Franchise Opportunities in Wichita, KS

Less than five years after opening, Opti-Life has closed.

Saturday was the fitness center’s last day in business near 21st and Webb Road.

“We all had held out hope that there would be a solution,” said an e-mailed letter from the business to members.

“We had both a member that was organizing a group as well as the YMCA express interest in the last few weeks.”

In a community where the Greater Wichita YMCA is celebrated for some of the best facilities nationwide, and locally owned Genesis Health Clubs also has a powerful reach, Opti-Life faced an uphill battle when it opened in January 2018.

It sounds like the pandemic was a big factor in the decision to close. The e-mail said Opti-Life is “yet another victim to covid.”

“Due to the mandated shut down and the lingering fear thereafter, we went from 1350 members to around 335,” the e-mail said. “Since then, we have grown to over 650 members, but we needed another year to build back to the 1,300ish it would take to make Opti-Life a viable business.”

A $350,000 SBA loan the owners were hoping for did not come through.

Matt Lillie started Opti-Life with Tien Huynh to be what he called a “mental, physical . . . holistic experience.”

“I see what happens when you don’t have these things in your life,” Lillie said at the time. “Nobody wants to be in a nursing home, but yet our nursing homes are full. Why is that?”

Lillie, who also founded the Physicians Development Group that develops and operates skilled nursing facilities, assisted living centers and memory-care units, on Sunday said he wasn’t quite ready to discuss Opti-Life’s closure.

In 2017, Lillie said he wanted Opti-Life to be somewhere “to really become healthy — not just from lifting weights or working out. You can’t outwork a bad diet.”

“To live a healthier life. … To live a more engaged life. … That’s my hope for Opti-Life.”

In 2019, Opti-Life hired Chicago-based Power Wellness to streamline back-office functions and add medical integration to the business.

Lillie and Huynh had hoped to build more Opti-Life sites.

The e-mail to members noted what an impact the center had on some people.

“On more than one occasion, we have heard it said that Opti-Life quite literally ‘saved’ their lives.”

The note also apologized to members — including one who had just joined Saturday — for the short notice.

“Please know we fought to keep it alive until the bitter end.”

After more than a quarter century in business, the Andover Antique Mall is closing.

“We have finally decide to sell it,” said Tom Holman, who opened the business in 1997 with his wife, Mariam.

By “it,” he means he’s selling the 30,000-square-foot building at 656 N. Andover Road, not the business.

There will be more news on the new occupants soon. In the meantime, the Holmans are having a sale through their last day in business on June 30.

“We’re having some pretty deep discounts,” Holman said.

It’s a bittersweet decision for the two.

“We have had customers in here from every state in the union,” Holman said.

He said he can’t even count the number of people from foreign countries who have stopped in.

The Holmans each had careers before opening the antique mall.

Mariam Holman worked for Pizza Hut for many years. Tom Holman worked for his father’s bank, the State Bank of Leon, until buying it in 1982 and then selling it in 2011.

The teller windows that make up the front cashier area of the store are from the bank.

“I’ve always been interested in antiques,” Holman said. “It’s just been a lifelong love of mine. I don’t plan to stop.”

He still has a lot to sell. There is the merchandise in the store, and then he’s going to take some of his top items and “hit the flea markets and antique shows (and) antique gun shows.”

“I’ve got too many to have an auction,” Holman said. He said it would take forever.

There may be some auctions for the equipment in the building, including 80 vintage showcases and more than 70 bookcases.

Holman said that though he and his wife have children, there is “no one to take over the reins,” and they didn’t want to sell the mall to just anyone.

He said he and his wife are in their early 80s.

“I’m realizing some of my limitations now.”

If you’re looking for a deal, Holman said, “We’ve got just about anything.”

He said he and his wife are appreciative of all their employees and loyal customers.

“I could keep you on the phone all day with the experiences and the friends we’ve made.”

This story was originally published April 25, 2022 4:43 AM.

Kansas is known for its wild, beautiful skies and sunsets, but on Sunday night Wichitans will be able to gaze at a “super flower blood moon.”

In the Wichita area, the celestial event begins around 9:27 p.m., according to Timeanddate.com’s eclipse map.

The phenomenon, dubbed super flower blood moon, is made up of three celestial events happening at the same time. The first is a “supermoon,” which is a nickname for what astronomers call a “perigean full moon — a moon that is full and its closest point in orbit around earth.” This means the moon looks larger because it’s closer to earth, according to a NASA moon website.

