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SCARE TACTICS The haunted houses worth losing sleep over

BATTLE LINES

Before Kansas and Missouri were sports rivals, a far more dangerous conflict raged

SWEET SPOT

A delicious tour of the metro’s best donuts, from classic cake to cream-filled indulgences

Big Belly Laughs Grandkid Cuddles

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Kansas City is our beat. As the city’s definitive magazine, we bring Kansas City to life with dynamic storytelling, unforgettable photography and design that pops. We’re the metro’s trusted, modern guide—celebrating what works, questioning what doesn’t, spotlighting innovation and curating the very best in culture, food, fashion and city life. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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34 Cover Story KC ON TAP

From expanding breweries and award-winning beers to inventive distillers and neighborhood gathering spots, Kansas City’s drinking scene is raising the bar

BATTLE LINES

These historic KC-area Civil War sites tell the story of the battles, bloodshed and bitter divisions that shaped the region

Kansas City October 2026

REASONS TO SMILE

Our annual guide to Kansas City’s Top Dentists makes finding the right dental care a little easier

THE HOLE STORY

From old-school glazed to over-the-top creations, these KC donut shops are serving up the good stuff

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IN THIS ISSUE

loop 15

RETAIL RESET New ownership brings another round of Zona Rosa reinvention

17 FRESH TAKES Kansas City FilmFest International puts emerging filmmakers and fresh voices on the big screen 19 BEYOND THE GAME KC’s sports stories are moving from the field to the screen as the city makes a bigger play for entertainment

beat

TIME WARP A local production of The Rocky Horror Show returns to Crown Center

IN PERFECT HARMONY Meet the new director of the Kansas City Symphony Chorus

BACKBEAT Trumpeter Nick Hmeljak releases his debut album

current 29

FRESH FRAGRANCES A botanical perfumer crafts unusual scents with the eccentric in mind

SPOOKY SEASON A guide to KC’s haunted houses

32 NOSE TO THE GRINDSTONE Furniture designer Matt Castilleja’s journey from apprentice to the pages of Architectural Digest

savor 77

GOING NUTS Contrary to yuletide carols, the peak season for chestnuts is right now

HOLE IN ONE From cronuts to good ole glazed, these are the metro’s best donut shops

PIQUANT PUNCH P.S. Speakeasy’s rum-based, chai-spiced cocktail is autumn in a glass

PERFECT DAY Kimberly Rowland takes over a KCK institution

IN EVERY ISSUE

12 13 88

Editor’s Letter Up Front Surreal Estate

ON THE COVER:

Photography by Zach Bauman

Kansas City October 2026

86 ’CUE CARD Two Mizzou grads turn their cross-country road trips into a barbecue travel guidebook 87

NEWSFEED The latest in KC food news

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only online Film star Terrence Howard made an appearance at the 30th Kansas City FilmFest to talk about his latest projects, two of which he shot in Kansas City. Howard has played a troubled high school student (Mr. Holland’s Opus), a struggling Memphis hustler (Hustle & Flow, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor), a trusted military friend of a superhero (Iron Man), and a smooth-talking ladies’ man (The Best Man)—and he’s planning on shooting more films in the city. He sat down with Kansas City magazine writer David Hodes to talk about it.

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F R O M T H E E D I TO R

History, Hops and Halloween

CONTRIBUTORS

Wesley Hamilton Art Director Wesley Hamilton is a designer, illustrator and artist who wants his work to delight you and make you think. We’re pleased to announce Hamilton as our new Art Director. He has years of photography and news design experience, most recently as a brand designer at Boulevard Brewing Co. He says this new position is his dream job and is looking forward to showing you why.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS about working at Kansas City magazine is finding new

ways to tell the stories of the place we call home. And sometimes that means looking back—a long way back. For this issue, writer Susie Whitfield explored Kansas City’s fascinating and complicated Civil War history, much of which unfolded in places we drive past every day. But this story isn’t just a retelling of history; we took it beyond the printed page. We collaborated with teacher Todd Campbell and students in the Blue Valley Center for Advanced Professional Studies Filmmaking and Animation program, who used Whitfield’s reporting as a jumping-off point to create their own documentary. The students interviewed local historians and Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, who helped narrate the story of a region that found itself quite literally caught between North and South. I love this collaboration for a lot of reasons. It gave talented high school students the chance to work on a real-world project, but it also allowed us to tell an important Kansas City story in an entirely different way. More than 160 years after the Civil War, a group of teenagers picked up cameras and helped bring that history to life. History, as it turns out, runs through another of this issue’s big features—although this one is considerably easier to enjoy with a pint in hand. Kansas City has a long and colorful beer history, and our beer and distillery package looks at where that story began and where it’s headed. Breweries are expanding into the Kansas suburbs, distillers are experimenting with unexpected ingredients and techniques, and taprooms have become neighborhood gathering spots as much as places to grab a pint. And the timing couldn’t be better. Fall has arrived, bringing those precious few weeks when Kansas City weather seems almost perfect. The humidity finally breaks, sweaters come out, patios become irresistible, and Halloween gives us an excuse to embrace the spooky side of the season. Then there are the donuts. In the name of serious journalism, food critic Tyler Shane took on the arduous task of eating her way through some of the metro’s best glazed, filled, frosted and old-fashioned options. She did the research so you don’t have to—though I still think you should, too. So whether this issue inspires you to explore a piece of Kansas City history, discover a new local brewery, scare yourself silly at a haunted house or simply go in search of a really great donut, I hope it gives you another reason to get out and enjoy Kansas City this fall. Dawnya Bartsch, editor-in-chief dawnya@kansascitymag.com

Kansas City October 2026

Pete Dulin Writer Kansas City native Pete Dulin, who wrote several pieces about KC beer and its history for this issue’s feature, might know more about the local beer scene than anyone else in the metro. He is currently writing Barons, Brewers, and Bootleggers: A Social History of Beer in Missouri and is also the author of several other books on the subject.

Susie Whitfield Writer Susie Whitfield, who taught language arts for 44 years, wrote this issue’s story exploring the area’s Civil War history. Whitfield, who is constantly inspired by her husband and sons, enjoys sharing Kansas City’s fabulous stories with the magazine’s readers. She likes going on road trips, gardening, fishing and spending hours researching random subjects for future articles.

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SAY WHAT? "Somebody who grew up in Kansas City might go to eastern North Carolina and try that and go, 'Whoa, this isn't barbecue!' or 'Whoa, this is really different!’ but I would encourage you, no matter what barbecue you grew up on, to expand your palate and just try other styles and try other places,"

MEXI-TERRANEAN September’s review of Beirut Taco, chef Maher Chebaro’s new restaurant off 39th Street, earned lots of accolades. The multicultural menu is a love child born from the cuisines of Chebaro’s Levantine homeland and the country he swears he belonged to in another life, Mexico.

Absolutely obsessed with this place. Killer food, $8 frozen margs—what more do you need!?? —Katie Camlin EVERYTHING HERE BANGS. —Tera Johnson Everything we had there was incredible. Can’t wait to go back! —John Kary

—Ryan Cooper, co-founder of barbecue newsletter The Smoke Sheet

NUMBERS FROM THIS ISSUE

160,000 The number of square feet at UMKC’s new Healthcare Delivery and Innovation Building, set to open in February 2027. PAGE 60

1975 The year Edge of Hell, a haunted house in the West Bottoms, opened its frightful doors. PAGE 31

160 The number of members in the Kansas City Symphony Chorus. PAGE 25

Everything, I mean everything, is not just good, but amazing. Makes me so happy to eat there. —Dan Fogarty

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A big thank-you to photographer Allayne Thornton, who was in the right place at the right time and able to capture images for our Civil War history story. kansascitymag.com October 2026

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What’s Next for Zona Rosa?

The Northland shopping district has sold for $63.3 million, and its new owner has big plans for its empty storefronts By Katie Baldwin

Continued on next page kansascitymag.com October 2026

LO O P

(Continued from page 15) FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES, Zona Rosa

has been one of the Northland’s most prominent shopping destinations—a walkable, open-air district of shops, restaurants and gathering spaces near I-29 and Barry Road. Now, the sprawling development is changing hands, and its new owner says a major revitalization is ahead. Florida-based CTO Realty Growth purchased the 768,000-square-foot mixed-use center for $63.3 million, or about $82 per square foot, according to a Sept. 14 announcement from the publicly traded real estate investment trust. The purchase marks CTO’s first acquisition in the Kansas City market. The company sees plenty of room for growth. Zona Rosa is currently 67% leased, according to CTO. Company president and CEO John Albright told KMBC that the goal is to bring occupancy to 97% or 98% by signing new leases as quickly as possible. Repositioning underperforming shopping centers is familiar territory for CTO, which specializes in open-air retail and mixed-use properties where it sees opportunities to fill vacancies, redevelop underused space and add tenants. In 2022, for example, the company purchased The Collection at Forsyth,

Kansas City October 2026

ZONA ROSA

67%

a 560,000-square-foot lifemanage and rethink it. A mulstyle center outside Atlanta timillion-dollar redevelopment that was about 80% leased followed, including demolition at the time. CTO now lists of some retail space and the national tenants including creation of new public areas CURRENT COMMERCIAL OCCUPANCY AT ZONA ROSA AMC, Academy Sports and where outdoor activities, such SHOPPING CENTER Sephora at the property. as winter ice skating, summer “There’s no plan to boot concerts and children’s soccer anybody out,” Albright says. CTO has hired games, are sometimes held. commercial real estate firm JLL to work The latest sale comes as Zona Rosa has with the existing leasing team to recruit added several recognizable retailers, such new businesses. as Urban Planet and Toys“R”Us. There’s also room to physically reshape the CTO is betting that the Northland can property. According to CTO, the 64-acre acquisupport considerably more. In its acquisisition includes about 10 acres of land ready for tion announcement, the company said about new development and roughly 100,000 square 100,000 people live within five miles of Zona feet of underutilized space. The company Rosa, with an average household income of describes its plans for Zona Rosa as a “longapproximately $124,000. The center, located term, multi-phase revitalization opportunity.” about six miles from Kansas City InternaZona Rosa opened in 2004 with an ambitional Airport, attracts an estimated 5.5 tious concept: create something with a small million visits annually, according to CTO. downtown feel, complete with streets, sideThe real estate company also stated that walks and public gathering spaces. But the extensive renovation work is planned, though development struggled when what is known a detailed plan has not been made public. as The Great Recession hit (roughly 2007 For a development that has spent years to 2009) and has had a hard time since. trying to recapture its early momentum, the In 2018, a new ownership group took con$63.3 million deal brings another reinventrol of the property and brought in Fort tion—and a new owner betting there’s plenty Worth-based Trademark Property Co. to of life left in Zona Rosa.

M OV I E M AG I C

Big Screen Dreams

Kansas City FilmFest International gives emerging filmmakers their moment in the spotlight

The cast and crew of the films Broken Ones and Transcending at the 30th Kansas City FilmFest Internation, from left to right: Tim Gagliardo, Broken Ones director; Micah Brandt, Broken Ones producer; David Block, Broken Ones executive producer; Paige Blakenship, Transcending producer; Alejandro Zavala, Broken Ones writer/producer; Terrence Howard, Broken Ones actor; Raleigh Cain, Transcending writer/actor; and Mike Luciano, Transcending executive producer/actor.

By David Hodes ONE OF THE LARGEST SHOWCASES of film-

makers’ creative spirit in the Midwest is the annual Kansas City FilmFest International, and this year’s fest was no different, attracting more than 2,000 attendees. Held at the AMC theater on Ward Parkway, the September event was the newest iteration of what started off in 1996 as the Kansas City Filmmakers Jubilee. Just as in years past, the festival showcased movies PHOTOGRAPHY BY GARRETT DUNCAN

from around the world but also many from local professional and student filmmakers. The original Jubilee festival was founded by Fred Andrews, who died in 2016 and, according to all who knew him, was one of the KC film community’s biggest cheerleaders. “[Fred Andrews was] a force of nature,” says Tom Poe, professor of film and media arts at UMKC, who worked with Andrews to develop the first Jubilee festival.

