Jan. 8--Even in tough economic times, it seems there is always restaurant news to report. To wit:

--Dean Bratt is opening his second ShanannigansBar & Grill, this one at Ninth and West streets. The first is at 31st and Oliver.

Bratt will have 6,400 square feet in the former Cameron's Family Restaurant and Morris' Family Restaurant space. That's 2,400 more square feet than he currently has on the south side. Bratt says he'll have a nice dining room and a party room as well.

The new bar and grill will open in early February. That's it for Bratt's Wichita expansion, but he says, "I wouldn't mind going to Lawrence or Manhattan."

--Finn's has closed at 800 E. First St., but manager Greg Finley hopes to reopen it in the former Torre's Pizzeria space at 131 N. Rock Island by late this month.

"It just kind of worked out that way," Finley says of moving the bar.

Back in October when Finley first told Have You Heard? about moving into the Torre's space, the plan wasn't necessarily to move Finn's there.

Eventually, Finn's will begin offering food, including pizza, panini sandwiches and wraps.

Shelden Architecture, Finn's former neighbor, will be moving into the Finn's space. The business will expand slightly, but the move is more about office consolidation.

--Creative Catering & Cafe owner Cheryl Smith is temporarily closing her cafe at 3238 E. Douglas to focus on catering.

It's partly because Smith is helping Cindy Carnahan develop menus for her new FoodForAFriend.com business.

But it's also because the catering business "is definitely what was paying all the bills."

Finally, Smith thinks the cafe could use a little tweaking. "It's always kind of been the little stepsister to the catering," she says.

She plans to have the cafe reopen by this spring.

Smith also plans cooking classes, wine dinners and theme dinners, such as a Valentine's Day meal.

--Wichita's 10th Great Wall Chinese Restaurant will open March 1 at 1812 S. Seneca. Owner Benny Lin says to expect the same size and decor as the Hillside Great Wall.

Part frog, part prince

A while back, LSI technical trainer Derek Sorrells helped a buddy plan a nice evening with his wife.

"A week later, I said, 'Well, what have you done for her this week?' "

The next week, he texted: "Anything this week?"

He started texting his friend every once in a while, and then Sorrells got an idea.