By JC POST
Combining two destination and legacy restaurants into one location is the goal of Chuck and Deanna Munson of Junction City, Munson Angus Farms and Munson's Prime steakhouse.
The Brookville Hotel restaurant in Abilene was a central Kansas staple for many years with their chicken dinners, but last fall during the pandemic the business closed. Now the restaurant will make a comeback. Chuck and Deanna Munson have purchased the restaurant from Mark and Connie Martin,
Deanna Munson said it will be a combination of the former Munson's Prime, which was destroyed by fire in February, and the Brookville Hotel. The restaurant will be called Legacy Kansas. Munson noted that there will be some changes but many things will remain exactly the same.
The restaurant will open June 23. Munson said at the beginning they will observe the traditional limited hours for the Brookville Hotel Wednesday through Sunday. "And it will be serving the traditional chicken dinner, but people will now have a choice of having chicken or chicken fried steak but everything else will stay the same. The meals will include the traditional side dishes as well.
In the future there will be other additions including steaks, hamburgers and homemade ice cream, which were staples in the former Munson's Prime steakhouse.
“It is important for us to reopen for the summer travel season,” said Deanna Munson to the Abilene Convention & Visitor's Bureau. “We will continue to work over the coming months to expand our menu featuring our locally-raised Angus beef.”
Legacy Kansas customers will also see familiar faces when they dine. Former Brookville Hotel owners, Mark and Connie Martin, are returning to support the reopening and new concept.
“Munson Angus Farms started in 1869 and the Brookville Hotel opened in 1870,” Munson said. “It is important for both the Munson and Martin families to continue their legacies.”
Legacy Kansas plans to hire thirty employees and offer meeting space for large groups, noon meetings, and special events. Catering options will also be available including the new “Grill and Go” catering option that will deliver a grill on-site and staff will grill burgers for special events. The restaurant’s popular curbside pickup will also continue, and horse-drawn carriage or trolly rides are also in the works.
Named Best Small Town to Visit by Smithsonian Magazine and #1 True Western Town of the Year by True West Magazine, Munson acknowledges Abilene’s tourism industry as a draw.
“We want to partner with the tourist attractions and nearby hotels to provide a unique experience for guests visiting the area,” Munson said.
While much of the Brookville Hotel’s interior will remain, the same, the restaurant will add a ranch gate to the entrance and upgrades to the building’s façade.
According to Munson, the restaurant wants to celebrate agriculture and serve as a hub for ag groups from across the state. She says partnerships will also continue with Kansas State University’s College of Agriculture and Research and Extension, Kansas Department of Agriculture, Kansas Farm Bureau, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Livestock Association, and other ag groups to promote and feature Kansas farms and ranches in videos in the restaurant.
The “End of the Chisholm Trail” Bar located inside the restaurant, will also feature a video wall (a giant panorama) from International Artist Hugh Livingston’s Livingston Sound project with farm and ranch footage captured in Geary, Riley, and Dickinson Counties.
“We are excited for Munson’s Prime steakhouse and the Brookville Hotel family style chicken house to return and we appreciate the support from all of our customers,” Munson said. “Together, we will continue the legacy.”
Legacy Kansas will be open Wednesday thru Friday from 5-8 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 am to 8 pm. Reservations are encouraged. For more information about Legacy Kansas, visit @BrookvilleChicken on Facebook.