The festival has always featured appearances by Hollywood heavyweights such as actors Karen Black (Five Easy Pieces), Debra Winger (Urban Cowboy), Arliss Howard (Full Metal Jacket) and others. This year was no different, with Terrence Howard (Iron Man and Hustle & Flow) making an appearance. A mix of 22 local and international narrative and documentary feature films and 52 shorts (Continued on next page) kansascitymag.com October 2026

MOV I E M AGI C

KCFFI head programmer Melanie Addington presenting the Best Narrative Feature award to The King of Black Goo filmmaker Andrew Zappin.

(Continued from page 17) in all categories, including shorts from local students, were shown. The selection of movies ran the gamut from the serious to the sublime to the downright goofy, becoming the entertainment and education backdrop for the festival’s greater purpose of giving aspiring artists a public platform. The hubbub of excitement was palpable as moviemakers, casts, crews, family and friends cheered on their favorite films, exploring a variety of topics from baseball mythology in The Bridge to hate and Covid in Invisibility and Rage. And that is what makes KCFFI magical, especially for a first-time filmmaker, says Kevin Mullin, president of the KCFFI board of directors and a media art and design professor at UMKC. “I’ve got a lot of feedback from students saying they just never

Kansas City October 2026

imagined anything they would produce would show at a real theater like the AMC,” Mullin says. “It’s really a confidence-building kind of thing they get out of this.” Panels at the festival explored topics such as using AI, creating and distributing vertical videos, pitching a film idea for a cash prize, plus a discussion by Hollywood filmmakers about the financial and location benefits of filming in Kansas City. KCFFI is a juried festival. Among the top category winners are: Burn Scar by Hillary Bachelder, Best Documentary Feature; Whale 52 by Daniel Neiden, Best Narrative Short; Pedal Faster by Ira Good; The King of Black Goo by Andrew Zappin, Best Narrative Feature; and Seized by Sharon Liese, the Heartland Filmmaker award winner. The Fred Andrews Emerging

Filmmaker Award recognizing an emerging filmmaker went to Suenos, directed by Valerie Tiscareno. The award includes a $500 cash prize and a $750 production credit from Frameline Studios. Melanie Addington, a former juror for the festival who stepped in as head programmer this year, says the organizers deliberately set out to include not only films about super-important topics but also fun, celebratory movies. “We selected some that are not giving you a powerful message,” she says. “It’s really kind of fun.” For many of the festival films, Addington says, it’s about celebrating and feeling good after you walk out of the theater and laughing with people that you’ve never met before. “It’s about ‘Oh yeah, this is why we go to the movies,’” Addington says.

LO O P

KC’s Next Play

Kansas City’s sports scene is expanding into entertainment with a new film festival and the Chiefs getting behind the camera By Ian Ritter WE ALL KNOW KC IS A SPORTS TOWN, and now the Kansas City Film Office is also

getting in on the game. This summer, the office held its inaugural two-day Full Tilt Film Festival, a sports-orientated weekend of films and panel discussions centered on a niche particularly suited to this sports-obsessed city: storytelling at the intersection of sports, film media and culture. Held at the end of August at venues around Kansas City, Full Tilt brought together filmmakers, athletes and entertainment-industry executives for screenings, panel discussions and live events. Friday’s programming included a 20th anniversary Friday Night Lights screening at Union Station, while Saturday’s festival activities largely took PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN RITTER

B E YO N D T H E G A M E

place on 18th and Vine. Other films included ESPN’s The Brittney Griner Story about the WNBA star’s imprisonment in Russia and The Future Is Flag, a documentary exploring the rise of flag football. Discussions featured speakers from ESPN and other major sports and entertainment companies. The documentary Chasing Goals, shot in KC, directed by a local filmmaker and produced in part by the Chiefs and comedian Trevor Noah, not only premiered at the festival but was chosen to close out the event. The film, which follows young refugees who have resettled in Kansas City’s Historic Northeast neighborhood and found community, purpose and hope through soccer, will leave you a bit heartbroken. The story traces the enormous obstacles they’ve faced— from war and displacement to profound personal loss—and the resilience required to build new lives in an unfamiliar country. The documentary perfectly illustrates what Full Tilt was created to explore: the increasingly blurry line between professional sports organizations and entertainment companies. Among the documentary’s producers are Trevor Noah’s Day Zero Productions, sports media studio Wavelength and entertainment studio Foolish Club Studios, which was launched by Kansas City Chiefs leadership in February 2025. Foolish Club Studios represents the Chiefs’ ambitions well beyond game-day football. The company was created to develop original scripted and unscripted entertainment, both short- and long-form, including stories that aren’t necessarily about the Chiefs. It is separate from the team’s longtime in-house production operation, 65 Toss Power Trap Productions, which remains focused primarily on Chiefs and football content. Even the new studio’s name reaches back into Chiefs history. Founder Lamar Hunt and the seven other owners who created the American Football League were dubbed the “Foolish Club” for having the audacity to challenge the firmly established NFL. The two leagues eventually merged, and Hunt’s once-foolish idea helped transform professional football. Kansas City has become accustomed to thinking of itself as a major sports city. Full Tilt is making a different bet: that the city can become a place where important sports stories aren’t merely happening but are being discovered, financed, filmed and brought to audiences around the world. kansascitymag.com October 2026

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W H E R E YO U WA N T TO B E I N O C T O B E R

Time Warp

A local theater company pays tribute to Tim Curry in its annual production of The Rocky Horror Show By Nina Cherry THEATER WIZ NICK PADGETT seems to do it all. Each October for

as a bit more raw, rock ‘n’ roll and elaborate than the movie,” he says. the past decade, the Tony Award-winning producer directs, produces The theater company, now in its 21st season, rotates some of its and slips into his fishnets to play the leading role of Frank-N-Furter cast each year and incorporates new staging and technical elements in a local production of The Rocky Horror Show. to keep things fresh. But Padgett’s role as the hedonistic mad sciThis year, the actor and his theater company, Padgett entist endures. Productions, will pay tribute to the most well-known and Above all, Padgett says the local production has created a beloved portrayal of Frank-N-Furter: Tim Curry’s. “At the sense of kinship, welcoming audience members from all walks GO: heart of Rocky Horror is Tim Curry,” Padgett says. of life. He’s even officiated a wedding and facilitated a couple October 2–31. All For those more familiar with the cult-classic film adapof proposals throughout the production’s decade-long run. showtimes at 8 pm. The Grand Theater tation, which stars the late Curry, Padgett says the campy “Rocky Horror has become a Kansas City tradition during at Crown Center. musical differs slightly (though you can still expect to hear the Halloween season,” Padgett says. “It’s a connector; it’s Learn more at earworms like “Time Warp” and “Hot Patootie”). “It comes off built a community.” rockyhorrorkc.com.

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kansascitymag.com October 2026

oct

B E AT

W H AT YOU WANT TO DO TH IS MO NTH BY NINA CH ERRY

2&3

Heartland Book Festival

This free festival returns for its fourth year, bringing together local and national authors for two days of programming. Heartland Book Festival kicks off on Friday night with Tayari Jones, whose latest release, Kin, made the New York Times’ list of best novels this year. On Saturday, bestselling romance authors Sierra Simone (who calls KC home) and Tessa Bailey team up for a discussion. Victoria Aveyard and Soman Chainani close out the festival by recording an episode for their podcast, “Plot Twist,” as they discuss Tempest, Aveyard’s latest release. October

2 & 3. Times vary. Mid-Continent Public Library Woodneath Library Center & Kansas City Public Library Central Branch.

3&4

Kansas City Mavericks vs. Rapid City Rush

For the past three seasons, the Kansas City Mavericks have made a name for themselves as one of the ECHL’s best teams, consistently sitting atop the Mountain Division. With standout players like Marcus Crawford and Casey Carreau returning to the rink, the sticks are down as the Mavs kick off the 2026–2027 season with two home matches against Rapid City Rush. October 16, 7:05 pm and October 17, 6:05 pm. Cable Dahmer Arena.

22 Kansas City October 2026

PHOTOGR APHY PROVIDED BY K ANSAS CIT Y MAVERICKS

16 & 17

Weston Applefest

Head to Weston Applefest for a beautiful fall weekend just outside of the city. The free festivities kick off on Saturday morning with a parade, followed by live music, local crafters, warm apple dumplings and more in Weston’s quaint downtown. While nearby, we recommend making a pit stop at Weston Bend State Park’s overlook to take in the fall foliage and scenic river bluff views. October 3 & 4. Times vary. Main Street, Weston.

John Green presents Hollywood, Ending

If you grew up devouring John Green’s popular young adult novels like Paper Towns and The Fault in Our Stars, then you’re in for a treat. The author has debuted his first

novel written for adults. Hollywood, Ending—Green’s first work of fiction in nearly a decade—follows two emerging actors in the midst of filming an Andy Warhol biopic, navigating romance and a sudden life in the public eye. Green stops in KC on his book tour for this Rainy Day Books event. October 6. 7 pm. Unity Temple on the Plaza.

9–11 Panda Fest

This Asian food and cultural festival, one of the biggest in the nation, makes its KC debut. At Panda Fest, Legends Field transforms into an open-air market featuring live performances, artisans and more than 90 food vendors. Sample cuisines from Vietnam, China, Japan, Thailand and beyond throughout the weekend. October 9–11. Times vary. Legends Field.

9–11

Kansas City Symphony Presents The Planets

Since its debut in 1918, Gustav Holst’s orchestral suite The Planets has been an international sensation. From aggressive, brass-heavy movements like “Mars” to the more serene “Jupiter,” this sweeping celestial work has even inspired Hollywood scores like Star Wars. In addition to pieces by Giacinto Scelsi, Ludwig van Beethoven and Bohuslav Martinů, the Kansas City Symphony performs all seven movements alongside the Symphony Chorus. October 9–11. Times vary. Helzberg Hall.

Waldo Fall Fest

Experience a day of family fun at the 34th annual Waldo Fall Fest. Each year, the free festival welcomes food trucks, pop-up shops, kids’ activities and live performances. October 10.

10 am. Wornall Road & Gregory Boulevard.

C A L E N DA R

16–31 Dark Forest

In need of an adrenaline rush? Head to Dark Forest for an eerie evening of performance art in the great outdoors. A collaboration between Powell Gardens and cirque company Quixotic, attendees take a one-mile, after-hours stroll through the botanical gardens among special effects and live performers like acrobats, musicians and dancers. October 16–31. Gates open at 5:30. Powell Gardens.

Día de los Muertos Celebration

The Museum of Kansas City.

Sammy Rae & The Friends

When listening to Sammy Rae & The Friends’ funky hits like “Kick It to Me” and “The Feeling,” it’s hard to sit still. Led by frontwoman Sammy Rae’s powerful and agile voice, the group is an amalgamation of each member’s wide-spanning influences: rock, jazz, soul and beyond. The band’s KC performance follows the release of their third studio album, SUN. Indie-soul band Melt opens. October 20. 8 pm. The Truman.

Yee Haw!

Missouri-born comic Caleb Hearon’s career has skyrocketed in recent years. In addition to his popular podcast “So True!,” his film and TV credits continue to accumulate with recent roles in The Devil Wears Prada 2, Sweethearts and his own HBO Max comedy special. But each fall, Hearon reliably hosts Yee

Haw!, KC Tenants’ annual fundraiser, alongside singer-songwriter Waxahatchee. This year, famed drag queen Trixie Mattel joins the lineup. October 23. 8 pm. Uptown Theater.

