This couple’s Westport lounge is for ‘grown folks’ who are tired of nightclubs
Since its opening a year and a half ago, Sherri’s Executive Lounge at 3834 Genessee St. in Kansas City, has created a location that was a call back to a time when style and class were everything. The cigar lounge, with its leather seating, soft lighting and live music, replaced televisions and blowing neon signs they encountered trying to find a nightlife spot of their own.
Opened and operated by the husband-and-wife team of Nayeli and Jason Sharp, the boutique cigar lounge was born from years of the couple’s travel, late-night writing sessions, and a shared search for places that encouraged conversation, community and networking.
What started as an online cigar business and a backyard project evolved into a physical space designed for people who have outgrown the dance club but still want somewhere to go, somewhere elegant and welcoming. For the Sharps, Sherri’s isn’t just nightlife, it’s a home for working professionals, artists, cigar enthusiasts and anyone looking for a mature, safe and respectful place to belong.
Recently the Sharps sat down with The Star’s culture and identity reporter J.M. Banks to speak about starting their first business together, establishing an atmosphere of class and being embraced by the city.
Can you tell me about your backgrounds and the work you both did prior to opening Sherri’s Executive Lounge?
Nayeli: I grew up in Hugoton in southwest Kansas, but I was born in Mexico. I am a nephrology nurse for Fresenius Medical Care (A medical supplies company). I’ve been nursing 16 or 17 years and now I’m an educator. I got a promotion with the same company to be an educator, so I moved here from southwest Kansas in 2017. Jason moved here the same year, but we didn’t meet until later and have been together since 2019.
Jason: I’m originally from Chicago and I’ve been in the military almost 20 years now. I’m in the reserves now. I also manage federal contracts for national security.
Prior to opening Sherri’s did either of you owned a lounge before?
Nayeli: No, this is our first venture.
Jason: This is our first brick-and-mortar nightlife space, but I’ve owned a consulting firm for many years.
How did Sherri’s Executive Lounge come to be? What was the vision behind it?
Nayeli: Before we had kids, we traveled a lot for work and spent time in cigar lounges. Jason would write, we would work and we would network. After having children, we needed a place where we could still do that. So that’s where Sherri’s came from, somewhere we could work during the day and host friends, family and clients at night.
Jason: During COVID, I built a cigar lounge behind our home where I worked and smoked. Our kids were getting older and kept finding us, so we started looking at commercial property. We wanted a place where like-minded people could gather, an executive-level space that also brought jazz back to life in the neighborhood.
How long have you been a cigar enthusiast, and what is it about cigar culture that resonated with you?
Jason: Since I was seventeen. My high school teacher gave me my first cigar when I graduated, so a little over twenty years. When I sit down to smoke a cigar, I’m having an executive session with myself. Time slows down, it forces conversation and connection. Problems get solved, deals are made. It’s welcoming to every walk of life, regardless of background or status. Once you’re at the table, everyone’s equal because you’re already sharing that moment.
What was that first phase like getting the business off the ground?
Nayeli: We started online first, selling cigars. Then we found the building off 39th Street. Jason was deployed, and I was working full time with two kids and pregnant while getting permits and construction done. It was a lot.
Jason: Renovations put us more than $100,000 over budget and learning cigar distribution took time. The biggest challenge was convincing the neighborhood we weren’t opening a bar or nightclub.
How would you describe the atmosphere for someone who hasn’t been there?
Nayeli: During the day, people can come in and work. It’s plush, leathery, speakeasy vibes. At night, it’s a place to unwind, have a cigar and listen to music. It’s definitely a vibe, that’s the word most clients use.
Jason: We wanted elegance and a true lounge experience. TVs don’t run all day, and when there’s live music, they’re not allowed to be on. This isn’t a sports bar. Our staff understands the mission and can make decisions when I’m not here. The patron’s experience is always the top priority. We empower our team to keep the same standard of hospitality every night.
What forms of entertainment do you usually offer?
Nayeli: Mostly jazz and R&B, but we do blues, folk and even some country. We like attracting different clientele. It depends on the mood and the night. Poetry nights too, those are very popular.
Jason: Kansas City has an incredible music scene and a lot of artists are told no. We want to be the place that says yes. Many artists started performing here and have gone on to great things. A cigar lounge provides a judgment-free stage. People offer advice and mentorship, not criticism. That’s what we love to see.
Who makes up your core audience visiting Sherri’s?
Jason: Certainly the cigar enthusiast, but it’s everyone from CEOs, mechanics, artists, all walks of life. It’s not just about cigars or jazz. It’s about the quality of engagement.
Nayeli: People tell us it feels like home. We’re a member-based lounge and a lot of members call it their home. We have different tiers starting at $10 for a day pass. Our VIP membership is around $150 a month and includes 24-hour access, cigars, open bar nights, special event invitations and first access to exclusive cigar lines.
Some people describe it as a space for people who’ve outgrown the club but still want to go out. Is that intentional?
Nayeli: Yes, but we welcome younger crowds too. Different nights attract different people. Music really sets the tone.
Jason: It’s a grown folks’ culture. People graduate into wanting meaningful engagement, mentorship and conversation. You walk in and tell yourself, “I have arrived.”
What makes Sherri’s different from other lounges in Kansas City?
Jason: We’re a boutique. We focus on people, live music and hospitality, not carrying hundreds of cigar brands. And we’re the only true jazz lounge where you can smoke without TVs interrupting. That’s what makes us different and the community responded. We were voted number one in The Pitch’s Best of KC by the people.
Nayeli: Our attention to detail. When clients come in, we want them taken care of. We’ve created our own cigar line, Liga de Mujeres, been nominated as one of the best cigar lounges in Kansas City by The Pitch and built strong partnerships with local businesses. Most of all, the support and love from our community in such a short time have made all the long nights and sacrifices worth it.
What does it mean to operate a minority-owned nightlife business in Kansas City?
Nayeli: I’m Mexican and Latina and Jason is half Puerto Rican. But more than that, we want everyone to feel welcome and safe. I think it starts with Jason and me, but also our staff. We have great staff who have helped us from day one to help create the space and create that environment.
What challenges stand out the most looking back?
Nayeli: The biggest struggle has been finding balance between family life and entrepreneurship. We have four boys, a 4-year-old, a 2-year-old, and a 1-year-old, so life at home is always busy and full of energy. During the early stages of building Sherri’s Executive Lounge, Jason was deployed to the Middle East and was home juggling full-time work as a nephrology nurse while managing construction and launching our new business. On top of that, building brand awareness in a competitive Kansas City market came with its own learning curve. We had to find our niche, build community relationships, and earn trust one guest at a time. But the journey has been incredibly rewarding.
Jason: Differentiating ourselves from other lounges and building trust in the neighborhood. People feared it would be a bar or nightclub, but it’s not. We close at 11 p.m. It’s a jazz lounge for adults who want peace, not chaos. Once people saw that, they welcomed us.
What do you want people to feel the first time they walk in?
Nayeli: Comfortable, welcome and in an elevated space, like they’re being taken care of.
Jason: That this is a place for adults to relax, think and engage.
What do you hope the legacy of Sherri’s will be known for in years to come?
Jason: Memory and shared experience. People are forming friendships, partnerships and marriages here. It’s bringing peace and happiness at a significant stage of life.
Nayeli: Community and belonging, whether someone is a seasoned smoker or trying their first cigar.
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This story was originally published November 28, 2025 at 9:41 AM.
