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MORE THAN JUST A RESTAURANT
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Nick and Jake’s finds another home in Shawnee while the owners also keep up the company’s philanthropic endeavors.
article by Beth Kornegay
photos by Aaron Leimkuehler
With a motto of “real food and honest drink,” Nick and Jake’s restaurant in western Shawnee is celebrating its third anniversary at that location. Other Nick and Jake’s locations include Overland Park and Parkville.
Owned by Kevin Timmons and Doug Watkins, the restaurants are named after their sons. Even the menu reflects those different personalities. The “Nick” side of the menu contains upscale entrees including steak, pasta, and seafood. The “Jake” side offers traditional bar fare such as burgers and wings. Additionally, the chef develops and offers different specials each week and weekend to add to the variety of options.
Both Timmons and Watkins worked in restaurants throughout college and eventually worked their way up to the role of general manager. They learned about the Shawnee area through their children’s sporting activities including 3&2 Baseball Club tournaments (Kansas City’s youth baseball league) as well as games against Mill Valley and De Soto high schools. Often wanting to grab a bite to eat after the games, they quickly realized the area needed more dining locations. As the partners looked to expand to new restaurant locations in 2018 and 2019, they saw potential in the vacant Ruby Tuesday’s building located at 22220 Midland Drive in western Shawnee.
Whether dining in or ordering to go, customers at Nick and Jake’s Shawnee can find delicious food like Grandma’s Chicken with Smoked GoudaSauce and Jalepeno Cheddar Grits.
“It called our name. We took the interior down to the studs, updated the design and kitchen, added the patio, and replaced the roof, air conditioning units, equipment, and more,” Timmons says. “We also added defined areas to allow guests to cheer on a game or enjoy a quiet dinner.”
Matt Coble, general manager of Nick and Jake’s Shawnee, says that while the pandemic took a toll on many restaurants, Nick and Jake’s was able to adapt its business model to satisfy the needs of customers who wanted to enjoy a meal while also adhering to safety precautions. Acrylic dividers between booths were added, and the seating arrangement was reconfigured to create more space between guests.
“Our takeout business exploded, which has helped keep the restaurant afloat. To meet these newfound needs, we’ve added curbside pickup parking spots, partnered with the delivery service DoorDash, as well as building our online ordering systems to make it much easier for the guests and staff to execute,” Coble says.
Whether dining in or ordering to go, customers at Nick and Jake’s Shawnee can find delicious food like Grandma’s Chicken with FirecrackerChicken Salad with Buffalo Chicken Tenders, Jack & Cheddar Cheese,and Blue Cheese Dressing.
To ensure guests are comfortable and having fun, and that they return often, Coble lives the company’s core value of treating guests as part of the restaurant’s family. Whether guests want to sit at the bar to watch a game with wings and a beer, enjoy a steak and a glass of wine with the family, or have date night on the patio with cocktails, Nick and Jake’s has the right spot and menu item for every customer. The Shawnee location has a large patio that can seat up to 50 guests. Menu options include gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian fare.
More than a Restaurant
In addition to a great menu and a cozy atmosphere, Nick and Jake’s has an extensive community outreach program. The restaurant’s owners formed Fore the Kids Foundation to host an annual golf tournament to raise money for Children’s Mercy Hospital.
The nonprofit has supported a number of departments and causes at Children’s Mercy Hospital, including therapy dogs and a transport ambulance for newborns, children, and teens. Through its Nick’s Voice Fund, the foundation is helping raise money for the Behavioral Health Sciences department at Children’s Mercy Hospital, which aids youngsters and teens struggling with mental health issues within the Kansas City community. The department is dedicated to educating citizens about the signs, treatments, and therapy related to anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders that affect the mental health of children.
The fund is named for one of the restaurant’s namesakes, Nick Timmons, who died by suicide in 2017. That year, Fore the Kids developed the Nick’s Voice Fund and has raised more than $4 million since its partnership with Children’s Mercy Hospital began in 2009.
The hospital, overwhelmed by the organization’s generous support, has honored Nick by creating the Nick Timmons Endowed Professorship in Developmental and Behavioral Sciences.
“This position was recently filled by Dr. Sarah Soden. She and her team are consumed with research, medication dosing, telemedicine, and school-based programming through social workers and psychiatrists. The ultimate goal is to increase clinical visits for anxiety and depression. Last year, we raised $1.25 million, and we plan to continue the fight,” Timmons says.
Dr. Soden, a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Medicine, specializes in developmental and behavioral medicine with a focus on attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity, developmental disabilities, neonatal aftercare, genomics, autism spectrum disorder, and intellectual disability.
Anyone interested in learning more about the foundation can find more information at ForeTheKidsKC.org.
For More
Nick and Jake’s
22220 Midland Drive
Shawnee, KS 66226
913-914-8535
NickandJakes.com
Open at 11 a.m. Monday–Sunday Kitchen closes at 10 p.m. Monday–Thursday; 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and at 9 p.m. Sunday Bar closes at midnight Monday–Thursday; 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday; and at 10 p.m. Sunday
