In June, Kansas City’s Vine Street Brewing Co. opened as Missouri’s first Black-owned brewery, earning news coverage at home and across the country. But for founders Elliot Ivory, Kemet Coleman, and Woodie Bonds Jr., that distinction is more than just a label—it’s a responsibility. 2023 represented a tangible culmination of more than a decade of friendship and building community around beer, bringing their own taproom to the city’s 18th & Vine Street Historic Jazz District, a hotbed of African-American music and culture in the 1920s that had long since fallen silent.
As an anchor tenant in a renovated, 150-year-old public works building, the presence of Vine Street Brewing means that beer is now a pivotal part of a movement to revive the storied neighborhood. “When we first walked in, there were trees growing inside and holes in the floor,” says Bonds. “But the guys showing us the place were telling us about the impact we could have by bringing people to the community. That was really important to us.”
Bonds and Coleman first met in 2012 as the only two Black people on a tour of KC’s Boulevard Brewing Company (Bonds as visitor, Coleman as tour guide) and Bonds later created local beer festival Hip Hops Hooray in 2018. But it’s what they accomplished this year along with Ivory that has the potential to leave a special and lasting impact on their city—Kansas City’s population is 26% Black, more than double the percentage in Missouri or nationally—and Vine Street offers representation that’s long overdue. That effort also shows up in their beers, named after famed musicians, made in partnership with local organizations, and meant to showcase a range of styles to bring any and all into their taproom.
In the months since Vine Street opened, Bonds says that seeing customers of all backgrounds in their space is proof of what kind of impact he and his co-owners can have, helping Kansas City reawaken and rediscover more of its cultural roots.
“It’s great to see so much diversity around beer,” says Bonds. “And we hope that what we’re doing can help create diversity all across Kansas City.”
Words,Tony Rehagen