Copeland's

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Summary: The restaurant opened by former Kansas City Chief and current part-owner of the Brigade Arena Football team has closed its doors in Overland Park. A variety of reports are surfacing regarding the future at that site. We particularly chuckled with Smith's remark that it might come back as a failed Copeland's again...

From Jeffrey Flanagan's KC Star column (8/6)

No more Copeland’s?

It appears Copeland’s of New Orleans, which was opened by former Chief Neil Smith in 1996 in Overland Park, has closed its doors. But that doesn’t mean that Smith is leaving the restaurant game.

Smith said the doors are closed temporarily as part of a renovation.

“We may bring it back as Copeland’s or we may bring it back as something totally new,” Smith said. “We’re looking at some new concepts. Whatever we decide, it’ll be great.”

Smith said the renovation would take a couple of months.

BLC Exlusive (7/30):

NEIL SMITH'S COPELAND'S RESTAURANT SHUTS ITS DOORS

Copeland's Restaurant, owned by former Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Neil Smith, has quietly closed. A sign on the door says simply: "Copeland's of New Orleans is now closed. Sorry." Another sign notes "We are under NEW construction."

The restaurant at 11920 Metcalf in Overland Park was opened by Smith (a New Orleans native) and his wife, Sheri, in 1996, and boasted of being the first Johnson County restaurant to successfully serve traditional Creole and Cajun dishes.

The restaurant was a franchise of the famous "Copeland's of New Orleans." Other locations are in Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Mexico and Virginia.

Smith reportedly has told one reporter the restaurant will re-open, however, it is not listed as existing anymore on the Copeland's Web site. Kansas City Star reporter Joyce Smith said (8/4) a "Brazilian barbecue is one idea that has been tossed around for the location."

A restaurant review by the Pitch's Charles Ferruzza in 2004 was highly negative. In it he noted, "Copeland's misses the mark on a number of levels, starting with a brassy interior décor -- heavy on the Mardi Gras masque motif -- that doesn't evoke the spirit of New Orleans as much as a cheesy Times Square gift shop."

His review of the food was even worse: "Priced at $14.99, the dish was as costly as some dinner entrées, and it was spectacularly awful...