After a Four-Year Tease, Pickleman’s Finally Opens Downtown Location

By Kevin Collison

In what feels like a rollout longer than any party sub ever concocted, Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe finally has opened at the southwest corner of 12th and Walnut.

The signs heralding the restaurants pending arrival first went up when the space was leased in 2016 and work began in earnest in 2017, but it wasn’t until Monday of this week customers finally had a chance to walk inside.

Start with extensive heating, cooling and ventilation work, throw in a lot of remodeling for handicapped accessibility, and add that special aggravating sauce only small businesses navigating city permits and inspections know, and voila!

“Let’s start making sandwichs,” said owner Jordan Starke.

The Pickleman’s is located at one of downtown’s busiest corners, 12th and Walnut.

The new Pickleman’s is Starke’s sixth in the Kansas City area. He also owns four in Columbia. And despite the frustrations of taking so long to open, he’s pumped to be downtown.

“We’ve got good foot traffic and downtown is growing great,” he said.

The 72-seat restaurant not only serves sandwiches, but pizza, salads and soups. It employs 20- to 30 employees and does its own deliveries.

“We can employ more people and it keeps the money locally,” Starke said.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

The new Pickleman’s has seating for 72 and is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day.

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