King Fong Building (315 S. 16th St)

[the1wags]

From the Omaha World Herald...
"A company that lists Oscar-winning filmmaker Alexander Payne as a member has purchased the three-story downtown building that once housed Borsheims jewelry store and has housed the King Fong Cafe since 1920."

"Mike Moylan, who represented Third Eye Industries in the transaction, declined to disclose the partners. He said they intend to keep the tenants — King Fong and Sweets of Eden — and want to preserve the history of the building."

"Their intention is to keep the building exactly the way it is," Moylan said."

Link to the full Omaha W-H article.

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... d=10179702

[Coyote]

King Fongs is about to undergo major renovations. Anyone know what is going on here?

[skinzfan23]

Hopefully they don't ruin any of the historic charm the building and its furnishings provide. Maybe a menu upgrade would be nice though.

[ShawJ]

I thought I remembered hearing a while back they were going to do a restoration on it, by Alley Poyner maybe? Maybe I imagined that.

[Coyote]

I thought I remembered hearing a while back they were going to do a restoration on it, by Alley Poyner maybe? Maybe I imagined that.

I thought I heard the same, but back after Payne bought the building and didn't know if that ever happened as I haven't been in there for years. But now that 16th is getting a facelift, Limelight is almost open with a restaurant announcement coming soon, I was wondering if this was a new or older project.

[SaveOmaha]

Just called the restaurant. The employee I spoke to confirmed that there was going to be a renovation, but didn't know any of the details. They're definitely not going out of business though.

[skinzfan23]

They're definitely not going out of business though.

Glad to hear that. This is one of the longest continually run restaurants in Omaha.

[Coyote]

Oh, I never wanted to imply that King Fongs was closing, just that over $300K was going into the building.

[SaveOmaha]

Oh, I never wanted to imply that King Fongs was closing, just that over $300K was going into the building.

Gotcha. That's great though, such a neat building. Where did the news come from?

[ItsAllAboutMe]

Lund-Ross is on site today, renovation beginning. I don't know the scope of the project but I'm excited about the possibilities

[skinzfan23]

King Fong Cafe, Omaha’s oldest restaurant, closed until June

King Fong Cafe, Omaha’s oldest restaurant, is temporarily closed.
The greeting on the restaurant’s answering machine says the downtown spot will reopen for business in June.

Here is a picture of the restaurant from 1926.

[Imissomaha]

I remember eating in King Fongs on Sundays 45 years ago. Still glad to see it's not closing. Many great memories. First place I ever used chop sticks.

[daveoma]

This is an Omaha gem. I hope it reopens bigger and more beautiful!

[loess hill lusting]

Does anyone know what the status is on King Fong?

Their Yelp page had had a warning stating they were closed till July 11th, which as of the 12th is no longer up there. However, I keep calling to see if they've reopened and I keep getting forwarded to a prerecorded message that they are closed for renovations.

[omaha79]

Did King Fong's ever reopen?

[justnick]

Did King Fong's ever reopen?

not yet

[nativeomahan]

The sign in the door several months back said it would be open by June. Hmmmmm...

[skinzfan23]

Hopefully they do reopen at some point.

[omaha79]

hmmmmm....3 months overdue. Makes me wonder if they will ever reopen? There seem to be no public updates on this. Maybe they are just done?

[daveoma]

hmmmmm....3 months overdue. Makes me wonder if they will ever reopen? There seem to be no public updates on this. Maybe they are just done?

Please say it's not so. They are an institution

[Professor Woland]

It could also be that Alexander Payne wants it to be a top quality establishment when it reopens. Maybe they are waiting on a chef or arranging new suppliers and a new menu or something. I don't know anything about the restaurant business, but I assume there could be dozens of explanations for the delay that have nothing to do with the place closing permanently.

[choke]

It could also be that Alexander Payne wants it to be a top quality establishment when it reopens. Maybe they are waiting on a chef or arranging new suppliers and a new menu or something. I don't know anything about the restaurant business, but I assume there could be dozens of explanations for the delay that have nothing to do with the place closing permanently.

When it's been closed for this long, it doesn't look good. Recently, Harrington's (Village Point) and the Dundee Theater did the same thing and both met the same fate.

[Brad]

Story in today’s paper:

Alexander Payne is moving home to Omaha, where part of his latest film, ‘Downsizing,’ is set

http://www.omaha.com/living/alexander-p ... 7f85a.html

Says he is going to work on King Fong.

[choke]

Per Micah Mertes / World-Herald staff writer:

Alexander Payne is moving home to Omaha, where part of his latest film, ‘Downsizing,’ is set

http://www.omaha.com/living/alexander-p ... 7f85a.html

And it’s true I do own the building where King Fong used to be housed. And I’ll keep it vague, but my interest in buying the building was to make sure that Omaha has a King Fong restaurant in some form for the next 1,000 years.

[Coyote]

Payne has owned that building for 10 years now. Built in 1880. Condition listed as "worn out"

image.jpeg

[Louie]

Payne has owned that building for 10 years now. Built in 1880. Condition listed as "worn out"

image.jpeg

Is that a legit condition listing?

[GetUrban]

Payne has owned that building for 10 years now. Built in 1880. Condition listed as "worn out"

image.jpeg

Is that a legit condition listing?

If so, to keep it alive, he won't have much choice but to re-create what has been there for so long...

[skinzfan23]

Can't wait to see King Fong reopen.

[iamjacobm]

http://omahamagazine.com/articles/prese ... king-fong/

Interesting read on the history of the restaurant.

[skinzfan23]

I still hope that the restaurant will reopen as a chinese restaurant.

[Mr.Nuke]

[omaha79]

He's been saying it's going to reopen....I'll believe it when I see it.

[Louie]

Yeah he's a great film director but he is so far terrible at being a developer/property manager.

[Big E]

Tuna....?

[almighty_tuna]

Tuna....?

It's kind of a Payne to manage tbh.

[omahahawk]

Thanks for posting this. I don't get moon eyed over too many restaurants, but this place is an exception. The food was good and the atmosphere exceptional. It is the closest thing I've found to the original landmark restaurants in SFO Chinatown, complete with a filament light bulb that looks like it had been designed by Edison himself and burning since the restaurant opened a 100 years ago according to a waiter. Hoping maybe now is the time between films for this type of project. I imagine a new booming 16th street with a streetcar running by every 15 minutes, a new 21st century glory days for this great establishment.

[omaha79]

Thanks for posting this. I don't get moon eyed over too many restaurants, but this place is an exception. The food was good and the atmosphere exceptional. It is the closest thing I've found to the original landmark restaurants in SFO Chinatown, complete with a filament light bulb that looks like it had been designed by Edison himself and burning since the restaurant opened a 100 years ago according to a waiter. Hoping maybe now is the time between films for this type of project. I imagine a new booming 16th street with a streetcar running by every 15 minutes, a new 21st century glory days for this great establishment.

we can only hope. why do I feel like it'll eventually end up as a downtown mega saver instead?

[Big E]

Tuna....?

It's kind of a Payne to manage tbh.

So you're just going to leave this one up in the air?

[swgiust]

Payne has owned that building for 10 years now. Built in 1880. Condition listed as "worn out"

image.jpeg

Is that a legit condition listing?

If so, to keep it alive, he won't have much choice but to re-create what has been there for so long...

We ate there right before it closed and it looked exactly like this inside. The woodwork was amazing. So hope it reopens. It would even make an amazing event space if not a full time restaurant.

[Cermak]

Payne has owned that building for 10 years now. Built in 1880. Condition listed as "worn out"

image.jpeg

A fantastic building inside and out. I never ate there, but peaked inside once years ago.