Flower moon is a term used to describe a full moon that happens in the month of May, and is used to signify the flowers that bloom during this month. Native American culture also refers to it as a budding moon, egg laying moon and planting moon, according to Timeanddate.

A blood moon occurs during a total lunar eclipse and derives its name from its red glow.

A lunar eclipse is when the earth lines up between the moon and the sun. “When this happens, the only light that reaches to moon’s surface is from the edges of the earth’s atmosphere. The air molecules from the earth’s atmosphere scatter out most of the blue light. The remaining light reflects onto the moon’s surface with a red glow, making the moon appear red in the night sky,” NASA explained.

All three events are supposed to happen simultaneously Sunday night.

The National Weather Service in Wichita forecast calls for Sunday night to be mostly clear with a low around 59.

If you are unable to watch it outside, NASA is hosting a livestream of the event at moon.nasa.gov. You can also tune in on Facebook, YouTube and NASA Television.

Open Streets NoMar is coming to Wichita’s north end this weekend after a two-year hiatus.

The event was first put on by the city of Wichita in 2019. It was canceled in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Shana Appelhanz with the city’s park and recreation department.

The event, from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, will stretch a mile on 21st Street, which will be closed to vehicle traffic from Broadway to Woodland. Attendees can roam the street on foot or bike.

Closings for streets along the perimeter of the event will start at 10 a.m. Streets will reopen around 6 p.m., city officials said.

One business along 21st Street that participated in 2019 is ready to welcome back the crowd. Adrian Santiago owns El Pollo Dorado al Carbon de Wichita at 2200 N. Wellington Place.

Santiago’s business is known for its large outdoor grill near the intersection of 21st and Waco. It grills chicken tacos daily.

“I’m very excited for Sunday because I know it will be good for my business that’s going on year eleven now. We’ve had people from all walks of life come and try our chicken tacos.”

Santiago says his staff will start to prep Sunday morning around 7 a.m., and will be ready for the crowd by 10:30 a.m. He says he hopes for a large turnout similar to in 2019.

“It was a huge crowd that year ... the line almost looked like a curled snake because of all the people waiting in line to buy food, that and you have people who pass by and get a whiff of the grilled chicken and immediately get in the line as well,” Santiago says.

“A lot of those people still come back for the food. I hear my customers say they drove from Hutchinson, Newton, McPherson, Salina, Harper to name a few,” Santiago added.

Appelhanz said there will be two hubs of events. The first hub at Woodland Park will host food trucks, games, activities and shopping. The second hub will be the site of the NoMar Plaza mercado organized by non-profit Empower. It will host live entertainment and multiple vendors selling food and specialty items.

Those wanting to know more about the event can visit Wichita.gov/ParkandRec

This story was originally published April 29, 2022 12:00 AM.

With the Kansas high school girls soccer season underway, The Eagle set out to recognize some of the best players in the Wichita area.

The following is a list of 100 of the top goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders and forwards from this season so far.

Note: List is sorted in alphabetical order.