23–25

PBR Outlaw Days

The Kansas City Outlaws, one of 10 teams in the Professional Bull Riders, host their annual homestand and the final event of the league’s regular season: Outlaw Days. While traditional rodeos include a range of riding and roping competitions, expect just one event at PBR matches. Competitors are scored on their ability to hold on to a bull,

Ryan & Ryan Kickin’ the Clouds Away From Rachmaninoff to Billy Joel, this father-son piano duo plays a little bit of everything. Donald Ryan, the patriarch of the group, is a native of Trinidad and Tobago who came to the United States to study music and is now a member of the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame. Following in his father’s footsteps, Barron Ryan first took the stage as a four-year-old and hasn’t stopped since. Expect a program that spans ragtime, classical, funk and more. October 25. 7 pm. Polsky Theatre.

one-handed, for eight seconds. Oc-

tober 23–25. Times vary. T-Mobile Center.

24 & 25 Boo at the Zoo

Enjoy daytime trick-or-treating (and another opportunity to don a costume) at the Kansas City Zoo’s “not-so-scary” Halloween event. Collect candy while roaming the park, and be sure to visit the zoo’s new indoor habitat, Giraffe Crossing, which opened earlier this year. October 24 & 25. 9:30 am. Kansas City Zoo.

In My Jazz Era: Nosferatu

Celebrate Halloween with a frightful screening of the pioneering 1922 silent film Nosferatu, accompanied by a new score from the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra. An unauthorized spin-off of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the film became the blueprint for the horror genre, despite most copies being destroyed as a result of a copyright lawsuit. October 31. 6 pm. Tom’s Town Distillery.

kansascitymag.com October 2026

PHOTOGR APHY PROVIDED BY JCCC MIDWEST TRUST CENTER

The Museum of Kansas City celebrates Día de los Muertos, also known as Day of the Dead, a little early. The museum’s 13th annual festival features music from Mariachi Estrella, dance performances from Grupo Folklórico Izcalli, face painting and more. Grab a bite from one of the food trucks on the museum lawn, browse the vendor fair, and be sure to bring an item of remembrance for the community altars. October 17. 5 pm.

PHOTOGR APHY PROVIDED BY SAR AH J. SLOVER

B E AT

24 Kansas City October 2026

I N T E RV I E W

Music expresses things in a way that is very profound. We as human beings relate to it.

Preaching to the Choir

Betsy Burleigh talks choral music and her new position with the Kansas City Symphony Chorus By Ryan Reed LAST MONTH, THE KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY named Betsy Burleigh

the instrumental world and the vocal world as a very young person. I always loved chorus, perhaps a little bit more because the other piece of the alchemy is putting words to music and what that powerful union is able to do in terms of artistic expression.

director of its Symphony Chorus, the 160-person volunteer ensemble that has served as the orchestra’s choral voice since 1988. Burleigh, an acclaimed choral conductor and educator, first worked with the group as guest chorus director this past spring and quickly earned the admiration of singers and staff alike. As chorus director, Burleigh will prepare the ensemble for performances with music director Matthias Pintscher and continue to guide its artistic development. Most recently, Burleigh chaired the choral conduction department at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, a tenure she held for more than a decade. She also spent 10 years as music director of the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh and has held posts with the Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland Opera and several other symphonic choruses. We sat down with Burleigh to chat about her new position with the Kansas City Symphony, classical music in the modern world and more.

Do you have any favorite choral traditions or styles? It depends on the music I’m working with at the time—that’s always my favorite. Right now, I’m really loving Brahms and the music of his era. I can guarantee when we start rehearsals for Handel’s Messiah, I will be completely in love with music of the Baroque. So I guess I’m fickle. What do you feel the place and importance of classical music is in the modern world? Every era has its own style of music and its place. It almost becomes a sociological study. I do believe that great music is great music and it doesn’t matter when it was written. If it is effective as a piece of music, it’s great stuff. Music expresses things in a way that is very profound. We as human beings relate to it.

What exactly does a symphony chorus director do? The director is the conductor of the chorus. But, primarily, the job is preparing the chorus to perform with the symphony itself, which means preparing for different conductors as opposed to conducting the concert yourself.

Often this music is associated with an older crowd. Is there a fear that this interest in it will fade as the audience grows older, or is there a younger, more renewed audience? I do think that there was a waning, but in terms of young people, I think the important thing is if we can get them involved. Can we get them singing? Can we get them playing? If you’ve wrestled yourself with playing the flute or playing the violin, you will appreciate the caliber of playing that the Kansas City Symphony is able to do. I think there’s always hope for the future. I think it’s just about getting young people involved.

What is it like working with people and their voices as compared to people and their instruments? The rehearsal process is a little bit more elongated with voices than it is with instruments. That’s the core difference in a technical way. I enjoy working with singers a lot, particularly the volunteer chorus that symphonies usually have. I adore the energy of this collection of people who love to sing and love the art. They are willing to give up an evening every week to participate, and that’s a very special person. There’s always a very special energy in the room. For more information

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What is it that drew you specifically to work in choral music? My mother was a singer, and we did a lot of singing at home. I played the piano and the oboe, so I had a foot in

about the Kansas City Symphony Chorus, including auditions and upcoming events, visit kcsymphony.org.

Why should someone see choral or classical music performed? There is an energy and experience in live music which is like no other. It doesn’t matter if you have the very best sound system or the very best headphones. Nothing can touch being in the room; there’s a sonic experience that is unique and fantastic. kansascitymag.com October 2026

B AC K B E AT

PHOTO PROVIDED BY OPEN CHANNEL

Full House

Jazz fusion band Open Channel’s forthcoming debut album, Alive, is a showcase of the group’s seamless interplay AT TRUMPETER NICK HMELJAK’S HOUSE,

somebody is usually making music. The leader of local jazz fusion band Open Channel, Hmeljak lives with two of his fellow bandmates, bassist Andrew Voggesser and drummer Matt Robertson. That proximity is part of what makes the tight-knit group meld so organically. “I can feel it when we play,” Hmeljak says. “We rehearse, but the real rehearsals are the hangs. The music we play is so interactive; we listen and feed off of each other a lot, so it really feels the same as having a good conversation.” On October 22, Open Channel will release its debut album, Alive, celebrating its launch the same night at the Crossroads’ Third Place Lounge. A showcase of the group’s seamless interplay, the album is anchored by Hmeljak, Voggesser, Robertson, vibraphonist Isaiah Petrie and guitarist Aidan Murrow. “The songs are all kind of abstract, but they’re all written with sentimental moments in mind from all of our lives,” Hmeljak says. To promote the record, Open Channel has released two singles from Alive: Voggesser’s “Time Crunch” and Robertson’s “I Don’t Feel Quite Like Myself.” “[Voggesser] writes these

really epic and jubilant melodies,” Hmeljak says. “[‘Time Crunch’] is super groovy. It kind of reminds me of a chicken flying through space.” Robertson’s song is, simply put, a sonic recollection of a bad trip. As a whole, the project is a mosaic of the formative (and sometimes turbulent) moments of young adulthood. The trio also hosts monthly house shows and weekly jam sessions in their home. They even adopted a cat together, who lends her name to the house’s moniker, Winnie’s Place. “The jams have been a big part of the band’s sound,” Hmeljak says. The forthcoming album also marks Hmeljak’s first record as a bandleader. The trumpeter, who is originally from Bloomsure if it would work out. The first year was ington, Indiana, comes from a family of so crazy.” But it didn’t take too long for Hmelmusicians: His mom is a classical pianist, jak to find his groove. and his dad is the lead singer of an Afropop Where Music City is chock-full of honkyband. As a child, he’d take the stage alongtonky clubs and recording studios, Hmeljak side his dad, lending a hand with auxiliary says KC has offered something different. He percussion. sees the city as an oasis for creativAfter studying music just ity—one that’s welcomed him with outside of Nashville, Hmeljak open arms. “I don’t think I could be GO: relocated to Kansas City three doing really any of the things I’m Alive Release Party. October 22. 6 pm. years ago, shortly after graduating doing now in Nashville—the jam Third Place Lounge college. “I didn’t know anybody or sessions at our house, the sense (1744 Broadway anything here,” he says. “I wasn’t Blvd., KCMO). of community,” Hmeljak says.

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kansascitymag.com October 2026

PHOTO PROVIDED BY PATRICK OLIVERIO

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A botanical perfumer is crafting niche scents with the eccentric in mind By Nina Cherry HAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO BOTTLE UP the scent of your cat’s

fur? Or smell like the bitter, herbal aperitivo you sipped at happy hour? Niche scents like those are botanical perfumer For Strange Women’s speciality, and, as the name implies, they’re crafted with the eccentric in mind. Owned by Jill McKeever, the indie fragrance brand launched in 2009 and operated strictly as an online shop before opening its first brick and mortar in 2014. A designer and photographer by trade, McKeever is a self-taught botanical perfumer who relies on plant resins, balsams and essential oils rather than synthetic fragrances. It’s a craft that pre-dates modern perfumery by thousands of years. “A lot of times, people think my job is chemistry,” McKeever says. “While there’s a lot of careful measurement to stay within safety guidelines, I don’t produce any chemicals—I’m taking what’s been extracted from plants and working with that. There’s a lot of artistry to it.” As opposed to many alcohol-based sprays, For Strange Women’s products are oil-based, which McKeever says wears closer to the skin. PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURA MORSMAN

“Oil doesn’t have that fast evaporation that alcohol does, so it’s a slow evolution throughout the day,” she says. “The oil interacts with the skin chemistry, so it might turn a little sweeter on some people or smokier on others.” Of the company’s nuanced collection, Vixen—a musky, amber aroma with notes of black pepper and coffee—and the aptly-titled November— which evokes a stormy autumn morning in a cabin in the woods—are fitting for fall. Winter Kitty, a scent inspired by McKeever’s cat frolicking through the snow, is a favorite among cat ladies and will soon make its seasonal return as it does every year. And each new moon, the perfumer launches a limited-edition scent; the most recent release was inspired by the atmosphere before a tornado. The company also produces concentrated extraits, candles, bath products, incense and more. But McKeever says the business’ bestseller by far is the bergamot- and lavender-heavy London Fog. “It’s simple and easy to love,” McKeever says. “It’s great for someone who is new to perfume and isn’t into complex, weird stuff yet.” Although For Strange Women was viewed as rather obscure when it made its debut 17 years ago, the brand has since found a cult following among clean beauty and indie perfume lovers, largely relying on online sales. But sampling the scents in person at the airy Crossroads storefront, which is tucked into an alley off of 18th Street, is the best way to shop. Browse For Strange Women’s collection in-person at 115 W. 18th St., Suite 107, KCMO, or online at forstrangewomen.com. kansascitymag.com October 2026

PHOTOGR APHY PROVIDED BY HELLS GATE

CURRENT

30 Kansas City October 2026

TREND

Ticketed Terror

Kansas City’s haunted houses are ready to scare you silly By Ryan Reed

THERE’S SOMETHING DELIGHTFULLY BACKWARD

PHOTOGR APHY PROVIDED BY FULL MOON PRODUC TIONS

about paying good money to be terrified. But every fall, thousands of Kansas Citians line up in the dark, cold air of the West Bottoms to do exactly that. Psychologists chalk it up to “safe fear,” the same rush of adrenaline and cortisol you’d get from a genuine threat, minus the actual danger, all wrapped up in a controlled environment you can walk (or run) out of whenever you like. Whether it’s the thrill of going through them alongside friends, the bragging rights that come after or the terrifyingly imaginative design that goes into them, it’s no wonder haunted houses have become a KC fall tradition on par with Chiefs tailgates and pumpkin patches. Here’s Kansas City magazine’s guide to where to get spooked this season. THE BEAST 1401 W. 13th St., KCMO Tucked into a century-old warehouse, The Beast has earned a reputation as one of the best haunted attractions in the country. Four stories of open-format scares mean there’s no single path through the darkness, so guests wander at their own risk while werewolves, phantoms and other monsters lie in wait around every blind corner. If four floors of dread aren’t enough, thrill-seekers can pay extra to leap from The Beast’s fourth-story window onto a jump bag below. The house runs Friday and Saturday nights (plus Halloween and the first weekend of November), with tickets running around $35. Make sure to arrive one hour before the scheduled entry time at the Central Waiver Station at 1300 W. 13th. kcbeast.com.

