Speakeasies making a comeback in KC

Posted on Dec 7, 2008 by BlogKC

Friday was the 75th anniversary of the repeal of prohibition.  But thanks to Tom Pendergast, prohibition was virtually nonexistent in Kansas City.  The booze flowed freely in the many speakeasies tucked away in the back rooms and basements around the city. Now the spirit of clandestine, hushed drinking is making a bit of a comeback through modern interpretations of the speakeasy.

Firefly opened Friday night at 4118 Pennsylvania in Westport, just a couple of doors down from it’s parent the Dark Horse Tavern.

The owners of JP Wine Bar in the Crossroads Arts District are also working on Manifesto, their own basement speakeasy.

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4 Responses to Speakeasies making a comeback in KC

  1. small says:
    Dec 9, 2008 at 5:22 pm

    i’m trying to quit drinking, and now they are making it easier. the world is against me. i swear it. i wish they would bring back the cathouses.

  2. bob berdella says:
    Dec 10, 2008 at 1:29 pm

    If there are press releases about it everywhere, what makes it a speakeasy?

  3. Ryan says:
    Dec 11, 2008 at 12:39 pm

    For real…so they do NOT have liquor licenses? Oh, I get it, because they are in the basement! I thought there was a comeback a few years ago with Mi Cocina and re:Verse…too bad those basements closed. Perhaps it is a speakeasy renaissance of those failed bars of a couple years past…? Maybe they are called speakeasies because they have cheap booze like JP wine bar… I am confused…

  4. Jess says:
    Dec 14, 2008 at 11:54 am

    Seriously, what makes it different from, oh, any other bar? Just CALLING it a speakeasy?