Kansas City brewery will open taproom in area that’s a ‘hub of activity.’ Here’s when
It’s been more than seven years since brewery BKS Artisan Ales opened in Kansas City’s Brookside neighborhood, and owners Brian and Mary Rooney say it’s about time to expand.
The Crossroads taproom, 1701 McGee St., Suite 400, is aiming to open in the summer.
Mary, who’s in charge of business management (her husband Brian handles brewery operations), told The Star they opened the original location at 633 E. 63rd St., Suite 120, with the intention to eventually grow.
The Crossroads, with its First Friday celebrations and numerous food and beverage options, seemed like the perfect place to drop anchor.
“The Crossroads … is a hub of activity,” Mary said. “There’s a lot of opportunities to expand our reach and get our brand out there.”
Most of the beer will be brewed at the original Brookside location, though the Crossroads spot will offer all the same rotating brews BKS fans know and love: Morningside coffee milk stout, Counterculture hazy IPA, Vacation Island sour ale and more.
A few tanks at the Crossroads location will brew small, experimental batches.
Mary said she’s excited to join a flourishing group of breweries and bars in the downtown-adjacent area. The 2,000 square foot space is a few doors down from Brick River Cider.
In November, Brick River announced that it would take “a little pause” from taproom hours to focus on production. The taproom is still temporarily closed to the public.
Before opening BKS, Brian was a home brewer for several years.
BKS started as a part-time endeavor with limited hours, then expanded to a full-time gig. It’s now open seven days a week: 4 to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 1 to 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 1 to 6 p.m. Sundays.
While the Rooneys are excited to grow, they want the business to keep its intimate, neighborly feel.
“For us we like to control that as much as we can: that customer relationship, where we can be serving the beers to patrons, explaining our beers and our history, why we do things the way we do,” Mary said.