Jim Frantzé will never forget the night of February 19th, 2013. That was the night he watched his beloved JJ’s Restaurant, the business he owned and operated for nearly 30 years, burn to the ground.
“I remember standing in the street and watching the fire burn all night until the morning,” said Frantzé. “It was such a tragic event, and so many people’s lives were abruptly changed that day.”
In 1985, Frantzé purchased JJ Malane’s Restaurant from his former business partners and renamed it “JJ’s Restaurant.” Over time, the restaurant built a reputation for its expansive wine selection and exceptional American cuisine.
On February 19th, 2013, a gas leak caused an explosion that destroyed the restaurant, killing one person and injuring several others. The event made national news, and Frantzé said he was overwhelmed by people’s support. In fact, donations enabled Frantzé to keep most of his staff on payroll for the next six months.
Many owners may have walked away from the business after such a devastating loss, but Frantzé said seeing his staff come together made his decision easy.
“Our staff has always been a big family, and the experience brought us even closer together,” said Frantzé. “Rather than just move on with our lives, we wanted to stay together and start over somewhere else.”
Frantzé invested $1.8 million into a 5,000-square-foot unfinished space inside the Plaza Vista office building less than a block from the original location. After a year of construction, the new JJ’s Restaurant opened on November 12th, 2015. The brand-new restaurant features a 65’ quartz bar top, plaster walls with stone accents, a spectacular outdoor patio, and sliding doors allowing the dining room to be split into two rooms for large private parties.
Frantzé made it a priority to rehire most of his former staff, and actually added an additional 20 jobs to support their growth in the new location.
“We have an amazing staff, and many have been with us or in the restaurant business for a long time,” said Frantzé. “They are the reason for our success, and I’m thankful so many stayed with us through everything.”
Many city leaders and organizations were instrumental in helping to open the restaurant’s doors again. Since the restaurant had been in operation for so long, their original location had been grandfathered in when it came to some of the new laws and regulations. Frantzé credited Mayor Sly James, the EDC, and the KCMO Fire Department as just a few of many who helped him navigate these issues during the construction process.
In 2015, JJ’s Restaurant was recognized with a Cornerstone Award from the EDC for their investment and work on the new restaurant.
“We were proud to win the award because it meant people recognized the hard work and effort we put into reestablishing JJ’s,” said Frantzé.
After one year of operation, the restaurant is hitting its stride. Frantzé said the old location will always hold a special place in his heart, but he’s been reinvigorated by the process of starting over.
“Opening any restaurant is a challenge, but this was unique because we were starting from scratch while trying to maintain our old atmosphere,” said Frantzé. “We believe we’ve incorporated elements people loved from the original location and created a fresh identity for ourselves at the same time.”
JJ’s Restaurant is located at 900 W. 48th Pl, Kansas City, MO 64112. Call (816) 561-7136 to make reservations, or visit them online to learn more!
Photo credits: Kansas City Star & JJ’s Restaurant.