior to Abol moving in, the owners of Ethiopian-Caribbean restaurant Black Garlic Restaurant & Rum Bar (formerly Mesob) in midtown Kansas City told The Star they were considering moving into Elsa’s. But the restaurant became Abol instead.

Jenna Thompson

The Kansas City Star

Jenna Thompson covers retail news for The Kansas City Star. A native of Lincoln, Nebraska, she previously reported for the Lincoln Journal Star and graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she studied journalism and English.