Opportunity brings Emporian back home
Share in restaurant made it possible
By Bobbi Mlynar
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Sometimes opportunity dovetails with desire. When that happened for Brett Kessler, he seized the opportunity to return to Emporia.
At a time when other young adults move away from the area to find jobs, Kessler’s bosses at Coach’s in Junction City asked if he’d like to buy into the Emporia Coach’s restaurant, 2702 W. 15th Ave.
“I sort of always wanted to come back,” Kessler said. “I think it’s just about the right size for me and when the opportunity came up to buy Coach’s, it just kind of made sense.”
He was happy to bring his family — wife Becky and daughters Courtney, 6, and Lillee, almost 2 — back to his home town to live.
“I’ve always thought of Emporia as a nice little town,” he said. “I have two young daughters and I thought it would be a nice town to raise my kids in. That’s basically why I decided to come back.”
Kessler bought Lana Clement’s share of the business, which freed her to work more at the family’s restaurant in Ottawa. She also works part of the time in Emporia, he said.
Bob Clements and Bill Cinelli continue as co-owners of the local Coach’s.
“We’re all partners, three of us,” Kessler said.
Kessler, the son of Jim and Kathy Kessler of Emporia, had worked at Coach’s here while he was studying business at Emporia State University. He helped run the company’s restaurant in Salina, and later worked at the restaurant in Junction City.
The opportunity to return to Emporia came last summer.
“They actually presented it to me, basically,” Kessler said. “When I first left, I always thought it would be neat, and I wanted to, but as the years went by I never really brought it up.”
He became an official owner and started work on Aug. 1. He and Cinelli oversee the local restaurant operations together. They have made some minor changes in the decor and are preparing to upgrade the televisions.
“We had some new pictures and sports memorabilia put up; we’re getting some new TVs, but not remodeling necessarily,” Kessler said. “I’d like to have people come in and watch certain sporting events, big games, big races, stuff like that, so I think the TVs will help.”
The menu has remained relatively the same, and taco nights continue to be held on Mondays, with lunch and dinner specials offered Mondays through Fridays.
Coach’s opens at 11 a.m., with closing times adjusted according to customer needs.