By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

The building at 2917 10th Street in Great Bend, formerly the KFC, has sat vacant since the fast-food fried chicken joint closed in December 2022. That is about to change. Nick Plava, manager at Amore Italian Restaurant, hopes his new restaurant will be open by mid-May.

"It's going to be a sit-down restaurant, a full-service restaurant," he said. Everything from pasta, chicken, shrimp, seafood, all that."

Plava and family have more than 20 years of restaurant experience. He is originally from Mississippi but has been running similar businesses in Kansas for the past year, with Amore restaurants opening in Hutchinson and Wichita in the fall of 2023, and a new store in Derby opening earlier this year. Amore restaurants offer a wide variety of made-from-scratch Italian cuisine.

Plava expects Amore to be open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The restaurant will begin hiring help soon. Anyone interested in applying can contact Plava at (228) 819-5461.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712165152131.jpeg" alt="Amore Italian Restaurant has selected the former KFC building in Great Bend as its next location. The business has sister stores in Wichita, Hutchinson, and Derby." />
 <figcaption>Amore Italian Restaurant has selected the former KFC building in Great Bend as its next location. The business has sister stores in Wichita, Hutchinson, and Derby.</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostThe building at 2917 10th Street in Great Bend, formerly the KFC, has sat vacant since the fast-food fried chicken joint closed in December 2022. That is about to change. Nick Plava, manager at Amore Italian Restaurant, hopes his new restaurant will be open by mid-May."It's going to be a sit-down restaurant, a full-service restaurant," he said. Everything from pasta, chicken, shrimp, seafood, all that."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712229932571.jpeg" alt="Amore's Tour of Italy dish." />
 <figcaption>Amore's Tour of Italy dish.</figcaption>
 </figure>Plava and family have more than 20 years of restaurant experience. He is originally from Mississippi but has been running similar businesses in Kansas for the past year, with Amore restaurants opening in Hutchinson and Wichita in the fall of 2023, and a new store in Derby opening earlier this year. Amore restaurants offer a wide variety of made-from-scratch Italian cuisine.Plava expects Amore to be open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The restaurant will begin hiring help soon. Anyone interested in applying can contact Plava at (228) 819-5461.

New Italian restaurant coming soon to Great Bend