By OWEN MORRIS
Driving through Westport yesterday, I noticed a lot of construction going on in the space that was previously Napoleon Bakery on the western end of Westport Road near PotPie and Bluestem. So I stopped in to see who was making all the ruckus.
Turns out, its new owner, James Holmes (he's the man near the back in the above picture), is in the final stages of updating the space before opening in the very near future. Holmes was a pastry chef with Westin Hotels before opening the catering company Art of Pastry on 29th Street and Holly, which he still owns but is moving to the sizable back area of Napoleon and consolidating under the Napoleon name.
Holmes says he had been looking for a retail front for some time, and that's how he came upon Napoleon. "Originally, I was going to go into the old Starbucks on Broadway, but it was completely empty. They [Starbucks] had left nothing, and it was going to take too long ... that's when I looked at the Napoleon's spot and made a deal with the former owners for the name."
Holmes says he plans to make few changes to the menu and will be serving the same classic food that Napoleon Bakery had offered in the past, even including some of the same recipes, which he received from former owner, Jerry Schanzer, along with Schanzer's blessing, "He [Schanzer] has been by a few times to see the place and can't wait to eat here," Holmes said.
Holmes had originally planned to open November 8 but conceded that was not going to happen. "Right now, I'm looking at a soft opening early next week. I definitely want to be open in plenty of time to get that holiday pie business. I've got great pecan pies."
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Napoleon is a wonderful place to eat at. The owner, james holmes, is a kind man, lay off on the man he's new at these things.
Napoleons bakery is not what it used to be but i quote bob dylan in sayin "the times they are a changin'" i wish nothing but to have this bakery a part of kansas city as it used to be with the previous owners, the new owner james is nothing short of a stand up and truly kind person. sure the recepies have changed a bit, some for better some for worse. but i tell you this and i want kansas city to hear me all, that if we dont have family owned businesses are city is surely to fall, deep into the conformist mans hands and beyond, napoleon bakery will do the people no wrong! SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES GODDAMNIT!!!
i've been to napoleon's several times since it opened in november. yes, they had kinks to work out in the beginning -- the service was slow and weirdly awkward, as kcdrew pointed out -- but i've never been disappointed by their food and have gotten to be fairly familiar with the staff. the veggie panini and shrimp chowder are incredible, as are their breakfast pastries. once i had to wait over a half hour for my lunch, but they made it worth my while by bringing us complimentary dessert, which was delicious. in fact, last time i was in there the owner, james, was introducing himself to all of the customers and handing out freshly-baked rolls. whatever deficiencies they have in customer service are more than amply made up for in their food.
I had lunch 12/30/2008 I tell you it was the best I had in a very long time the Ruben was the best in the city!!! I also had the Raspberry Passion Cake was to the the best thank thank thank for reopening Napoleons
I went here yesterday and boy, was this sad. It's the old Napoleon's in name only. The--very young--wait staff clearly didn't know what they were doing. It took a LONG time to get our food. The house salad--$5.00--is a tiny little plate of fresh greens and hothouse tomato chunks--clearly not a great buy. The one server served one gentleman ahead of us by scooping up salad WITH HIS HAND (albeit a gloved one) and putting it on his plate. Not exactly like Mother would have done, huh? They couldn't get me a lemon for my tea. They didn't serve ice in that same tea--I had to ask for it. They don't reset the tables in the front after people shove them together so the place looks good and "works", once people have left.
I tell you, I could give them a TON of help, making this place work. They definitely need it. It doesn't seem like it's being run by restaurant people AT ALL. (And I haven't worked in a restaurant for years).
If things aren't fixed--and quickly--we will once again lose Napoleon's. Only this time, likely permanently and that will be sad and unfortunate.
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