1. Sydney Achilles, McPherson senior defender

2. Abby Adams, Maize senior defender

3. Ruby Aguilar, Valley Center senior forward

4. Abby Bachman, Goddard Eisenhower senior defender

5. Allison Bell, Andover Central senior defender

6. Brinklee Bell, Andover junior forward

7. Payton Benoit, Northwest junior midfielder

8. Maggie Bielefeld, Campus senior midfielder

9. Emerie Boman, Classical junior forward

10. Kirsten Bourgeois, Derby junior midfielder

11. Cyerra Boyer, Derby senior midfielder

12. Grace Brown, Classical senior defender

13. Jasmyn Brown, Andover Central senior defender

14. Lauren Brown, Andover senior defender

15. Kendra Brungardt, Goddard Eisenhower senior defender

16. Blair Clark, Goddard senior defender

17. Ali Coash, Valley Center junior midfielder

18. Cambell Corini, Andover Central senior forward

19. Jasmine Crawford, East senior defender

20. Layla Doyon, Maize South junior midfielder

21. Morgan Dunn, Northwest senior goalkeeper

22. Jana Engles, Derby senior defender

23. Kaitlyn Erwin, Goddard Eisenhower senior forward

24. Megan Everhart, McPherson senior forward

25. Kyndal Ewertz, Maize South sophomore forward

26. Lauryn Gordon, Goddard sophomore defender

27. Victoria Gutierrez, Kapaun Mt. Carmel junior forward

28. Ilex Hagan, North junior midfielder

29. Amiyah Hamilton, East freshman forward

30. Maddie Hamm, Valley Center senior forward

31. Keilann Heath, Northwest sophomore defender

32. Emmy Hedden, Goddard freshman midfielder

33. Adison Hendershot, Maize South junior goalkeeper

34. Payten Hendershot, Maize South senior midfielder

35. Ajae Henderson, Hutchinson senior defender

36. Lauren Henderson, Rose Hill senior defender

37. Leah Henke, Bishop Carroll freshman forward

38. Bri Henning, Goddard Eisenhower senior forward

39. Bailey Hess, Goddard freshman forward

40. Emma Hoffman, Mulvane junior forward

41. Darby Howard, Bishop Carroll freshman forward

42. Destiny Hoy, Bishop Carroll senior forward

43. Milan Hunter, Circle freshman midfielder

44. Kailyn Jackson, Heights sophomore forward

45. Karlie Kanaga, Mulvane junior forward

46. Sophie Klaver, Trinity Academy senior midfielder

47. Emma Kolbe, Mulvane senior midfielder

48. Katy Kuhlman, Trinity Academy senior defender

49. Ashlynn Kurtz, Valley Center senior forward

50. Lauren Labertew, McPherson senior forward

51. Nadia Larsen-Kuye, Heights senior defender

52. Ava Law, Andover senior defender

53. Charlize Lichlyter, Augusta senior midfielder

54. Grace Long, Bishop Carroll junior midfielder

55. Rose Loyle, Andover junior midfielder

56. Grizel Lumbreras, Maize South junior midfielder

57. Arely Luna, North sophomore forward

58. Brooklyn Lynch, Andover sophomore goalkeeper

59. Ava Markley, Rose Hill freshman forward

60. Peyton Martin-Peterson, East senior forward

61. Avery Mason, Andover Central sophomore goalkeeper

62. Lindsey Maul, Bishop Carroll junior defender

63. Emily McKay, Andover senior defender

64. Kayla Methman, Southeast sophomore defender

65. Aimee Nunez, Northwest senior defender

66. Taylor Nye, Kapaun Mt. Carmel junior forward

67. Liz Orme, Kapaun Mt. Carmel senior midfielder

68. Makenzie Orr, Kapaun Mt. Carmel senior midfielder

69. Trista Overton, Collegiate senior midfielder

70. Sadye Patterson, Hutchinson senior midfielder

71. Brekkyn Pierce, Maize senior midfielder

72. Paige Putter, Maize junior forward

73. Jimena Ramirez, Heights sophomore forward

74. Logan Riley, Derby senior forward

75. Rachel Riley, Maize South junior defender

76. Alyssa Rising, Goddard junior midfielder

77. Haley Rogers, Maize senior forward

78. Alayna Runck, Maize senior defender

79. Izzy Sandoval, Newton sophomore midfielder

80. Rylie Schiffelbein, Mulvane junior goalkeeper

81. Karsyn Slothower, Maize junior goalkeeper

82. Bella Smith, Goddard Eisenhower sophomore midfielder

83. Cecilia Solis, North sophomore defender

84. Londyn Soto, Circle freshman defender

85. Hannah Stipp, Circle junior goalkeeper

86. Kaelyn Sueper, Kapaun Mt. Carmel junior defender

87. Aubrey Tanksley, Buhler senior midfielder

88. Grace Terhune, Northwest junior midfielder

89. Omnia Thompson, Andover Central senior midfielder

90. Kya Thornton, Circle sophomore midfielder

91. Lissette Tovar, North sophomore midfielder

92. Kaylyn Truong, Maize South senior forward

93. Abi Welch, Goddard Eisenhower senior defender

94. Chloe Wells, Augusta senior midfielder

95. Harlie Wilson, Hutchinson senior midfielder

96. Madi Wingler, Bishop Carroll senior goalkeeper

97. Aubrey Winter, Trinity Academy senior forward

98. Grace Witte, McPherson senior defender

99. Mia Young, East junior midfielder

100. Porsha Zweifel, Augusta senior forward

City League

Bishop Carroll: Madi Wingler, sr., GK; Lindsey Maul, jr., D; Grace Long, jr., MF; Destiny Hoy, sr., F; Leah Henke, fr., F; Isabelle Mull, so., F; Ella Esfeld, sr., MF; Darby Howard, fr., F; Brecken Hoy, so., MF; Kate Stuckey, jr., F.

