Asian restaurant coming to former Ryan’s

An Asian restaurant is planned for the former Ryan’s buffet that closed last year on South Campbell Avenue, according to officials involved with the project.

Ron Barber, owner of Payne Sign Co., said his business was contracted to install signage on the 2501 S. Campbell Ave. building for Monica Nugyne’s restaurant called Mikado. He said signage likely would go up during the week of the 16th. The most recent building permit filed with the city was on Sept. 29 for mechanical kitchen work, and the estimated cost of the restaurant renovation is $30,000, according to Springfield Building Development Services records.

SVN Rankin Co. LLC’s Mike Fusek, who listed the property for its owner, the Faith Fayman Strong Trust, said he brokered a five-year lease at undisclosed terms for the 11,500-square-foot building. Reached this morning, Nugyne said she was busy and would call back later.

The former Ryan’s buffet-style restaurant at the South Campbell property closed in March 2016 amid a bankruptcy filing by parent company Buffets LLC. Another Ryan’s restaurant in town at 1950 E. Kearney St. shuttered in January 2012 after the parent company filed an earlier bankruptcy petition.

Like the proposed use on South Campbell, the Kearney Street space also has since housed Asian restaurants.

Japanese restaurant Hibachi Grill & Supreme Buffet operated for more than two years in the former Ryan’s until September 2014, when it closed following health code violations. A call to the restaurant confirmed Royal Grill Buffett now operates at 1950 E. Kearney.