EDGE OF HELL 1300 W. 12th St., KCMO A block over, Edge of Hell has been terrifying Kansas Citians since 1975, making it the longest continuously running commercial haunted attraction in the country. The five-story journey is themed as a descent through purgatory and heaven into hell itself, with claustrophobic passageways, a vortex tunnel and a slide that drops you straight into the depths. Along the way, guests come face to face with live snakes, spiders and even a crocodile, plus longtime cast favorites like Ratman, who’s been letting live rats crawl into his mouth for more than two decades. It’s the kind of theatrical, family-legacy haunt that’s rightfully landed it on national “scariest in America” lists. edgeofhell.com. MACABRE CINEMA 1222 W. 12th St., KCMO Rounding out the trio of West Bottoms sites, Macabre Cinema takes a different approach, building its scares around cinematic horror rather than a single narrative descent. Like The Beast and Edge of Hell, it’s operated by Full Moon Productions, the family business behind Kansas City’s haunted-house empire led by the “Queen of Haunts,” Amber Arnett-Bequeaith. Macabre Cinema opens a bit later in the season than its neighbors, typically starting up in late September. Combo tickets that bundle all three West Bottoms houses are a great way to make a full night of it. macabrecinema.com.

WORLDS OF FUN HALLOWEEN HAUNT 4545 Worlds of Fun Ave., KCMO For a haunted experience with a theme-park twist, Halloween Haunt transforms Worlds of Fun into a sprawling, multi-scare-zone production on select nights each fall. It takes a small army of around 250 costumed “screamsters” to pull off the haunted mazes and themed zones spread across the park. It’s less claustrophobic haunted house and more immersive horror carnival, which makes it a solid pick for anyone who wants scares mixed with midway rides and snacks. Tickets run separately from general park admission, so check the schedule before you go. worldsoffun.enchantedparks.com. EXILED: TRAIL OF TERRORS 12829 Loring Road, Bonner Springs This one-mile hike through the woods is “a heart-pounding haunted forest experience that takes you deep into the dark, twisted outdoors.” Perfect for thrill-seekers and horror fans, this terrifying hike combines scares, suspense and sinister fun you won’t forget. exiledkc.com. HELLS GATE (ACRES OF MADNESS) 5615 Wolcott Drive, KCK Stretching over five football fields in length with 13 themed rooms, Hells Gate is part of the larger Acres of Madness complex at Lakeside Speedway. Last year at Acres of Madness, they also offered the “Zombie Purge Bus,” which allowed riders to “hunt real, blood-thirsty zombies with paintball guns” on a 14-foot-tall “Monster Bus.” hellsgatekck.com. kansascitymag.com October 2026

CURRENT

Kansas City October 2026

F U R N I T U R E F O RWA R D

Hustle and Show

From garage tinkering to Architectural Digest, Matt Castilleja isn’t afraid of work By Ryan Reed

IF THERE’S ONE THING that ties together

the arc of furniture designer Matt Castilleja’s career, it’s the hustle. From bartending and random handyman jobs to being featured in Architectural Digest and having his pieces shown in New York, San Francisco and Atlanta, a dedication to putting in the work has been the bridge that Castilleja built with his own hands. When the recession hit in 2008, Castilleja was pursuing a master’s in architecture at UMKC. Rather than take on more debt for a career path he wasn’t completely sold on, he took the foundations of the design process he had learned and decided to forge his own way ahead. “I wanted to be a hands-on designer,” Castilleja says. “Sitting in an architecture firm didn’t interest me anymore.” Castilleja started tinkering in his garage, then enrolled at Metropolitan Community College’s Business and Technology campus, where he earned a welding certification while bartending nights. That certification led him to a stint at Dimensional Innovations, where he learned precision metalwork. By his early 20s, Castilleja had slowly become the neighborhood’s go-to handyman. He bought a cheap welder from Northern Tool and started fixing gates and one-off jobs for the bars where he bartended. But he wanted more than odd jobs. He wanted a real education in the craft. Castilleja’s aunt pointed him toward two mentors in Kansas City’s design world: furniture maker Dave Polivka and sculptor Tom Corbin. Polivka had a shop in an old building on Third Street, and Castilleja PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAKE WICKERSHAM

sought him out. “Who are you, and what are you doing here?” Castilleja recalls him saying during their first interaction. When Castilleja explained his desire to learn and work, Polivka wasn’t interested. But Castilleja just kept showing up until Polivka relented: He could stick around so long as he didn’t break anything or cut his hands off. What followed was less an apprenticeship than a full immersion. Working unpaid, Castilleja built himself a small room inside the shop and showered at a nearby gym, effectively living above the furnace room for years while he learned traditional woodworking techniques. When hard times forced Polivka to close the business, he handed Castilleja the shop’s machines and materials as back pay for years of labor—and with an LLC already in hand, Castilleja took over the lease himself. In the years following, Castilleja operated as what he calls “a hired gun,” building custom pieces from other people’s sketches just to keep the lights on. He began writing intellectual property clauses into his contracts so that any design development work he did beyond simply executing someone else’s exact drawings belonged to him. This let him keep building a paying business while also growing his own product line, piece by piece. On the advice of sculptor Tom Corbin, Castilleja began showing at design trade fairs like the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York and WestEdge Design in Santa Monica. These appearances eventually landed him representation in showrooms in Atlanta, Los Angeles, San Francisco and

New York. A trip to Italy for his 30th birthday reshaped his aesthetic further. Castelleja was struck by the way Italians integrated ancient stonework into contemporary spaces, treating marble almost casually. “How cool would it be to take something we perceive as precious and just kind of turn it on its head?” he remembers thinking. He began designing marble bases for his furniture soon after, elevating a material KC buyers rarely saw paired with locally made wood pieces. Business accelerated further after Castilleja signed with a California showroom just before the pandemic hit. But with work drying up locally, he and his wife cold-called roughly 300 designers using contact lists pulled from old issues of Architectural Digest and Elle Decor. Several of those calls turned into projects that were later featured in both magazines. These days, Castilleja is eyeing a new frontier: lighting. Working with a collection of antique cast-iron molds from the 1800s and a glass artisan, Castilleja’s studio is developing light fixtures blown from historic silhouettes and finished with a contemporary lens. It’s a natural extension of the philosophy that’s guided him since his days above the furnace room—pairing traditional craft with a modern eye. “I think there’s going to be a big resurgence for more traditional design, especially in lighting,” Castilleja says. Castilleja’s showroom is at 506 Grand Boulevard in the River Market, and his nearby 14,000-square-foot workshop is where all of it comes to life. For more information, visit mattcastilleja.com. kansascitymag.com October 2026

34 Kansas City October 2026

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ZACH BAUMAN

From award-winning beers and small-batch spirits to ambitious expansions, KC’s brewers and distillers are finding new ways to grow while keeping local flavor at the heart of what they do

Kansas City has been brewing something up for a very long time. Long before craft beer became a movement—or anyone debated the merits of hazy IPAs and wild-fermented ales—local brewers were turning out lager along the Missouri River, building sprawling breweries and beer gardens and helping shape the young city around them. More than a century later, that restless spirit hasn’t gone anywhere. KC’s beer and spirits scene is changing, but it certainly isn’t standing still. Local breweries are pushing deeper into the suburbs, opening new taprooms and investing in bigger, better equipment. Here we take a look at where Kansas City’s drinking culture has been, where it’s headed and a few of the people keeping the taps flowing and stills running.

kansascitymag.com October 2026

The Art of Getting Bigger BKS Artisan Ales is expanding while holding tight to its small-batch roots By Tyler Shane

36 Kansas City October 2026

WHEN IT COMES TO CRAFT BREWS, BKS Artisan Ales

in Brookside has been a go-to brewery for the metro’s beer nerds. You know the type: the folks who observe a cold one’s foam height and then swirl the glass to release “volatile compounds.” Since opening their neighborhood brewery in 2017, Brian and Mary Rooney have deliberately taken a small-batch mentality to their beers, churning out as many as four to five batches a week while constantly fine-tuning those recipes. Almost a decade later, the brewery’s success has led to another taproom opening in the Crossroads and two gold medals in the World Beer Cup competition. Over the years, Kansas City magazine’s coverage of BKS hasn’t hesitated to call the brewery “the top of the heap.” However, when a small-scale brewery enters a new chapter of growth, it begs the question: Can a brewery built for beer

PHOTOGR APHY PROVIDED BY BKS ARTISAN ALES

KÖLSCH-STYLE ALE SERVICE

nerds scale up without sacrificing the things those nerds obsess over? As I sit with Brian, Mary and their pup Pivo (after whom they named their monthly lager series) on the brewery’s Brookside patio, our conversation begins with the most obvious topic: hops. The couple tells me about the two farms on New Zealand’s South Island they’ve been sourcing Rakau hops from (about a thousand pounds a year) and how the hops lend a “dank edge” to their gold medal-winning session IPA, Which Way. It seems craft-beer lovers have little to worry about. For BKS, growth has just meant more resources to indulge the same obsessive attention to detail that defined its early years. “We started with one of the crappiest brewing systems on planet Earth that a brewery could ever have,” Brian says. “Everything we did was painstakingly, terribly slow, hard to do and complicated. But all the painstaking effort we went into in the early years gave us the capacity or credibility to invest in the future.” One of the biggest game changers for the brewery came in 2021, when BKS bought its own canning line. Say you’re sipping a glass of BKS’ German-style Keller pilsner or maybe a hazy double IPA (which, I have it on the Ronneys’ authority, has not gone out of style, no matter what other folks in the industry might be saying) and decide to take a can home. The beer you drink at home should taste nearly identical to the one you had on draft. For those of us more concerned with drinking the beer than dissecting it, that might sound obvious, but the experience of drinking a beer from a can versus a draft pour can be surprisingly different. The canning line helps eliminate dissolved oxygen, preserving the beer’s quality from the brewery to your fridge. “The technology that we’re using for our canning process is state of the art,” Brian says. “For a small brewery like us, it’s pretty uncommon to have equipment like that.” The canning line also makes a huge difference when it comes to dropping off beers to be judged for competitions, and I imagine there’s no coincidence between the purchase of the canning line and the brewery’s 2021 Great American Beer Festival win, when it took home a silver for Clouds, a double hazy IPA. One of the couple’s next goals is to turn the refrigerated to-go cans

section into more of a shopping experience for customers by “[creating] the visual intrigue that matches what’s inside the can,” Brian says. That means working with local artists to create labels and stocking up so searching for the right beer feels like your own personal liquor store. No matter the growth, the goal for Brian and Mary has always remained the same: make good beer. While large-scale brewers might make a single batch of beer once or twice a year, BKS’ small-batch approach means making more batches more often. And with each batch comes another opportunity to tweak, taste and fine-tune the recipe. Take their other gold medal-winning beer from this year’s World Beer Cup competition, the Westland. The New Zealand-style IPA had been entered into competitions before and would make it past the first rounds of voting but never quite make it to the final rounds. The Rooneys kept tweaking everything from the water profile and malt to the hops combinations and, perhaps most unpredictably, the yeast. Brian compares yeast to a cat. “It

will do whatever it wants to do, but you have to know how to get your cat to do what you want to do, and we’ve become really good at that.” Eventually, they got it right—and the Westland became a winner. The Crossroads location, which opened in December of last year, is an opportunity to serve the award-winning beers to a different part of the metro in a different way, too. Once a month, the Crossroads site serves a Kölsch-style ale service, a style of serving Kölsch that is unique to Cologne, Germany. The Kölsch-style ale is served in its own type of small glassware in a traditional kranz tray. Every Wednesday, you can snag a two-dollar Kölsch in that specialty glassware. At Brian’s recommendation, “drink them cold and fast.” Turns out, there may be no contradiction between getting bigger and getting nerdier. For BKS, growth has meant better equipment, more room to experiment and more opportunities to obsess over the minutiae that can turn a good beer into a great one. Nearly a decade in, the brewery may be getting bigger, but it’s still sweating the same small stuff. kansascitymag.com October 2026