East: Peyton Martin-Peterson, jr., F; Mia Young, jr., MF; Amiyah Hamilton, fr., F; Jasmine Crawford, sr., D; Hayde Flores, fr., F; Lana Shaheen, fr., MF; Trinity Perry, so., F; Brianna Cisneros, sr., MF.

Heights: Nadia Larsen-Kuye, sr., D; Jordan Johnston, sr., D; Jimena Ramirez, so., F; Kailyn Jackson, so., F; Serenity Allen, fr., MF.

Kapaun Mt. Carmel: Makenzie Orr, sr., MF; Liz Orme, sr., MF; Victoria Gutierrez, jr., F; Kaelyn Sueper, jr., D; Carson Sloan, so., MF; Taylor Nye, jr., F; Maddie Spiers, fr., F; Sophia Fury, so., D.

North: Ilex Hagan, jr., MF; Cecilia Solis, so., D; Monica Quinones, sr., MF; Danielle Hiegel, so., D; Lissette Tovar, so., MF; Jasmine Guzman, fr., F; Arely Luna, so., F; Fatima Aguilera, fr., F; Azucena Meza, sr., MF.

Northwest: Morgan Dunn, sr., GK; Aimee Nunez, sr., D; Payton Benoit, jr., MF; Grace Terhune, jr., MF; Merari Flores, so., MF; Keilann Heath, so., D; Angie Rodriguez-Guzman, so., F; Anahi Ibarra-Arevalo, so., F; Reagan Crawford, sr., MF; Zoe Baker, jr., MF.

South: Iris Nunez, fr., F; Tonya Coca, fr., MF.

Southeast: Kayla Methman, so., D; Jessica Methman, sr., D; Mallory Martinez, fr., MF; Shirdaria Pottard, fr., F; Katie Moore, so., MF; Jenna Ahmed, so., MF; Jessica Martinez, jr., MF; Cameron Le, jr., D; Gianina Trevino, jr., D; Arayah Robinson, jr., MF; Plamedi Mwanza, so., MF.

West: Ruby Rubio, sr., F; Dominik Sillas, fr., D; Ashley Capi, so., MF; Ashley Vasquez, so., F; Bri Villanueva, so., MF.

Other area teams

Andover: Ava Law, sr., D; Rose Loyle, jr., MF; Lauren Brown, sr., D; Brinklee Bell, jr., F; Emily McKay, sr., D; Carly Smith, jr., MF; Brooklyn Lynch, so., GK; Halle Meier, jr., F.

Andover Central: Cambell Corini, sr., F; Omnia Thompson, sr., MF; Allison Bell, sr., D; Jasmyn Brown, sr., D; Avery Mason, so., GK; Haven Deckinger, so., F; Mary Metz, jr., MF; Gretta Stover, so., MF; Reese Fleming, fr., MF.

Augusta: Porsha Zweifel, sr., F; Charlize Lichlyter, sr., MF; Chloe Wells, sr., MF; Peyton Childers, so., GK; Grace Dalziel, jr,. D; Emily Brundege, so., D.

Buhler: Aubrey Tanksley, sr., MF; Maren Lackey, sr., F; Abby Yutzy, sr., D; Kaylee Parker, sr., GK; Paige McDowell, sr., D; Camri Coker, jr., F; Teigan Nielsen, so., F; Ashlynn Adcock, so., MF; Madie Stock, jr., D; Clara Paulino, fr., MF; Mady Tanksley, so., D; Breckyn Martin, so., MF.

Campus: Maggie Bielefeld, sr., MF; Natalie Puentes, so., MF; Corrigan Bielefeld, so., D; Jenna Manganiello, jr., D.

Circle: Hannah Stipp, jr., GK; Milan Hunter, fr., MF; Londyn Soto, fr., D; Kya Thornton, so., MF.

Classical: Grace Brown, sr., D; Emerie Boman, jr., F; Nevi Wilkey, fr., MF; Flannery Black, so., D; Adah Branam, fr., F; Greer Kice, fr., GK.

