Openings & Closings

This Kansas City brewery has opened second location in the Crossroads

BKS Artisan Ales has opened a spot in Kansas City’s Crossroads.
BKS Artisan Ales has opened a spot in Kansas City’s Crossroads. jthompson@kcstar.com

For the past eight years, BKS Artisan Ales has been serving brews out of its home in Brookside.

Earlier this month, it expanded its footprint by adding a second location in the Crossroads.

BKS has opened at 1701 McGee St., Suite 400.

Owners Mary and Brian Rooney have been looking to expand for a while, and Mary thought this neighborhood would be the perfect next home.

“The Crossroads … is a hub of activity,” Mary said in a previous interview with The Star. “There’s a lot of opportunities to expand our reach and get our brand out there.”

The new spot fits roughly 50 between its indoor seating and outdoor patio.

BKS Artisan Ales seats about 50 between its indoor seating and patio.
BKS Artisan Ales seats about 50 between its indoor seating and patio. Jenna Thompson jthompson@kcstar.com

Like its Brookside location, it will serve beloved brews like its Holstein (Madagascar vanilla bean, $5 for half or $7 for full), Bohemian-style Pilsner ($5.50 for half or $7.50 for full), Clouds (a hazy double IPA, $5 for half or $8 for full).

While the spot plans on adding a few snacks to its menu, it won’t be super food-heavy. Customers can bring in food from neighboring restaurants.

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.

The Crossroads spot will be open from 3 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 1 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 1 to 6 p.m. on Sundays.

BKS is one of several new businesses in the Crossroads.
BKS is one of several new businesses in the Crossroads. Jenna Thompson jthompson@kcstar.com

Several other concepts have opened near BKS in the past few weeks. Just two doors down, sports bar Beckett’s opened its first spot in the Kansas City metro. Lilico’s Taverna, a Spanish-style bar specializing in pinchos and tinned fish, also opened at 1615 Oak St.

Also in the Crossroads is the newly opened Mexican-style restaurant and bar Crossroads Cantina.

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Jenna Thompson
The Kansas City Star
Jenna Thompson covers retail news for The Kansas City Star. A native of Lincoln, Nebraska, she previously reported for the Lincoln Journal Star and graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she studied journalism and English.
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