38 Kansas City October 2026

PHOTOGR APHY PROVIDED BY LIF TED SPIRITS

MICHAEL STUCKEY

Still Tinkering At Lifted Spirits, master distiller Michael Stuckey turns local ingredients, old-world know-how and a taste for improvisation into distinctly Kansas City spirits By Tyler Shane MICHAEL STUCKEY USES THE WORD “TINKERING” a lot when dis-

cussing his distillation methods. It’s an appropriate word for the improvisational approach he uses as owner and master distiller of Lifted Spirits. Rather than staying stuck on tradition (something the distillation world can be hell-bent on), Stuckey is more interested in evoking an experience with the various liqueurs he produces for his Crossroads micro-distillery and cocktail bar. That’s how tulsi, or holy basil, ends up in a bottle of gin and hibiscus finds its way into absinthe. “That’s why I think what we do is inherently Kansas City,” says Stuckey, Photography by Elements Studio Photography

who opened Lifted Spirits in 2016. “It’s like Kansas City jazz, Kansas City barbecue. It’s an improvisation built off of knowledge to make new things.” Stuckey started building his foundation of distilling knowledge from library books, specifically French distillation manuals from the late 1800s. This worked particularly well when he began distilling Kansas City’s first absinthe, Absinthe Verte. Then, as a former gin hater, he created a gin he loved: Bright Gin. Bright Gin uses 11 botanicals, including hibiscus, chamomile, orange zest and elderberry. Stuckey describes it as “meant to heal that relationship with gin from

the past that maybe didn’t go so well.” The more comfortable Stuckey got with experimenting with botanicals, the more he felt comfortable playing with what was locally available, like Traminette grapes grown in Missouri and pawpaw fruit. Stuckey gets his Traminette grapes from KC Wineworks, a small family-owned winery in Macon, Missouri. The vineyard partnered with Stuckey to create a brandy that’s aged seven years in Missouri white oak barrels. Stuckey describes the local brandy as “very kind,” mellow and gently sweet with notes of honey, caramel and elderflower. It was recently released as part of the distillery’s Lab Chronicles, a single-batch project with a “when it’s gone, it’s gone” approach, Stuckey says. He doesn’t worry about running out of a spirit. He feels confident the next one will be just as great. Possibly one of the more exclusive batches from Lifted Spirits and its Lab Chronicles line is the pawpaw gin. Stuckey’s team personally foraged for the pawpaw, the native Missouri fruit and the gin’s key ingredient, resulting in just 600 bottles. In the gin, jasmine green tea, mango and banana balance the pawpaw, making for a bright, citrusy gin. If you’re quick, you should still be able to snag a bottle this month. When drinking one of these limited-edition spirits, you might notice Lifted Spirits’ taproom is like the spirits it creates—unexpected. With drinks like the Dirt Road martini, vinyl records blasting Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and string lights hanging from the ceiling, drinking in the distillery feels more like a quaint dive bar. If it weren’t for the oak barrels lined up along the west wall, it would be hard to tell you’re in a space where they work with beakers and droppers in the back. Stuckey says he has big plans for his distillery’s 10-year anniversary in December, including some more funky new spirits and a celebration in the taproom. He won’t divulge any more details, though. Or maybe he’s still tinkering with them. kansascitymag.com October 2026

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PHOTOGR APHY KANSAS PROVIDED CITY MAGA ZINE ARCHIVE

BENAY AND MIKE SHANNON

Spirits of the North By Hampton Stevens

PHOTOGR APHY PROVIDED

PU N S G ET A B A D R A P. Restless

Spirits, for example, is a fantastically punny name for a distillery, with the “spirits” in question referring both to the liquor produced there and the souls of the folks who produce it. That’s what founder Mike Shannon says. Sitting in the warm, inviting, high-ceilinged tasting room of his facility north of the river, Shannon says the name of his business came from a specific, deeply relatable human experience—namely, the existential pangs that strike some parents when their grown kids leave the nest. “The name reflects a period of restlessness in our lives,” he says, describing how he and his wife, Benay, “got the kids graduated, out of school and moved on in their lives. And we were restless.” At the time, Mike worked for Bic. “I was in consumer packaged goods branding,” he says. Benay was an educator. Both wanted something new. Both had, and still have, a passion for fine spirits. But they wanted to create something out of the ordinary. “We didn’t want to be just another distillery,” Mike says. “It was really about: How do we differentiate? How are we going to do something that’s authentic to the Kansas City area?” His own family, with their Irishness and deep roots in Kansas City, is ultimately where the Shannons found their inspiration. And those roots, to be sure, do run deep. From 1867, when the Shannon family first came to KC to work on the transcontinental railroad, through the turbulent era of the Goats and Rabbits political rivalry, right down to 2016, when the distillery opened, the Shannons and Kansas City have been inexorably intertwined. That shared history has been infused—pardon the pun—into every aspect of the distillery, be it historical photographs on the walls, product names or, most significantly for those

who enjoy fine spirits, a profound reverence for time-honored Irish distillation techniques. “We wanted to produce authentic, Irish-style spirits using traditional methods,” Mike says, noting the distillery’s dedication, for instance, to a proper 100% barley grain bill. That approach has worked out for the Shannon family and discriminating tipplers alike. Restless Spirits has been named Missouri Distillery of the Year by the New York International Spirits Competition for 11 consecutive years—literally since its doors opened. Mike is, it should be noted, quick to credit his wife, Benay, for this extraordinary success. A scientist at heart, Benay was studying molecular biology when the pair met at the University of Colorado Boulder. Today, she serves as the operation’s master distiller, and, according to her beaming husband, “she’s just a gifted, gifted person.” He raves, admiration in his eyes, about her razor-sharp sensory perception, particularly her sense of taste and smell. “She has the ultimate say on product quality.” That quality is evident in the distillery’s biggest and most surprising success. Ironically for a business so deeply Irish, the gin—a spirit far more associated with the hated English—is the company’s biggest seller. That irony, however, doesn’t stop Mike from being proud. “Our very first year that we submitted Builders Gin, we got a gold medal,” he says. Specifically, Builders Botanical Gin won a Double Gold Medal at that same New York International Spirits Competition. Rightly so. It’s heady, floral stuff with a strong emphasis on lavender and citrus and a deep, fiery finish. Restless Spirits has since built on its gin success, adding Builders Heritage Dry Gin and Builders Barrel-Finished to the portfolio.

None of these spirits—the gins, Irish-style whiskeys or Duffy’s Run vodka—are cheap to make or buy. That’s by design, Mike says. “We are dedicated 100% absolutely to producing consistently superior quality products forever, until I take my last breath,” he says. That commitment, he believes, also helps to promote responsible drinking. “That’s why we make a premium product and target to a different type of individual.” The distillery doesn’t make booze “that college kids are going to shoot on the weekend,” he says. “We are pretty active about telling people, even in our tasting room, you gotta be responsible.” Mike views that sort of responsible drinking as a social good—a vehicle for connection and community. “Think about how many stories are in a bottle of whiskey,” he says with a chuckle, rhapsodizing about the camaraderie that comes at a wedding or reunion when fine spirits are shared. For all the couple’s success, though, nothing is guaranteed. Competing with global beverage conglomerates is never easy, and new challenges arise all the time. During the pandemic, for instance, Restless Spirits had to shift production to making hand sanitizer just to stay afloat. And who knows what the future might bring. Beverage industry reports suggest that younger adults are cutting back on alcohol consumption. Mike offers a prediction: He notes, with a wink, that the same folks who are reportedly drinking less are also putting off having children. “They’re also delaying starting families,” he says. “The minute they do that, they’ll drink heavily.” And one day, when those kids have grown and left the nest, those parents might get a little restless themselves. Some might even start a distillery of their own. kansascitymag.com October 2026

Hop-infused History Before Prohibition, breweries both small and mighty seized opportunity in a climate of ceaseless social change and fierce regional competition. Author Pete Dulin’s Kansas City Beer: A History of Brewing in the Heartland explores local breweries that operated from the mid-1800s to 2016, when the book was published. Updated slightly based on recent research, these book excerpts highlight two breweries from the city’s earliest years. Spalding’s Annals of the City of Kansas and the Great Western Plains. By comparison, St. Louis was home to 24 breweries by 1854 and reached 40 breweries six years later, with a collective annual output of 189,400 gallons of beer. These breweries employed hundreds of German immigrants, beer gardens flourished, and lager became the emerging beer style of

choice. To the west, brewing in Kansas City would not fully get underway until the mid- to late 1850s. Peter John Schwitzgebel opened the oldest known brewery in Kansas City sometime in the late 1850s. Schwitzgebel, born in Mannheim, Baden, Germany, and his wife, Wilhelmina “Minnie” Hoehle Schwitzgebel, moved from St. Louis to Kansas City in 1855. By 1860,

IMPERIAL BREWERY BEFORE BEING DEMOLISHED IN 2023

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEREMEY THERON KIRBY

PHOTOGR APHY PROVIDED

1850s: Kansas City Brewery (aka Third Street Brewery) Kansas City’s population grew in 1846 from 700 to 5,185 residents by the end of 1857. By then, the Town of Kansas incorporated as the City of Kansas in 1853 and eventually became known as Kansas City. The city had two unidentified breweries, based on records cited in C.C.

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he operated Kansas City Brewery between Oak and Market Streets (now Grand Avenue) near the East Levee. Eager to drum up business, Schwitzgebel placed an advertisement in the Kansas City Daily Journal dated August 8, 1865, that boldly declared, “I am prepared to furnish the public with the best lager beer made west of St. Louis; also white beer, ale, and porter,” having “secured the services of a Pittsburg brewer.” By 1869, the business was called Third Street Brewery. The 1870 Kansas City Business Directory recorded that by the end of the previous year, proprietor “Peter Schwitzgable [sic]” had manufactured five thousand barrels of beer, valued at $65,000, and employed eight workers. The entry stated, “This brewery is the oldest in the city, its lager is famous for its fine flavor and rich taste. It stands in high reputation among the connoisseurs of this agreeable beverage.” According to a report in the Daily Journal of Commerce of Kansas City dated February 26, 1870, Schwitzgebel employed 10 men, which included his son, Otto, and used three wagons. He had about $50,000 invested in the brewery, which had a capacity of 45 barrels per day, one-third of which was consumed in the city. The daily production capacity of the expanded brewery’s malt house was one hundred bushels. The same issue of the journal lists an advertisement for P. Schwitzgebel, Proprietor of Kansas City Brewery, for beer and lager. In 1871, Schwitzgebel changed the brewery’s name back to Kansas City Brewery. His wife, mother of six children, died in October of that year. He lost his property in 1872 in advance of the Panic of 1873, when Jay Cooke and Company, a banking firm that led U.S. government investment in railroad construction, closed its doors. Schwitzgebel’s loss was one of many casualties as a major economic panic swept the U.S. The brewery’s listing in the 1875 city directory shows Kansas City Brewing Company with Clark and Kump as proprietors. Schwitzgebel married Katherine Homrighausen and fathered three more children before his death in 1882. By then, Schwitzgebel’s claim of producing the city’s best lager was challenged by an influx of German and Swiss brewers in Kansas City.

