Friday March 5th, 2010
Kansas City Business Journal
By: Michael Braude- Contributing Writer
Loyal readers of this column know that I am a huge fan of Patricia Schultz’s “1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler’s Life List,”
I absolutely agree with her including Kansas City’s venerable Arthur Bryant’s on the list.
I simply believe that it should not be Kansas City’s only entry in that valuable book. I respectfully submit that Kelly’s Westport Inn also deserves recognition on the list.
Kelly’s definitely is a one-of-a-kind local institution. I have been a Kelly’s lover since I had the good fortune of moving to Kansas City in 1959.
The thing I like most about Kelly’s is its totally diverse clientele. Doctors, lawyers and business leaders mingle comfortably at Kelly’s with bread truck drivers, construction workers and student nurses. Melting pot is an understatement at Westport Road and Pennsylvania Avenue.
I recall two favorite moments at Kelly’s. On one occasion, I took the late Lou Horowitz, then the executive vice president of the New York Stock Exchange, directly from KCI to Kelly’s when he visited our town. We ordered two draws, and he gave Tombo, the Saturday bartender, a $20 bill. When Tombo handed him the change, Lou looked at me and exclaimed: “He gave me far too much change.” In fact, the amount was totally correct.
The other occasion was years ago, when I took Karen McCarthy there after we had been out fund raising for her first campaign for the state legislature. She ordered amaretto on the rocks. To my surprise, they had it, though the bottle didn’t look like it had been used much.
I recently sat down for a wonderful visit with Kyle Kelly, who along with his brother, Pat, now oversees this special place.
Their father, Randall Kelly, founded Kelly’s in 1947 in one of Kansas City’s oldest buildings, which was once a trading post for wagon trains. The Santa Fe, Oregon and California trails all ran down Westport Road.
Today, it is a metrowide neighborhood bar, with regulars who live in Lee’s Summit, Overland Park and Blue Springs.
Its list of famous patrons starts with Thomas Hart Benton and includes George Brett, Jamie Quirk and John Mayberry.
For many years, it has been the local home for Iowa State fans who come to Kansas City for the Big 12 basketball tournament.
The squirrel table, where regulars gather every Thursday, is a 50-year-old institution. At a recent reunion, folks came from Chicago, Texas, California and London. Dime beers were featured at that event.
Kelly’s takes pride in its longtime relationship with Welcome House, a wonderful local alcohol rehab facility. Kelly’s has sponsored a golf tournament for years for Welcome House, and in this recession year, it raised more than $28,000. Kelly’s also hosts a holiday party for Welcome House, which raises money and a truckload of clothing each year.
The big new project at Kelly’s will open in the spring. The 25-foot-by-45-foot rooftop deck is a response to folks who either like to be outside or to smoke when they drink.
Kelly’s real secret of success is its welcoming staff, including Mark Weber, who has tended bar there for more than 30 years. Kyle’s comely daughter, Colleen, is a third-generation employee. In this tough economic period, there have been no layoffs at Kelly’s.
Ms. Schultz, Kelly’s deserves a spot in your book.
