KC Current players just opened new coffee shop in the Crossroads. See inside
Kansas City’s professional women’s soccer team is known for cranking out wins on the soccer field — they’re ranked first in the National Women’s Soccer League and have won their past 11 matches.
Now, the KC players hope their new cafe, which celebrated its grand opening on Sunday, will also score points with sports and coffee fans in the metro.
Pitchside Coffee is a 5,000-square foot space at 1819 Grand Blvd. in the Crossroads owned by six current and former KC Current players: Kristen Hamilton, Elizabeth Ball, Hailie Mace, Vanessa DiBernardo, Mallory Weber and Desiree Scott.
A pitch is another name for a soccer field, Hamilton previously told The Star.
On a 70-degree late Tuesday morning, the shop’s double garage doors opened up to Grand Boulevard. Patrons flowed in and out, including a young family decked out in Current tees and sweatshirts.
Manager Andrew Iwersen said it’s been a busy first few days at the shop.
“The grand opening was a wild experience. We had a lot of people here in three-and-a-half hours,” he said. “It’s cool to see a coffee shop that celebrates the soccer team here in Kansas City.”
The shop is operating with a smaller menu at the moment, but they’re looking to slowly add more drink and food options as the days march on.
“We try to bring a coffee menu that’s pro-sports meets pro-coffee,” Iwersen said. “We’re going to do some things you don’t often see at coffee shops.”
All of Pitchside’s syrups are made in-house and include a cinnamon brown syrup (cinnamon, nutmeg and organic brown sugar), saffron orange honey syrup (saffron, orange, organic honey) and mocha (dark chocolate, agave, vanilla, smoked sea salt).
Matchas, cortados, lattes, drip coffee, cold brew and other drinks are included on the shop’s current menu, with a promise of more options coming this fall.
While the players are keeping plenty busy on the field in the ongoing season, they still plan to be in the shop when they can. They see it as a connection point with fans.
“Pitchside Coffee is founded by six dedicated professional soccer players of the KC Current,” a stand-up sign inside the restaurant reads. “In this pursuit, they aim to deepen their connections with the Kansas City community ...”
Iwersen has seen their passion firsthand.
“If you spend any time around our owners, the soccer players, there’s something really special and intentional about how they connect with their fans and the community,” he said.
Good news for soccer fans: Several TVs around the shop will show games, Hamilton said.
Before it was a coffee shop, Pitchside was a traveling coffee trailer that rolled around local events. The idea to start Pitchside began at preseason training in Florida more than a year ago.
After sipping coffee on the beach, the players decided a mobile coffee business would work better with their busy schedules, at least at first. A physical space is the pinnacle of their coffee shop dreams.
“It was always what we envisioned, but it wasn’t quite feasible upfront,” Hamilton previously said. “Just being able to serve the community better and do what we do.”
Pitchside is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.
In the Garment District, another coffee shop is waiting to open. Veil Cafe is a Mexican-style cafe looking to pop its doors open this fall at 800 Broadway Blvd.