New wine and bourbon bar opening in Kansas City, with 1920s flair
Wine and bourbon: It’s a match made in heaven.
So says the owners of a bar that’s about to open in Kansas City.
The new concept coming to Waldo — Audrey’s Wine + Bourbon — will offer glasses of red wine paired with a bit of bourbon on the side.
Once it opens this fall, Laura and Howard Turley’s recently acquired space at 404 W. 75 St. will be filled with wine bottles and 1920s-style decor.
While customers can certainly enjoy wine or bourbon by itself, Audrey’s will teach patrons how to enjoy the two drinks together. Staff will be versed on which wine pairs best with each bourbon.
“You sip on each one, and so you can taste all the notes of the wine and the bourbon blend together,” Laura said.
Audrey’s will offer wines from Oregon and Washington, as well as bourbon favorites like Buffalo Trace.
A mocktail menu will be available for non-drinkers. There won’t be any food served at Audrey’s.
The couple is transforming the former tax preparation office into a moody, stylish space. While it won’t be a speakeasy by any means, the Turleys are inspired by the Roaring Twenties and will have several nods to the decade.
“Dark but vibrant but also vintage that meets new,” Laura said, describing the future space.
The bar will be just a hop, skip and jump away from the Turley’s event venue, 75th Street Events, at 214 W. 75th St.
While Audrey’s isn’t their first business, it will be their first bar.
The Turleys first discovered their love for wine and bourbon together five years ago while sipping the two drinks together during the height of COVID.
It took some time for the Turleys to find a space — the original location they pursued fell through — but now the lease for the Waldo location is inked up.
While it’s not an overly common pairing, sipping wine and bourbon is not unheard of, either. Industry magazine Tasting Table calls sparkling wine and bourbon a “dynamic duo.”
The New York Sour is a mixed drink, but it includes red wine, bourbon, lemon juice, egg whites and simple syrup.
When searching for a name, Laura thought Audrey’s “rolled off the tongue.”
Plus, the couple has a granddaughter named Audrey. At 8 years old, she’s still several years from being able to enjoy most of the wines and bourbons on the menu, but the couple said she’s excited to see the space when it opens.
“She’ll have a Shirley Temple waiting for her,” Laura said.
The neighborhood is home to several other bars: Dodson’s Bar and Commons, Walsh’s Corner Cocktails, Waldo Bar & Rec and more.
Meanwhile, longtime Crossroads wine bar and grocer The Pairing announced its plans to close its 1516 Oak St. location.
It is still currently open. A few days ago, the brand posted on social media that it was selling off its inventory before it has to vacate the building on June 1.