May 8--Hotelier Jim Korroch thinks Wichita has reached a saturation point for hotels, but that's not stopping him from building a new one.

Korroch, who owns the Courtyard by Marriott in Old Town, is opening a new 102-room SpringHill Suites by Marriott next to his Residence Inn by Marriott in the Plazzio development at 13th and Greenwich.

"This will be as close to a boutique hotel as Wichita has ever seen," Korroch says. "Chic is really a good word for it."

Korroch says boutique hotels specialize in making travelers feel like they're staying someplace unique. He says this hotel will push the envelope on color and design.

"There will be a real wow effect when you walk in the lobby," Korroch says.

The hotel, which should be ready in April, will be geared toward younger, professional travelers staying just a couple of nights who might like to hang out in the lobby or the hotel bar instead of heading back to their rooms.

The Residence Inn is more for travelers staying a week at a time, but Korroch expects some overlap between the two Plazzio hotels.

"What happens is strong hotel brands play off each other very well," he says.

Korroch says the numbers show that the demand for hotel rooms over the last year is moving downward and that this isn't an ideal time to be building hotels.

"I don't want to be crying wolf here by any means, but there's no question that we've peaked," he says.

He's not losing sleep, though, for a couple of reasons.

First, he says, SpringHill is one of Marriott's top performers.

And second, Korroch believes in Plazzio, home to the Warren Theatre, The Alley and several restaurants. There's room for another three restaurants or shops, and Korroch has faith that developer George Laham will bring in quality businesses to complement the hotels.

Also, Korroch says the hotel business in Wichita generally has either steady growth or slow periods of decline. He says he's in it for the long haul, so he's not overly concerned about what the next five years or so will bring.

Still, construction costs are spiraling. A Residence Inn Korroch is building in Oklahoma will cost at least 10 percent over what the one here did just a few years ago.

And he says banks are far less willing to lend the millions necessary to build hotels today. That's why he's putting off an idea he has for a $20 million hotel deal next to his Old Town hotel.

"It is very, very difficult to find that kind of money right now," Korroch says. "It is a tough time to be developing hotels."

He's confident in SpringHill, though, which LawKingdon Inc. is designing and Key Construction Inc. is building.

"It'll just be a place people want to be."

Alliterative shopping

Several businesses along East Douglas, including some that participate in Final Friday, are starting a Third Thursday night of shopping.

Starting next week, there will be music, food and drinks to encourage shoppers to venture out from about 5 p.m. till 8 or 9 the third Thursday of every month.

"So we can all kind of play host and hostess," says Emily Christensen, who owns Frank & Margaret at Douglas and Oliver.

Several businesses in that area and just down the road near Traditions and Juliana Daniel Antiques are participating.

"The idea is that more and more people will probably be added on," Christensen says. "Anybody that wants to hop on the bandwagon."

She says Thursday is traditionally a later night for shopping.

"And there's the lovely alliteration as well."

Outta their minds?

The popular $2.99 third-pound burger deal at Spangles ("$2.99? Are they outta their minds?") will be up to $3.99 by the end of the week.

The price already rose to $3.49 earlier this year, but rising gas and meat prices are forcing another increase.

Spokeswoman Rene Steven doesn't expect many complaints because there weren't any with the first increase.

"People don't mind paying a higher price if it's still a value to them," she says.

Customers have been teasing about the change.

"We get more jokes," Steven says.

People say things like, "You finally realized you were out of your minds."

Time to cut the burger

For at least the third time in Spangles history, a couple wed there last week.

Christy Storm, general manager of the Spangles near 21st and Maize Road, spotted customer Daryl Layton across the restaurant. She was on her way to the bank with her son and asked him to approach Layton to find out whether he was single.

"You're a big girl, mom," her son answered. "You can do it."

But she couldn't. So she persuaded another manager to approach him.

"Hey, there's some girl behind the counter who wants to know if you're married or single," he said.

Layton's son and his buddy teased him all the way home, but he returned the next day for breakfast. And he kept returning, especially for the car shows in the parking lot on Friday nights.

After a couple years of dating, the two decided to wed. Layton wanted to give his bride a church wedding.

But she chose Spangles (or, more accurately, the parking lot of the car show) instead.

"It would mean more for me to do it there because that's where it all started," she said.

As Rene Steven puts it, "It was love at first bite."

You don't say

"I think I can. I think I can."

--Corporate Caterers owner Ben Arnold on the busy catering season he has before him, including 13 events over five days this month

Got a hot tip or quirky story? Call Carrie Rengers at 316-268-6340 or e-mail crengers@wichitaeagle.com.

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