12 Comments so far

1. Chris on March 10, 2006 3:46 pm

   It’s sad to see another potential hot spot going out to Kansas only because we have such weird city reqirements.
   But on the positive note, we have more loose morals, maybe we could snap up their rejected Coyote Ugly project and bring that to this side of the state line!

2. Bob Asher on March 13, 2006 12:38 pm

   I had the displeasure of sitting through one of the Board of Zoning Adjustment meetings regarding the Parking Variance that Caliente was applying for, and believe me, it’s not just the parking provisions in the Zoning Ordinance that’s to blame.
   The opposition that assembled was deep, strong, well funded, and all white.
   One acquaintance of mine who lives in the new condo loft building at 19th and Baltimore actually had the audacity to tell me she opposed the restaurant because she was concerned about the “noise”. Excuse me? Why move downtown if you’re concerned about noise?
   The sad truth of the matter is that if the owners of the club were white, or had hired expensive white attorneys (and then didn’t reveal their ethnicity in public), like say The Cashew, then there would have been NO PROBLEM getting the variance. The utter panic on the faces of all of the white developers and new white gentry condo-owners when confronted with the possibility of a Latino club so close to their empire was amusing and troubling to me.
   Let’s keep the Crossroads Lillywhite, everyone!

3. Mark on March 14, 2006 12:06 pm

   Another problem with the request was that Duffin has a history of telling the city a lot of stuff and then not following though. He screwed up one of the nicest venues in KC The Madrid by getting the neighbohood against him and then antagonizing them until they started watching him so close that every miss step was videoed and sent to the Liquor board and others. He is his own worst enemy

4. Bob Asher on March 14, 2006 12:33 pm

   Yeah, and you could tell the BZA was sick of dealing with Duffin. I feel really bad for the owners, though. They just ended up with the wrong people on their team. Hard lesson, for sure. I met one of the owners and he was a really nice guy. I think that restaurant would have been great at that location.

5. bridget on March 14, 2006 6:09 pm

   Any type of city variance is a big deal. The surrounding businesses and residents will have to live with them for a long time. I have had the sad experience of living in an area that allowed a parking variance. My driveway was blocked every weekend. Do you think that the cops have time to watch my space? This is quality of life. Perhaps they should have just done the outlaw thing like the Beaumont. You know, where the saloon keeper puts up orange barrels in the street, there by removing from use “counted” parking spots. I move them as needed and tell them to complain to City Development department. As far as racist, this Latina has seen and heard it all.

6. Mary on March 15, 2006 1:12 am

   It was all Kerry Duffins fault for buying a building with a parking variance problem. Kerry starting renovating the building before he got a parking variance. It’s about time the city stands up to it ordinances.
   And for Mark Asher, Kerry Duffin is white and he did hire white expensive lawyers and I thought you said you were there.
   And for The Cashew , they tried to apply for a 3 am liquor license and was rejected.
   I dont know where you get your information Mark Asher but your a trouble maker.

7. chef on March 28, 2006 12:05 am

   We all know that Caliente moved to Village West, The Legends in Kansas. The have re-named Caliente to “Caliente Cuba”. It’ll open up September 2006. Kerry Duffus hasn’t started construction yet but will soon. Look, Kerry’s dream came true.
   Kerry Duffus has never ran a restaurant / bar before but I hope he goes bankrupt.

8. Glenn on March 31, 2006 9:58 pm

   The parking ordinance is not out-dated. It’s already a pro-business ordinance. The ordinance says 4 persons to a car is one parking space. Not every car has 4 persons to it. They usually 2 or 3 persons to a car. Then when you get a variance it’s a smaller percentage of parking or if you have valet So I don’t think KC parking ordinance is out of date. Just because Kerry Duffus didn’t get his required parking space him and his friends start a big whiners party. Bob do you belong to the whiner party ? Kerry only had 1 owner and that was him.

9. Latina on May 6, 2007 8:44 pm

   Kerry Duffin TAKES ADVANTAGE OF PEOPLE !
   He is a white men taking advantage of the latino community for a long time. Check his account on (myspace.com) he’s SICK !!

10. Another Latina on July 20, 2007 5:55 pm

    Kerry Doofuss returns! i guess the word is out he’s a user and a loser…Latina is right. He does take advantage of people! Word of fair warning…stay away from Caliente unless u want to contribute to this sickos success. he is a bigot and sexist that makes us women cringe. he thinks hes gods gift 2 women…ugh!

11. dj on August 5, 2007 11:06 am

    Duffin has never run anything sucessfully. He can’t even run his own life!!…his parents do it for him. He is a joke and a soon to be failure. Caliente will be broke in 6 months watch and see.

12. mark on August 17, 2007 10:35 am

    What can you expect from a city administration that can’t get a light rail system implemented. St. Louis, Denver, Salt Lake City, etc. can do it, but not the incompetents in our city hall!