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1884: Ferdinand Heim Brewing Company, Bavarian Brewing Company and Kansas City Breweries Company Ferdinand Heim Sr. of St. Louis– based Heim Brewery came to Kansas City with his three sons, Ferd Jr., Michael and Joseph, and brewery foreman Phillip Koppf on a mission. The group inspected the Star Ale Brewery, owned by F.H. Kumpf & Company and located at 14th and Main streets. Heim purchased the operation, the largest brewery in Kansas City at the time, with an annual production of 12,000 barrels. The company continued operations as the newly formed Ferd. Heim Brewing Company. In 1887, Heim purchased a sugar refinery and acreage in the East Bottoms and built a new brewery on the northeast corner of Guinotte Street at Agnes. The 14-acre site included a malt house, elevator and large ice and refrigeration plants. This site later became the setting for Electric Park, an amusement park and beer garden. The brewery shipped beer on company-owned refrigerator cars, using railroad tracks on company property, to towns and cities through the Midwest. Stock house No. 2 housed a vat with a capacity of 10,000 kegs, the largest storage vessel for beer in the world at the time. In about 1890, the former Kumpf plant at 14th and Main was eventually sold and renamed Bavarian Brewing Company. Michael G. Heim led the brewery as president. It closed in 1894, after yearly sales dropped to 18,000 barrels. Production of Bavarian’s Kyffhauser and Baierisch brands were shifted to the new Heim brewery in the East Bottoms. Heim Brewing produced a number of brands, including Heim’s Scharnagel Select aimed at a female audience, Hedderman’s Cream beer, stronger bohemian Kyffhauser and the upscale Heim’s Wisconsin Club. By 1890, sales jumped to nearly 60,000 barrels. A Hop Tea Tonic was produced

as a non-intoxicating beverage for distribution in Kansas, where the state’s 1881 Prohibition law curtailed beer sales. In 1889, Ferd Heim Sr. sold the original Heim Brewery Company in East St. Louis, originally launched in 1870, to the St. Louis Brewing Association. The family concentrated its resources in Kansas City. Brewmaster Koppf, who had moved from East St. Louis to Kansas City, oversaw production at Heim’s Kansas City operation until his death in 1899. Ferd Sr. passed away in October 1895. Eldest son Joseph managed the company as president, and Ferd Jr. was corporate secretary while Michael acted as plant superintendent of the Heim Brewing Co. Heim depots were established in Des Moines and other cities. The East Bottoms brewery grew when two additional brick buildings were added along with a new engine house and five-story stock house. The Heims also built Heim No. 20, a firehouse, on the property as a safety measure. The brewery experienced two fires in 1896 and another in 1899 in the bottling works. By 1898, the brewery had installed 300-ton and 400-ton refrigeration machines. A 100-ton ice plant was also located on site. By 1899, Heim Brewing’s annual production surpassed 120,000 barrels. Michael Heim spearheaded the idea for Electric Park, an amusement park known for its light displays after dark. Construction began in 1896, and the project was completed three years later. Electric Park operated until 1906. At the time, electric lights were still a novel luxury and part of the amusement park’s allure. Admission was 10 cents. The park resembled the Vatican Gardens that Joseph Heim had once visited on a trip to Italy. This entertainment complex offered picnic tables, band concerts, bathing facilities, boating, roller coaster rides and a vaudeville and opera theater that seated 2,800. Naturally, Heim’s beer was served to the public in a Ger-

“I am prepared to furnish the public with the best lager beer made west of St. Louis.”

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“Prohibition spurred the demise of Heim Brewing’s operations.”

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was later used to erect a store and three apartment buildings. These buildings were razed to make room in 1921 for the vaudeville and movie house Main Street Theater. The theater changed ownership and names several times, becoming the RKO Missouri Theater in 1941, Empire Theater in 1960 and AMC Main Street Theater in 2009. Between 2012 to 2021, Alamo Drafthouse, a movie theater chain known for its selection of craft beer, operated its Mainstreet location on or near the spot where beer was once brewed. The Heim bottling department on Montgall in the East Bottoms was once home to former distributor and wholesaler Case Supply. The Heim No. 20 Fire Station, built in 1903, still sits at the corner of Guinotte and North Montgall. J. Rieger and Co., a distillery operated by Andy Rieger and Ryan Maybee, acquired the former beer bottling plant. After extensive renovation, by 2019 the site became J. Rieger’s headquarters, the base of distilling operations and an entertainment destination with an outdoor space dubbed Electric Park Garden Bar as an homage to the site’s history. A curated museum exhibit details the history of the Heim family, brewery and original Electric Park. The distillery also serves Heim Bier, a lager produced by Kansas City Bier Company, that pays tribute to the Austrian-Bohemian heritage of the Heim Family.

BOOK IMAGE PROVIDED BY PETE DULIN

man-style beer garden piped directly completely ruined an icehouse, but from the brewery. In 1907, Electric the brewery continued operations, Park was dismantled and moved to employed 250 people and expanded the corner of 47th and Paseo. This capacity to 150,000 barrels per year. version of the park, illuminated with More disasters struck in the folmore than 100,000 electric light lowing years. The Heim brewery bulbs, burned to the ground in 1925. and much of Kansas City suffered An 1897 article in Electrical great damage when the Kansas Review reports that the East Side River breached its banks on May E l e c t r i c R a i lway 30, 1903, and flooded Company filed artithe river bottoms. The cles of incorporation aftermath of the flood with the State of resulted in 19 deaths. Missouri. The stockOver 23,000 people holders were Joseph lost their homes, 16 Deaths in the Heim, Ferd Heim, of 17 bridges were aftermath of the 1903 Michael Heim and destroyed, more than Kansas River flood C.S. Palmer. Managed 200 taverns were by the Heim brothers, flooded, and total the railway operated damages ran approxalong an electric line on East Fifth imately $22 million. Street from Walnut Street (in today’s More changes ensued as a merger River Market) to Lydia Avenue. The swept through Kansas City’s brewery line continued north to Guinotte Aveindustry. A group of Cleveland invesnue and east to Otis Avenue, which tors formed Kansas City Breweries was within a block of Heim’s brewery, Company (1010 Commerce building) and north again to Nicholson Avenue. in 1905, consolidating Heim BrewThe Heim brothers also coming, Rochester Brewing Company missioned the building of a road, (also known as the J.D. Iler Brewing North Montgall Avenue, that conCompany) and Imperial Brewing nected Guinotte at the south end Company. The combined capacity of and Nicholson Avenue to the north. the breweries rivaled Muehlebach Contemporary butcher Brewing. However, shop Local Pig once operational troubles sat at the corner of were in store for Guinotte and North Kansas City BrewerMontgall. Originally, a ies Company, riddled powerhouse for a douwith debt after the ble-track railway was Imperial Brewing located at the oppoacquisition and about site end of the road at to face Prohibition. Nicholson and North World War I and Montgall. This station anti-alcohol sentiand generators at the ment took a toll on brewery powered the breweries. Congress railway. Allegedly, the passed the temporary Fifth Street line was Wartime Prohibition intended to transport Act in November 1918, workers from nearby downtown banning the sale of alcoholic beverhomes to the plant, but workers ages with alcohol content greater didn’t want to pay the toll. The streetthan 2.75 percent. The act was an car line proved more successful and attempt to preserve grain for use as profitable as a means to transport food. Next, Prohibition spurred the adventure-seekers to Electric Park. demise of Heim Brewing’s operations In 1900, Heim Brewing conin Kansas City and St. Louis. Each structed a modern two-story bottling operation was eventually sold to sepbuilding, designed by architect arate ice companies. Charles A. Smith, at 507 North Few buildings remain from Heim’s Montgall that still stands. A pipeline presence in Kansas City. The Bavarconnected the bottling building to the ian Brewery was torn down and brewery. By then, the brewery was the replaced by a carriage factory shortly largest in Kansas City. A fire in 1901 after 1894. The land at 14th and Main

Interested in purchasing Pete Dulin’s Kansas City Beer: A History of Brewing in the Heartland? Visit arcadiapublishing.com.

Westward Libation: Three KC-area Breweries Expand Into Kansas

efiance is nothing new to Kansans. Some prognosticators suggest that the craft beer industry is drying up. However, the westward expansion of local craft breweries across the metro and into Kansas strikes a defiant stance: Hold our beer. Kansas City Bier Company, Transport Brewery, Stockyards Brewing and others have crossed the state line and opened operations in the Sunflower State. Kansas has weathered dry spells

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ZACH BAUMAN

By Pete Dulin

before (ahem, Prohibition) and survived. Let’s not be that dramatic. Nationwide, the craft brewing industry boomed for more than a decade. The boom didn’t bust. Craft breweries matured, consolidated, became acquisitions or otherwise adapted to a shifting market. Then and now, breweries are businesses. They’re also cultural havens and community gathering places. Bringing craft beer to Kansas suburbs and cities makes sense as people migrate and communities grow. With

more beer made and served in Kansas, life is looking up for beer lovers.

German Beer Heritage from Waldo to the West Kansas City Bier Company first opened its doors in Waldo in 2014. This summer KC Bier Co. opened an operation in Lenexa, expanding its brand. Interestingly, the Lenexa-based bierhalle, biergarten and brewery operates under a specific arrangement apart from the mother brewery. kansascitymag.com October 2026

“Kansas City Bier Company has no ownership in KC Bier Co. Lenexa,” says brewery founder Steve Holle. “Kansas City Bier Company has licensed its name, brands and recipes and directly oversees brewing on a fee basis for the Lenexa location.” The agreement reflects conditions in a dynamic marketplace, as owners have positioned breweries for growth to reach people thirsty for world-class beer. “National beer sales have contracted industrywide since the pandemic and especially for craft beer,” Holle says. “The license agreement is a way to replace lost beer sales revenue while simultaneously creating more wholesale market demand for KC Bier Co. brands through greater consumer brand exposure and retail distribution.” Supporting local brands still matters. “Medium-size regional breweries are facing overwhelming competition from former independent craft beer brands now owned by international conglomerates,” Holle says. “These foreign companies have efficient economies of scale and more influence over their beer wholesalers.” To keep competing takes ingenuity and forward-thinking plans. “Lenexa gives KC Bier Co. the opportunity to create more consumer exposure and hopefully build more support for an iconic local craft beer brand,” Holle says. “Boulevard Brewing opened in 1989. In 37 years, KC Bier Co. is the only other KC-based brewery to achieve and maintain regional distribution. KC Bier Co. brews world-class beer, and we want to continue wholesale distribution of our unique German styles to KC consumers, but it has been extremely challenging to maintain market access. We hope Lenexa kickstarts growth in the wholesale market so more consumers in Missouri and Kansas can find and enjoy our beer.” KC Bier Co. Lenexa offers a German bierhalle experience without overseas travel. Large serving tanks feed four draught towers, which each

