A Taste Of Nostalgia: The Pennant
Photos by: JOHN BURNS
The premise behind The Pennant’s opening in March 2018 was to draw families and adults downtown to enjoy great food and fun activities. With a bowling alley, an extensive arcade, an inventive menu and themed pop-up events, The Pennant, 915 S Kansas Ave, has become a popular hangout for people of all ages and a novel setting for birthday and office parties.
The Pennant frequently transforms its upstairs bar and arcade area into a colorful, kitschy haven perfect for pop culture tributes and festive St. Patrick’s Day and Christmas celebrations. Not only are The Pennant’s surroundings transformed with tricked-out sets, but its menu is too.
The venue’s cocktails, gourmet burgers, wraps, salads, milkshakes with artistically rendered edible toppers, tater tot nachos and other options get temporarily renamed to complement the setting.
“It’s a tried-and-true marketing concept that nostalgia sells,” said Seth Wagoner, chief executive officer and chief financial officer of AIM Strategies. “It connects people and never gets old.”
Harry Potter, “The Office” and a “Friends” Friendsgiving have been popular themes, along with “Frozen,” when an Elsa impersonator posed for pictures with kids. A “Cheers” pop-up got interrupted by the pandemic. December’s Mistletoe pop-up included nods to “Die Hard” and the Grinch, as well as a “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” trivia contest (and a Christmas wish that Chevy Chase, who performed at The Topeka Performing Arts Center on Dec. 23, would pop in too).
Wagoner and his team strive to find new ways to engage with loyal customers and attract new fans.
“We’re trying to connect with different groups, and my team members all have ideas,” said Wagoner. “I know about ‘Cheers’ and ‘The Office’ but I don’t know anything about Harry Potter.”
They kicked off the Man vs. Food competition with a 3½ pound burger—El Gigante.
“If you can eat it in 30 minutes, you’ll be in our Hall of Fame,” he said. “We have a giant countdown clock and we hope people will turn out to cheer contestants on so it’s an interactive experience.”
An oversized burrito and shake may follow. During the four years that The Pennant has been open, Wagoner said it’s been gratifying to see downtown thrive with other restaurants and retail shops populating Kansas Avenue.
“Downtown is on the cusp and will continue to develop,” he said. “It’s the cool place to be in Topeka.”
