to join him - with the latter agreeing on the condition that he could bring Ivory on board, too.īonds Jr. “I want us to be known for being a catalyst for change.”Įlliott Ivory, Vine Street Brewing photo by BJ Sampson, Sensei BrandsĬoleman began dabbling with the idea of starting a brewery during the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders in 2020. “I don’t want us to just be known for being the first Black-owned brewery,” Coleman said. “There’s a little pressure just because we wanna be successful for us, but we also understand that our success can breed opportunity for others and other communities that may not have had those opportunities,” Bonds Jr. “We hope that it’s not just a destination, that us opening allows other doors to open for other individuals who look like us to be able to start something … and take this energy that’s cultivated here and spread it through the whole neighborhood,” Ivory said. Their goal is to blaze a trail not only for themselves, but also for other people who have not had equitable access to opportunity, the emphasized. “The vibe, the community - we felt like that was the right home for what we were doing, and for what we are trying to accomplish not just as a brewery, but as a community partner,” Bonds Jr. and Coleman said the founding trio - which includes fellow brewmaster Elliott Ivory - was intentional about choosing where to open the brewery. previously announced its location in the south building at 2000 Vine, the revitalization project of a pair of 150-year-old stone buildings that previously housed the city’s water and street departments just south of the 18th and Vine Jazz District.īonds Jr. I mean, it’s not like we haven’t faced pressure before.” “So there is a lot of pressure, but I think we’re up for it. “It’s a huge responsibility,” added Kemet Coleman, co-founder and well-known musician and creative. The business - Kansas City’s first Black-owned brewery - is set to pour before year’s end, and perhaps as early as October, its founding partners told Startland News. Woodie Bonds Jr., Kemet Coleman, and Elliott Ivory, Vine Street Brewing photo by BJ Sampson, Sensei Brands
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