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feature eight faucets that pour various German-style beers. In other words, “Lenexa is not a boutique brewery tasting room” that serves small-batch and one-off beers, Holle says. Comparatively, a large Munich biergarten might have only two to three styles on tap. During Oktoberfest in Munich, many large tents offer only one beer in one size, a one-liter Maßkrug. Beyond German-style beer and food, guests can also explore the German heritage exhibit. The Lenexa Historical Society approached Holle about using old photos of German immigrants who settled in Lenexa to decorate the interior. “We were open to the local German cultural ties since we hope that the Lenexa brewery will be a gathering point for cultural events and a location to host clubs preserving Swiss, Austrian and German culture in KC,” Holle says. “German is still the largest self-reported ethnic group in the U.S. We wanted to highlight those contributions to local and national culture and achievements. We used many photos and sketches of German breweries, biergartens and hop regions that have a direct connection to KC Bier Co. since we source our malt and hops from Germany and drew inspiration from many German breweries and related industries.” Kansas City Bier Company & KC Bier Co. Lenexa 310 W. 79th St., KCMO & 18030 W. 98th St., Lenexa

Shawnee’s Transport Brewery Expands to Gardner Downtown Shawnee has transformed from a quiet business district into a hub of craft breweries, taprooms and restaurants. Opening in February of 2019, Transport Brewery led the charge as the city’s first craft brewery. Originally, four homebrewers connected through the Johnson County Brewing Society and later

launched a small brewery and taproom next to the Aztec Theater. Transport Brewery attracted a local audience, being highly visible along Nieman Road, and helped to spur the suburb’s revival. The owners opened a second location in Gardner in 2023. “The Gardner location not only has a fun taproom but it also has an outdoor kids’ patio, additional beer garden patio, a pizza kitchen with our pizza oven imported from Italy and a stateof-the-art 10-barrel brewhouse,” says Christie Jackson, Transport Brewery partner and operations manager. Transport’s beers are sold on site at both locations rather than distributed to retailers or bars. Gardner’s brewhouse adds much-needed brewing capacity for large-scale production. Brewers can then focus on producing specialty craft beers on the seven-barrel system in Shawnee. “Most of our flagship and core beers are brewed on the larger system in Gardner,” Jackson says. “Most of our barrel-aged beers, cask batches, seasonal offerings and experimental beers or pilot batches are brewed in Shawnee.” When Transport outgrew its Shawnee space, savvy civic leaders elsewhere took notice. “With businesses right next to us, there wasn’t a feasible place for us to expand to keep up with demand,” Jackson says. “We were one of the first businesses to open up and become successful in downtown Shawnee. Other cities saw this footprint as desirable and reached out to us to see if expansion was a possibility in hopes to get us to open up a location in their city. Gardner had a lot of great reasons for us to move south to expand. Community members really felt like the growth of their city could benefit from a locally owned microbrewery.” Transport Brewery 1113 Johnson Drive., Shawnee & 131 E. Main St., Gardner

Brewery Bound Across Kansas Here are a few more Kansas breweries. Discourse Brewing 7211 W. 97th St., Overland Park

Stockyards Brewing Heads West From the West Bottoms Stockyards Brewing Company first saddled up in the historic West Bottoms in 2016. The brewery and taproom occupies lounge and bar space once associated with the former Golden Ox. The treasured steakhouse initially shuttered in December 2014 and reopened under new ownership next door with a smaller footprint for dining and entertaining. Meanwhile, stained-glass windows, black-andwhite photographs of the stockyards and paintings of Old West figures like Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill Cody still adorn the walls of the craft brewery and taproom. St o c kya r d s s e r ve s g u e s t s easy-drinking Mexican-style lager Cerveza Royale and other styles with names that reflect an upper and lower Midwest sensibility. That suits brewery owner Greg Bland, a Red Lodge, Montana, native who relocated to Kansas City just fine. Bland honors the spirit and work ethic of ranch life, cattle trails and Kansas City’s West Bottoms stockyards heritage through a modern craft brewery that operates with a similar ethos. Bland recently struck a deal for Stockyards’ craft beer to be served on tap at the new airport’s bars. The arrangement has boosted brand name recognition and added another income stream in an increasingly crowded craft beer market, Bland says. Easing up and leaning back in the saddle means stagnation in the highly competitive beer industry. Eager to grow, Bland spent several years scouting the metro for a promising second location. Earlier this year, he opened a second Stockyards Brewing taproom in Overland Park housed in a former Piggly Wiggly supermarket. Bland’s goals are both business-minded and community-oriented. “We wanted to increase produc-

tion capacity to meet our distribution demand and grow our market reach,” Bland says. “We also love being in a neighborhood in OP and providing a taproom for the many families nearby. Being right off a highway was a big plus, and being in a neighborhood was great. We loved the history of this space.” The vast site offered ample room to outfit a 30-barrel brewhouse. The Overland Park brewhouse is twice the size of the West Bottoms, and the facility has five times the production capacity of the original brewery. “We are getting the finishing work done now to brew as soon as possible, most likely in early 2027,” Bland says. “We plan to produce the majority of our distribution beer kegs and cans from Overland Park. We will have more unique and one-off beers produced in the West Bottoms location.” Stockyards’ West Bottoms taproom is known for its long-running Sunday Service, a rotation of regional musicians performing traditional and original Americana music. Watching the musicians sway with the music, taproom guests are drawn into the riff of guitar and banjo, the steady pulse of upright bass and the longing wail of steel guitar. It’s the kind of live music that makes a taproom feel like much more than a place to grab a beer. The brewery aims to cultivate this same family-friendly live music atmosphere in Overland Park when it gets up and running. “We are continuing to grow our taproom activities, like bingo on Sundays, trivia on Tuesdays and live music a few times a month on Saturday nights,” Bland says. “We are building a great group of local regulars and families that come in often. We are continuing to see new faces as well and hope to see many more as we continue to add activities and live music.” Stockyards Brewing Company 10310 Mastin St., Overland Park & 1600 Genessee St., KCMO

Discourse owner Matt Britton’s Used 8 Track Dortmunder won gold in the Dortmunder/Export or German-Style Oktoberfest category at the 2026 World Beer Cup competition. discoursebrew.com Servaes Brewing Company 10921 Johnson Dr., Shawnee & 118 S. Second St., Atchison Courtney Servaes opened a downtown Shawnee brewery and taproom in 2019, the first Kansas brewery owned and operated by a female head brewer. Her Atchison riverfront location occupies a former railroad freight depot, an 1887 building on the National Register of Historic Places. servaesbrewco.com Friction Beer Company 11018 Johnson Drive, Shawnee Co-owners Nathan Ryerson and Brent Anderson opened a brewery and musicinspired taproom in the former Hartman & Sons Hardware store, contributing to a resurgent downtown Shawnee. Song titles as beer names? That tracks. frictionbeer.com Sandhills Brewing 5612 Johnson Drive, Mission & 111 W. Second Ave., Hutchinson, KS Co-founded by twin brothers Jonathan and Pippin Williamson and friend Joe Cizek, the Hutchinson taproom debuted in 2018, with the Mission brewery and taproom opening the following year. Avian-named beers such as Junco Hazy New England IPA and Peregrine German Style Lager are representative “of the places we come from and call home.” sandhillsbrewing.com Red Crow Brewing 1062 W. Santa Fe St., Olathe Owned by Chris and Mistie Roberts, along with Mistie’s parents, Joe and Loretta Fisher, Red Crow’s beers are named after women in the family. Casual Foodie food truck serves tasty food. Reserve and nestle in The Nest, a private event space for family, community and corporate events. redcrowbrew.com

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Photography by Samantha Levi

A Rivalry Forged in War By Susie Whitfield

“KANSAS AND MISSOURI HAVE ONE OF THE FIERCEST RIVALRIES IN ALL OF SPORTS,”

IMAGE PROVIDED BY THE STATE HISTORIC AL SOCIET Y OF MISSOURI

The Kansas-Missouri divide runs deeper than sports. Local filmmaking students trace its roots through the battles, bloodshed and historic Civil War sites that shaped the region in a documentary structured around Kansas City magazine writer Susie Whitfield’s story.

Photography by Samantha Levi

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas declared in a student-made documentary about the metro’s Civil War history. “However, to find the root cause of this hatred, you have to go way back,” he says—to 164 years ago, when the Civil War started and Kansas City was caught in its crosshairs. That’s how it all began. “When you look at Bleeding Kansas and the years that precede the Civil War, our area brought the warring factions together.” Lucas was one of several people interviewed for a film that students in Blue Valley North School District’s Center for Advanced Professional Studies’ Filmmaking and Animation program created centered on historical Civil War events that occurred throughout the region. “Blue Valley CAPS is an innovative, immersive high school program where students experience profession-based education,” says Todd Campbell, who teaches the Filmmaking and Animation class. “They partner with industry and community leaders in a variety of real-world projects.” Last school year, the CAPS Filmmaking and Animation class collaborated with KC magazine in a year-long project to make a documentary that brings the history of the Border Wars to life. “It was an incredible experience for our students, and I’m just so proud of the work they did,” Campbell says. “Not only did they learn how to actualize a film but they also discovered that there is value in what they do and what they have to say,” The students involved in the project— director Hunter Brown, producer Dominic Mills, camera operator Peter Asta and boom mic operator Jaden Osman—researched records, visited historic sites and interviewed experts in Civil War history. The result is a powerful depiction of the violence that tore the nation apart and left wounds that are still healing today. Lucas acknowledges that much has been said about the Civil War already, but he enjoyed being part of the project. “I think it’s a difficult story to tell,” Lucas said in the film, “but I think we need more storytellers.” kansascitymag.com October 2026

KANSAS CITY MAGAZINE COLLABORATED

with teacher Todd Campbell and students in the Blue Valley Center for Advanced Professional Studies’ Filmmaking and Animation program to bring the Kansas City area’s rich Civil War history to life on film. The project was inspired by a story that Kansas City magazine writer Susie Whitfield was working on, found on the next page, exploring the region’s rich and nuanced Civil War history. Working from Whitfield’s reporting, CAPS students expanded on the story through interviews with local history professors and Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, who narrated the documentary’s opening and provided historical context in other parts of the students’ film. The film was directed by student Hunter Brown, who has since graduated high school and is now a freshman at the University of Kansas. CAPS is a Blue Valley North district-wide program designed to give students hands-on, professional experience. The Filmmaking and Animation path operates more like a working production studio than a conventional high school elective, with students working on projects through the entire filmmaking process—from developing a concept and conducting interviews to shooting, editing and producing a finished film.

STUDENT DIRECTOR HUNTER BROWN

SCAN HERE TO SEE THE FILM

50 Kansas City October 2026

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALLAYNE THORNTON

History Happened Here

From Bleeding Kansas to the Battle of Westport, explore the sites where the Kansas City region’s Civil War history unfolded Quindaro Ruins and Overlook 3421 N. 29th St., KCK

PHOTOGR APHY PROVIDED BY MISSOURI VALLEY SPECIAL COLLEC TIONS, K ANSAS CIT Y LIBR ARY, KANSAS CITY MAGA ZINE ARCHIVE

quindaroruinsprojectfoundationkck.org After Kansas became a territory in 1854, abolitionists purchased land from Wyandot tribe members and began construction of a town along the Missouri River in order to provide a free-state river port to steamboats and free-state settlers. The town, named Quindaro for the Wyandot word meaning “bundle of sticks,” also became an important station on the Underground Railroad. Enslaved people escaping from Platte County crossed the river in small boats, hid with local citizens and then traveled north to Nebraska and freedom. The town was also home to Western University, the first Black school west of the Mississippi. A life-size statue of John Brown still stands on the grounds of the former school. Tour the Quindaro archaeological site, which is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

The Union Prison Collapse Marker 1425 Grand Ave., KCMO The T-Mobile Center now occupies the site of the three-story building that once was the temporary Union army prison for the female relatives of the pro-slavery guerillas known as bushwhackers. A nearby marker commemorates the tragedy of the prison’s collapse. Union Gen. Thomas E. Ewing Jr. determined to halt the increasing violence of William T. “Bloody Bill” Anderson, a confederate soldier and leader of a contingent of bushwhackers, issued Gen. Order No. 11. The order authorized the forcible removal of Southern sympathizers and the burning of their homes and farms. kansascitymag.com October 2026

IMAGE PROVIDED BY THE STATE HISTORIC AL SOCIET Y OF MISSOURI

Ewing also ordered the imprisonment of the bushwhackers’ female relatives. They were held in an old brick building owned by artist George Caleb Bingham. On Aug. 13, 1863, the building collapsed under the weight of so many people. Anderson’s 15-year-old sister Josephine was killed; his 16-year-old sister Mary Ellen was badly injured, and his 13-year-old sister Jenny, who had been shackled to a ball and chain, was permanently disabled.

