A local restaurateur is hoping for a zoning variance that would allow for the creation of a new downtown eatery.
Danny Herman, owner of the Golden Q, plans a breakfast buffet at the former PrintCraft Printers building, 230 West Ninth — just across the street from the Q.
A special-use permit is required to remodel the building for use as a restaurant, and that permit will be the topic of conversation at a Hays Area Board of Zoning Appeals meeting scheduled for 8:15 a.m. Aug. 13 at City Hall.
Herman, who applied for the permit as D.J. Ventures, said the building is already gutted, and he is waiting for the proper permitting to begin renovation.
Hays city staff is recommending approval of the request, noting similar approvals in the past at downtown restaurants. Staff also noted the proximity of an established restaurant such as the Golden Q makes the proposed use “not out of character of the existing neighborhood.”
Should the project advance, Herman said the breakfast buffet would seat around 100 and be open in the morning hours “for now.”
“Maybe down the road .. we’ll see how it goes,” he said of expanding hours.
His application for the special-use permit also offers the possibility of deliveries in the future.
The staff would consist of between 10 and 15 workers, including cooks and waitstaff, although Herman said some of the Q crew already have expressed interest in working at both establishments.
The new restaurant would have its own full kitchen and be operated as a separate business, Herman said.
“Still working on a name,” he added.
Click HERE for the complete agenda for the Aug,. 13 meeting.