Chef Penny Mufuka and her husband, Doug Mufuka, will open another restaurant. tljungblad@kcstar.com

Bamboo Penny’s, Aqua Penny’s — and now one more.

Doug and Penny Mufuka will open yet another restaurant this summer, this one in The Shops of Prairie Village at 4160 W. 71st St.

The new restaurant, called Penny’s, will serve Thai and Asian dishes offered at Bamboo Penny’s, as well as other signature Thai dishes that aren’t on Bamboo Penny’s menu, according to a press release.

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The new restaurant will also offer full-strength, low-alcohol and no-alcohol cocktails.

Wan Phen “Penny” Mufuka opened Bamboo Penny’s in 2021. Now she’s opening another KC area restaurant. Emily Curiel ecuriel@kcstar.com

Penny’s will open in the former Gravity space, a bar and restaurant that closed in February after two years of operation. Before Gravity, Blue Moose served customers for 20 years.

The Mufakas opened Bamboo Pennys in Leawood’s Park Place at 5270 W. 116th Place in 2021. A few weeks ago, upscale seafood restaurant Aqua Penny’s opened a block away at 11652 Ash St.

They also own KC Thai at 12250 W. 135th St.

Penny immigrated to the U.S. nearly three decades ago with just $800 in her bank account. The 56-year-old reflected on her journey in a recent interview with The Star.

“I don’t know how I got here, but it’s my dream,” she said.

This story was originally published May 02, 2024 1:20 PM.

Jenna Thompson covers retail news for The Kansas City Star. A native of Lincoln, Nebraska, she previously reported for the Lincoln Journal Star and graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she studied journalism and English.