WICHITA — A third Smoothie King is opening in Wichita, which will make the second on the east side.
Neil Bhakta and his wife, Gillian Gorges, and a third partner, Shetal Bhakta (who is not related), are opening a 1,700-square-foot store at the center on the northeast corner of Douglas and Rock Road.
Unlike the Smoothie Kings at 3236 N. Rock Road and 8000 W. Central, this one won’t have a drive-through.
“On Rock, it’s so hard to find,” Neil Bhakta says.
He wanted that corridor, though.
“I like location over a drive-through in an off location.”
Don Piros of Landmark Commercial Real Estate and Ish Tamas of J.P. Weigand & Sons handled the deal.
There’s a plus to not having a drive-through as well, Bhakta says.
If people have to come into the store, they’re more likely to buy Smoothie King’s nutritional supplements, he says.
“Ultimately, the drive-through is better.”
Bhakta is going to try to drive people into the store, which will have about 10 seats.
The idea, he says, is “let’s just create a nice ambiance inside.”
Look for the newest Smoothie King to open in October.