Serial restaurant entrepreneur, Scott Sieben, began working at the Aggieville tradition that is Kite’s while a freshman at Kansas State University. Starting out as kitchen staff, Scott worked his way to general manager, and he continued to discover new opportunities for the restaurant industry he had come to love. “After graduation I stayed on with Kite’s and oversaw three different locations that they had. In 2010, I purchased Mr. K’s on the west side of Manhattan. In 2018 Kite’s came up for sale and I took the opportunity to take over where I started.”
But maintaining a new-to-him business during a pandemic wasn’t easy, and it inspired him to pivot in order to grow. “Covid was extremely hard on Kite’s as students came back in much smaller numbers, and K-State sports didn’t return to full capacity. So we thought of opening a second concept in the Kite’s space with a goal of delivering two different styles of food under one roof. Kite’s Aggieville Draft House, which will open fully in August 2022, will be an upscale, comfort food restaurant with steak & seafood options.”
Not only did Kite’s adjust to add Aggieville Draft House, but adding a more upscale dining experience sets them apart in the Aggieville district. “We are located in the heart of Aggieville and will be able to offer a higher-end dining experience in a college district but still be able to keep it under the Kite’s roof that has been serving K-State & the Manhattan area since 1954.” Their internal expansion is not unlike that of the nearby Taco Lucha and So Long Saloon, and they hope to have equal success: “The ability to serve two different menus all out of one business is very unique, and we hope to have similar success as our neighbors Taco Lucha & So Long Saloon”.
Kite’s and Aggieville Draft House aren’t the only places in Aggieville experiencing change, as the City of Manhattan is currently making aesthetic and infrastructure improvements to the area. “The City of Manhattan & Aggieville is in the process of changing the look of Aggieville by upgrading our streets, sidewalks and alleys. So we are really excited about the potential for growth in the district, and we believe having more restaurant concepts in the area will help attract more customers to Aggieville and Manhattan.”
With more than a decade of experience in the food industry in Manhattan, Scott shared some his lessons learned for fellow and future entrepreneurs. “Never be complacent in what you do, always look to improve what you are doing, listen to people’s suggestions, and take the criticism. You can’t fix things that you don’t know about so always tell people to give you the truth about how they see your business. I always tell people that the restaurant business is like a roller coaster.” Ultimately, Scott, enjoys the back and forth nature of running a business: ”Never be too happy in the high moments and never get too upset in the low moments. Enjoy the ride!”
Aggieville Draft House is located at the corner of Moro and 12th Street in Aggieville. Learn more about Aggieville Draft House here, or learn about Scott’s three other restaurant concepts at Eating MHK.
