New Y2K-themed bar in Johnson County wants you ‘to feel like a kid again’
If Lisa Frank were to visit the Kansas City area, Vibe Ultra Lounge in Overland Park might be her bar of choice.
The new Y2K-themed spot has a corner dedicated to her zany art, highlighted by a massive unicorn sculpture that stands in front of a neon landscape filled with light-up clouds, doughnuts and glow-in-the dark fabric.
On the other side of the bar, dozens of neon slinkies hang from the ceiling. Matt Brokaw, a majority partner in the bar, said the art around the space will always be evolving.
A couple weeks ago, Vibe quietly opened in the former Vivo space at 7300 W. 119th St. It neighbors Revel Sports Tavern, taco bar Taquiza and country bar Guitars & Cadillacs.
Brokaw considers his spot another quality addition to the mini entertainment area that Rosana Square has become.
“We’re able to compliment each other,” he said of the stretch of four bars.
Brokaw also owns MO Country in Grain Valley and was one of the original partners for Offkey in Westport, though he’s no longer affiliated with the karaoke bar.
For Vibe, he partnered with his longtime friend, Blake Anderson, and Blake’s wife, Geneva Anderson.
“Bringing this is something new,” Blake said. “There’s nothing else like this — not just here but anywhere nearby.”
Each of the three partners were born in the ‘80s and grew up in the ‘90s. They remember the ‘90s and early ‘00s fondly: the boy bands and girls groups (both the Spice Girls and NSYNC have spots on the wall), the upbeat club music, the vibrant colors and outfits.
Part of the motivation behind building a Y2K bar was simply to create a place where they’d enjoy hanging out.
“I wanted to walk in and be like, ‘Oh, I remember that — I remember that,’” Blake said, pointing around the room at the decor. “I think we all wanted to be able to connect with it from our childhood … But also for the younger generation that didn’t experience those things firsthand would be interested in it.”
Geneva added that the era is also beloved by the newly 21 crowd. Even the Andersons’ teenagers are “obsessed” with Y2K style. And Brokaw said customers have similarly told them they’ve been connecting with the space.
“I think they feel like a kid again,” he said. “It’s that first thing when you walk in and say, ‘Wow. This is awesome.’”
Vibe is open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., with happy hour running from 4 to 8 p.m. Its speakers play a mix of nostalgic favorites and newer hits.
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For the first part of the evening, customers can come in for relaxed drinks after work. Towards the end of the night, more dancing and louder music ensues, and a foldable stage in the middle of the bar retracts for DJs and other performers. Karaoke night is on Wednesdays.
Some options on the drink menu, all designed to look especially vibrant under the bar’s black lights: the Electric Unicorn (Tito’s, blue Curacao, peach schnapps, lemonade and Sprite), a Scooby Snack shot (Malibu rum, melon liqueur, pineapple and whipped cream), the Capri Sun (Gruzan black cherry rum, sweet & sour syrup and tropical Red Bull) and Lime Vibe (Espolon Reposado, Grand Marnier, lime juice and agave).
Vibe offers a fairly extensive small plates menu, too, including a chicken margarita flatbread, crab cakes, barbecue pork sliders and chicken tacos.
Brokaw is eager to see how the public reacts to his space. It’s certainly a different atmosphere from MO Country, but the mission of this concept is the same as his others.
“I wanna see everybody happy and with a smile on their face,” Brokaw said. “And to say they had a good time.”