By TONY GUERRERO
Hays Post
From late-night tacos to a full-scale bar and grill, Storytellers is bringing a new chapter to downtown Hays dining.
Owner Luke Hemphill said the restaurant will be a distinct concept from his popular food truck, Tacos El Guero Guey, which he has operated since 2020.
"We've been running out of room," Hemphill said. "It's always scary making that initial jump, but when the location popped up, it seemed like it was the perfect fit for us."
Storytellers, 509 W. Seventh St., is in the former location of The Tiger Book Shop near Fort Hays State University, but Hemphill said it will welcome the entire community when it opens Wednesday.
"Through the name of the business, we wanted to pay homage to the old tiger bookstore and give it a new creative twist for the restaurant," Hemphill said.
The restaurant’s grand opening week runs Aug. 20–23 and will feature live music and signature cocktails. Hemphill said the menu will include sliders, wings, specialty quesadillas different from the taco trailer’s offerings and a variety of loaded fries.
The custom cocktail menu features drinks such as the house margarita, the octo, dead man’s boots, electric kool-aid and liquid marijuana. Storytellers will offer daily discounts on different food items.
Hemphill moved to the area in 2020 to launch his food trailer and has grown from late-night service near campus to also feeding the community during the day.
"[Tacos El Guero Guey] is still going to stay the same. We've been doing well, getting a lot of feedback from that, and we want to assure everyone that the taco truck isn't going away," he said.
Hemphill said he is grateful for his contractor, Jeff Ruda of Ruda Remodeling, for helping transform the former book shop into his dream business.
Storytellers will be open from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, with Wednesdays possibly closing at midnight depending on the customer volume.
The Tiger Book Shop closed in 2024 after 19 years due to declining business.
SEE RELATED STORY: Historic Hays Tiger Book Shop closes May 15 with final sale
You can follow Storytellers and Tacos El Guero Guey on Facebook.