UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP | The Wheel Barrel

By INDIA YARBOROUGH | Photos by JENNIFER GOETZ

Investing in the team has also been a big focus lately for The Wheel Barrel, a local restaurant known for dishing out gourmet grilled cheese, craft beer and specialty cocktails in Topeka’s NOTO Arts and Entertainment District.

The business celebrated its 7th anniversary at the beginning of April, and new owners Pedro Concepcion and Dylan Kietzman hope to help the one-of-a-kind eatery thrive for years to come.

“I’ve always loved the brand,” Concepcion said. “I used to own a sandwich shop a long, long time ago, and when The Wheel Barrel opened, I kind of helped Jon (Bohlander) a little bit, like picking out the bread.”

The management team that’s ready to take The Wheel Barrel to the next level are: Elizabeth Clements - Bar Manager, Dylan Kietzman - Managing Partner, Cynthia McConnell - Marketing Manager, Pedro Concepcion - Manager Partner, and Dana Clover - Front of the House Manager

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Bohlander started the business, and late last year announced new owners would be stepping in to help. He maintains a minority stake in the restaurant, but Concepcion and Kietzman serve as managing partners.

“I’ve taken it about as far as I can,” Bohlander said, adding he doesn’t regret his decision to let up on the reins. “Pedro and Dylan both have a lot of experience in restaurants. I think they’ll take it to the next level.”

And moving Bohlander’s vision forward is exactly what the pair has in mind.

“They’re probably a lot smarter on social media, branding and all that stuff,” Bohlander said. “I probably had too many irons in the fire, let a lot of details go. They’re shaping some things up.”

Concepcion and Kietzman each developed a love for food at a young age, and they’ve put their culinary passions to work in Topeka—Concepcion by opening his own businesses, including K.I.T Solutions, which provides support to some area restaurants, and Kietzman by working in the local restaurant scene, including as a sous-chef at The Cyrus Hotel.

Because Concepcion was already involved in the NOTO Arts District and had a working relationship with Bohlander, he made contact with the restaurateur first. Concepcion then invited Kietzman to join the venture, as they had connected prior through the city’s food-and-beverage scene and Concepcion knew he admired the chef ’s work ethic and skill.

“It was kind of one of those things,” Kietzman said of why he agreed to take part. “I’m not getting any younger. Obviously, when you get into food, the ultimate end goal is owning your own place—so if it’s gonna happen, it’s gonna happen now. I was just kind of tired of clocking into someone else’s dream.”

So, he said yes to The Wheel Barrel which was a good thing, as Concepcion said he wouldn’t have assumed majority ownership alone. Still, they wanted Bohlander to be involved in shaping the restaurant’s future.

“Jon had done such a great, great job with The Wheel Barrel,” Concepcion said. “Since this is kind of a legacy for him, I felt that it was very important for him to be part of it. He was so invested in the brand and the area.”

LOGISTICS & OPPORTUNITIES

When it comes to changes on the horizon, the new owners do have a few things in store. Rather than reworking their food menu—which was already a strong product, Concepcion said—imminent change focuses on logistics, ironing out efficiencies and looking for overlooked opportunities that may help The Wheel Barrel flourish.

“Moving forward,” Keitzman said, “we just want to keep things elevated, while being approachable. You get people outside their box enough, while still giving them something that’s comforting. It’s that perfect give-and-take.”

On the food side, they are extending specials, making them weekly offerings so customers have longer to enjoy the dishes. The updates patrons may notice most, though, are changes being made to the physical space.

In the back of the restaurant, where The Wheel Barrel has traditionally had outdoor seating, the owners are adding a metal-framed, heavy-vinyl-covered patio that will feature heaters, lights and fans, allowing it to be used year-round. That should expand the restaurant by about 64 seats. In conjunction, they’re creating a mural out back and plan to have family-friendly yard games there.

By the end of the year, locals may also see the business hosting special events, such as whiskey or wine tastings. It’s all part of a strategic five-year plan for growth, which emphasizes local partnerships and could have the owners introducing a Wheel Barrel food truck to the community in year three.

BUILDING TEAM PRIDE

Through it all, Concepcion and Keitzman are placing a strong emphasis on having and developing a team that feels a sense of pride and ownership in the business. Investing in their people is how restaurants will survive in today’s business climate, they say.

“I’m trying to build a team that can grow the brand, and we can grow together,” Concepcion said.

The same concept applies to cultivating the capital city’s restaurant-and-bar scene, he added. He and Keitzman would like to see less competition and more collaboration among local businesses doing innovative things to raise Topeka’s reputation in that realm.

“We all have our own strong suits,” Concepcion said. “We just have to figure out how we can help each other move forward.”

Get people invested, support and encourage each other along the way, and be the change you want to see—they say that’s how this community will create the city’s next generation of business owners.

“Topeka is going through this renaissance right now, where things are being challenged, things are being built,” Concepcion said. “I think we’re realizing we have the artists; we have the talent; we have the people who are willing to invest in their city. We’re now believing in ourselves.”

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