The Town Co. Chefs Are Taking Over The Former Happy Gillis Space – Here’s What They’ve Planned
The era of Happy Gillis, Columbus Park’s beloved breakfast-and-lunch staple, has come to a close.
The corner cafe cycled through three sets of owners over nearly two decades. First opened in 2008 by Todd Schulte of Earl’s Premier, Bacaro Primo and Sea Capitán, the restaurant quietly shuttered July 4 following a broken AC unit and ongoing staffing issues. Regulars were left wondering what would become of the neighborhood diner.
Last week, Helen Jo and Johnny Leach, the husband-and-wife team behind The Town Co. at the Kansas City Hotel, announced they’re taking over the space. Happy Gillis is being laid to rest, and in its place, the Leaches are building out their new restaurant, Dear Donna, slated to open early next year.
The couple says that while the interior and menu will evolve, they’re aiming to preserve the spirit of the Columbus Park spot as a small, casual, approachable corner café.
“We are keeping with the theme that has always been a mainstay in the space, that being that it is an experience that is accessible, reliable and inviting,” the Leachs say. “The restaurant will remain a counter service model. As far as the exterior goes, a lot has changed but there is a lot that hasn’t. We cleaned and painted the whole building but we are keeping all of the historic signage. That’s not going anywhere.”
Dear Donna is named for Johnny’s mother, Donna Bennett. The menu will lean lunch-forward with a few brunch options. Think sandwiches, rotating salads, vegetarian dishes and snacks, “all done intentionally and to the very best of our abilities and standards,” they say.
A dutch baby topped with fried chicken and hot maple syrup, a meatloaf panini, mushroom croquettes, homemade French fried potatoes, kimchi pimento dip and daily soups are just a few items that will grace the new menu. A small but thoughtful selection of beer, wine and batched cocktails will round things out.
And yes, Helen Jo’s elite pastries will absolutely make an appearance. The couple is keeping details under wraps for now, but she’s been developing the lineup for months. They say the pastry program will come from “a new perspective of herself.”
Inside, the Leaches have given the space a new coat of paint with design help from Sondy Bojanic and Maxim Popoff (who also worked on Northeast Pizza and XO, the Japanese-inspired listening lounge in the Westside where Johnny curates the menu). The café now seats 36, a slight increase from the Happy Gillis days.
“In the very near future, we will expand into the garage space and provide sundries, coffee, pastries, and grab and go,” the Leaches add.
Knowing how deeply Kansas Citians loved Happy Gillis, the couple hopes to maintain the same approachable comfort, so they’re already building relationships with the neighborhood.
“We are so lucky to be in such a historic and close-knit area of the city,” they say. “There has been support since day one, and we can say wholeheartedly that the best part of this project so far has been meeting everyone who stops by to shoot the breeze. The only people who have seen our menu so far have been the locals, so there ya go.”
Dear Donna is expected to be open from 10 am to 4 pm four days a week initially, and eventually expand.
The Leaches will continue to helm the kitchen at The Town Co., but are excited to offer Kansas City a new price point and perspective. Here’s to a new chapter.
The post The Town Co. Chefs Are Taking Over The Former Happy Gillis Space – Here’s What They’ve Planned appeared first on Kansas City Magazine.
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