Collegiate: Trista Overton, sr., MF; Erin Rolfe, so., D; Ellie Munds, sr., MF-GK; Lily Conrad, sr., MF; Tatum Bhargava, jr., D.

Derby: Logan Riley, sr., D-F; Jana Engles, sr., D; Kirsten Bourgeois, jr., MF; Cyerra Boyer, sr., MF; Aubrey Potts, jr., F; Bianka Schultz, so., F; Annette Castillo, jr., MF; Mackenzie Cunningham, fr., MF; Jaden Wilson, so., GK.

Goddard: Emmy Hedden, fr., MF; Bailey Hess, fr., F; Alyssa Rising, jr., MF; Blair Clark, sr., D; Lauryn Gordon, so., D; Marissa Martinez, sr., F; Anjaleena Gomez, fr., MF; Aubrey Clutter, jr., F.

Goddard Eisenhower: Bella Smith, so., MF; Brianna Henning, sr., F; Kendra Brungardt, sr., D; Kaitlyn Erwin, sr., F; Abby Bachman, sr., D; Abi Welch, sr., D; Carly Hummell, so., F.

Hutchinson: Harlie Wilson, sr., MF; Sadye Patterson, sr., MF; Ella Burlie, sr., F; Ajae Henderson, sr., D; Shayla Johnson, jr., GK.

Maize: Haley Rogers, sr., F; Alayna Runck, sr., D; Karsyn Slothower, jr., GK; Paige Putter, jr., F; Brekkyn Pierce, sr., MF; Abby Adams, sr., D; Jade Martinez, sr., D; Anjolina Schmidt, sr., D; Lilliana Cortez, so., MF; Elyce Pfeifer, sr., MF; Rebeca De La Torre, sr., D; Claire Morgan, sr., F; Aleksah Moreno, fr., MF; Brianna Myovela, jr., D.

Maize South: Kyndal Ewertz, so., F; Kaylyn Truong, sr., F; Payten Hendershot, sr., MF; Rachel Riley, jr., D; Layla Doyon, jr., D; Grizel Lumbreras, jr., MF; Lexi Bauer, so., D; Ella Eskridge, jr., F; Aubrey Sommer, sr., MF; Adison Hendershot, jr., GK; Hadley Ostrander, fr., GK; Olivia Oenning, jr., MF.

McPherson: Lauren Labertew, sr., F; Sydney Achilles, sr., D; Megan Everhart, sr., F; Olive Rodriguez, sr., MF; Sadie Law, jr., MF; Grace Witte, sr., D; Kelcie Kynaston, jr., D; Ella Buschbom, jr., GK.

Mulvane: Karlie Kanaga, jr., F; Emma Kolbe, sr., MF; Rylie Schiffelbein, jr., GK; Emma Hoffman, jr., F; Kamryn Nolan, sr., D.

Newton: Izzy Sandoval, so., MF; Analiyah Torres, sr.; Emily Torres, jr.; Alexia Hernandez, jr.; Ana Puentes, jr.; Brooke Renner, jr.; Margaret Bates, so.; Italia Chavez-Arellano, so.; Maria Lujano, so.; Sophia Houser, so.; Lupita Meza, so.

Rose Hill: Ava Markley, fr., F; Paige Winter, fr., F; Ella Swearingen, jr., D; Lauren Henderson, sr., D; Paige Loeck, so., F.

Trinity Academy: Katie Bennett, sr., D; Sophie Klaver, sr., MF; Katy Kuhlman, sr., D; Kaitlyn Walker, sr., MF; Aubrey Winter, sr., F; Darcy Dunne, jr., D; Rachel Glennen, jr., D; Kourtney Koster, jr., GK; Alexis Rohr, jr., F; Karissa Schwing, jr., F; Bethany Pannell, so., MF.

Valley Center: Ali Coash, jr., MF; Ruby Aguilar, sr., F; Maddie Hamm, sr., F; Ashlynn Kurtz, sr., F; Kaitlyn Gobel, so., D; Reese Bieker, so., D; Madison Johnson, so., MF; Madison Ammerman, jr., D; Madison Blanton, jr., D.

Winfield: Anna Ross, sr., F; Skylar Flower, so., MF; Holly McIntyre, sr., MF; Abby Isom, sr., GK.

This story was originally published May 3, 2022 6:00 AM.