Martial Law, 1868 (Reproduction), a painting by George Caleb Bingham, The Kansas City Public Library 14 W. 10th St., KCMO kclibrary.org Artist George Caleb Bingham, a Union officer and politician from Missouri, portrayed the brutality of Gen. Ewing’s Order No. 11 in his 1868 painting Martial Law. The painting caused a public outcry because of Bingham’s obvious criticism of Ewing’s Order.

The Bingham-Waggoner Mansion 313 W. Pacific Ave., Independence bwestate.net The most famous owner of this legendary home was Bingham. Tour the home where Bingham lived from 1864 to 1870 and where he painted Martial Law in his studio on the grounds of the estate. You can also see one of Bingham’s self-portraits, currently on loan from the Kansas City Public Library, in the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

The Lawrence Massacre occurred six days after the Union Prison Collapse. William Clarke Quantrill and as many as 450 other bushwhackers entered Lawrence shortly after 5 am, some having ridden all night tied to their saddles in case they should fall asleep. The raiders took over the Eldridge House, made it their headquarters and then broke into smaller groups. For four hours, the bushwhackers looted and burned a quarter of the city’s buildings including the Eldridge House and murdered at least 150 men and boys. The bushwhackers then rode out of Lawrence at approximately 9 am, breaking into groups

again on their way back to Missouri. When Quantrill was killed in Kentucky in 1865, he was 27. Only a few of his men, including Frank and Jesse James, were still with him. (Ang Lee’s 1999 Ride with the Devil includes a portrayal of the massacre and was filmed on location in Sibley, Missouri, KCMO, and KCK. Pattonsburg, Missouri, was the stand-in for Lawrence.) The Eldridge House Hotel was rebuilt in 1866, renovated in 1925, closed in 1970, renovated again in 2004 and reopened a year later, having been restored “to its original 1925 grandeur,” according to Historic Hotels of America.

The Eldridge House Hotel 701 Massachusetts St., Lawrence

See Civil War memorabilia in this Lawrence Hotel that includes photographs of the Lawrence Massacre of Aug. 21, 1863. The Eldridge House Hotel in Lawrence, originally named the Free State Hotel, was built as temporary lodging for anti-slavery settlers after the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854. Violence followed the Act, as free state jayhawkers from Kansas and slave state bushwhackers from Missouri battled for control. Lawrence in particular was the center of much anti-slavery activity and the target of bushwhacker violence. The moniker “Bleeding Kansas” became infamous.

52 Kansas City October 2026

PHOTOGR APHY BY ALL AYNE THORNTON

eldridgehotel.com

PHOTOGR APHY PROVIDED BY MISSOURI VALLEY SPECIAL COLLEC TIONS, K ANSAS CIT Y LIBR ARY

hoped, “without very much bloodshed.” U.S. Marines led by Gen. Robert E. Lee captured Brown and his men. Brown was found guilty of treason, murder and inciting a slave insurrection. On December 2, 1859, he rode to the scaffold sitting on his coffin and was hanged in front of a large crowd that included John Wilkes Booth, President Abraham Lincoln’s assassin.

Battle of Lexington State Historic Site 1101 Delaware St., Lexington, MO mostateparks.com

Tragic Prelude, a mural by John Steuart Curry, 1942 Kansas State Capitol building, S. Eighth Avenue and S.W. Van Buren Street, Topeka kansashistory.gov In 1937, John Steuart Curry was chosen by Emporia Gazette editor William Allen White to create murals for the Kansas Capitol that would portray the history of the state. In his iconic Tragic Prelude, Curry painted Kansas resident and violent anti-slavery activist John Brown “as a fanatic, for John Brown was a fanatic,” Curry said at the time. Brown’s outstretched hands hold a rifle and a Bible; his giant figure stands between the pro- and anti-slavery forces, and his wild expression and flying hair and beard foreshadow the devastation of the Civil War. Unfortunately, the Kansas Legislature refused to hang the mural when it was

completed, and the infuriated Curry left Kansas. The mural was finally hung after Curry’s death. (Side note: Tragic Prelude was used as the cover for the rock band Kansas’ 1974 debut album.) Brown’s actions were a prequel to the Civil War. An ardent abolitionist, Brown believed that as “an instrument of God,” he was mandated to use violence to end slavery. On May 24 and 25, 1856, Brown and his sons killed five pro-slavery men in Pottawatomie County, Kansas, to avenge the bushwhakers’ destruction of Lawrence. In the Battle of Osawatomie on Aug. 13, 1856, Brown’s son Frederick was killed, and Brown and his 40 men were forced to withdraw as over 200 pro-slavery fighters looted and burned the town. In October of 1859, Brown attacked the armory at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia, in order to arm enslaved men with the armory’s weapons and to end slavery, as he had naively

Although Missouri never seceded from the Union, the city of Lexington was strongly pro-slavery. Union Gen. Nathaniel Lyon and the Fifth Regiment U.S. Reserve Corps set up headquarters in Lexington to control access to the Missouri River and deprive Confederate forces of necessary supplies. Confederate Gen. Sterling Price, ordered to force Union troops to withdraw, surrounded Lexington with 15,000 troops. On Sept. 12, 1861, the battle began. Each side continually bombarded the other with heavy artillery. However, on the night of Sept. 19, Confederate soldiers began soaking large bales of hemp in the Missouri River; the next day they pushed the bales forward while advancing on the Union troops. The bales protected the Confederates from artillery, and then they rushed the Union garrison. It surrendered on Sept. 20. Tour the Anderson House, which became a field hospital, and the Visitor Center to see artifacts and exhibits. The site also has a self-guided interpretive trail on the battlefield. kansascitymag.com October 2026

PHOTOGR APHY PROVIDED BY MISSOURI VALLEY SPECIAL COLLEC TIONS, K ANSAS CIT Y LIBR ARY

The Battle of Westport, Loose Park 5200 Wornall Road, KCMO Nine historical markers identify key elements of the battle on this self-guided tour. In an attempt to bring Missouri into the Confederacy and defeat Abraham Lincoln in the 1864 election, Gen. Price and his Army of the Missouri advanced on Kansas City. Learning of the army’s movements from scouts including Wild Bill Hickok, Union Gens. Samuel R. Curtis and James G. Blunt constructed a defensive line south of Westport along Brush Creek. On the morning of Oct. 23, 1864, Union troops attacked the Confederates in an open field but were forced back across Brush Creek into what is today Westwood, Kansas. The Confederate forces seemed to be winning until local farmer George Thoman showed Gen. Curtis a gulch that ran along Shelby’s left flank. The Union attacked again and slowly pushed the Confederates back to the Wornall House. Meanwhile, a second battle had begun near Hickman Mills, where Union troops forced the Confederates to retreat again along what is now Gregory Boulevard. Price’s troops made a desperate cavalry charge against the Union cannon battery. In one of the fiercest battles of the Civil War, the Union cavalry won the day, and the Confederates fled, setting fire to the prairie grass to hide their retreat. Pursued by Gen. Blunt through Kansas and Missouri, Gen. Price finally led the remains of his army back to Arkansas.

54 Kansas City October 2026

The Mine Creek Civil War Battlefield

Kansas City International Airport

20485 K-52, Pleasanton, KS

1 Kansas City Blvd., KCMO

battlefields.org The Mine Creek Battlefield Visitor Center is located at the site of one of the Civil War’s largest cavalry battles. On Oct. 25, 1864, Gen. Sterling Price and the Army of Missouri made their way south after being defeated at the Battle of Westport. At Mine Creek near Pleasanton, Kansas, they encountered two Union brigades led by Cols. Frederick Benteen and John Philips. Once again, Price’s army was defeated. He had hoped to reach Confederate territory with a 10-mile-long wagon train of supplies but was forced to burn half of the wagons in order to outrun Union forces. Price and what was left of his army were pursued relentlessly. They eventually retreated into Missouri, then Arkansas and finally into Indian Territory in present-day Oklahoma.

Travelers headed to Platte County’s KCI pass a series of signs marking spots that describe local events that lead to the Civil War. On Aug. 10, 1821, Missouri entered the Union as a slave state according to the terms of the Missouri Compromise. Platte County became known as “Little Dixie,” as Southerners from Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina migrated westward across the state. Using enslaved labor, they raised crops such as cotton, tobacco and hemp. In 1854, the Kansas-Nebraska Act allowed a popular vote to determine whether Kansas would enter the union as a free or a slave state, which ignited a series of violent encounters known as the Border Wars, where guerilla warfare raged on each side as the various factions fought to control the outcome. Eventually, Kansas was admitted to the Union as a free state.

Wornall House Museum 6115 Wornall Road, KCMO wornallmajors.org John Wornall, a prosperous businessman, built this house for his second wife, Eliza S. Johnson Wornall. Eliza was the daughter of Rev. Thomas Johnson, founder of the Shawnee Methodist Mission. Like his fatherin-law, Wornall owned enslaved people, and before the Battle of Westport, he went into hiding. Tour the Wornall House, which became a field hospital during the Battle of Westport for both Union and Confederate soldiers. Wornall’s wife, Eliza, helped tend the wounded. When Wornall returned several days later, he is said to have found the bodies of both Union and Confederate soldiers and buried them in the same grave under the cover of darkness in what is now Loose Park. When the Civil War began, Rev. Johnson signed a loyalty oath to the United States.

He and his wife moved to a house on 35th Street and Agnes Avenue, and his mission became a Union barracks. On the night of Jan. 2, 1865, armed men came to Johnson’s door and shot him dead on the threshold. His murderers were never identified.

The Harris-Kearney Historical House Museum 4000 Baltimore Ave., KCMO westporthistoricalkc.org The Harris-Kearney house is KC’s oldest two-story brick house. During the Battle of Westport, the home was the headquarters of Union Gen. Samuel R. Curtis. The Westport Historical Society has renovated the home with antiques appropriate to the era, including items from descendants of the Harris and Kearney families. Col. John Harris and his wife, Henrietta, built the brick home in 1855 at the corner of

Westport Road and Main Street, where the Santa Fe Trail turned west. The family ran Westport’s first hotel, the Harris House Hotel at Pennsylvania Avenue and Westport Road, just a few blocks away. Eventually, the home passed to their daughter Josephine Harris and son-in-law Col. Charles Kearney, who lived there until 1909. In 1922, the home was saved from demolition and moved to its current location at 40th Street and Baltimore Avenue. kansascitymag.com October 2026

20 26 56 Kansas City October 2026

THE METRO’S

PHOTO BY TK

TOP DENTISTS

This listing of the metro’s top dentists is excerpted from the national 2026 topDentists™ list. The KC list is based on thousands of detailed evaluations of dentists and professionals by their peers. A listing cannot be purchased. All dentists that appear on this list have been voted in by their peers. The complete database is available at usatopdentists. com. For more information, call 706-364-0853; write PO Box 970, Augusta, GA 30903; email help@ usatopdentists. com; or visit usatopdentists.com.

kansascitymag.com October 2026

SELECTION PROCESS “If your friend needed a dentist, who would you refer them to?” This is the question thousands of dentists were asked to determine who the Top Dentists should be. Dentists and specialists were asked to take into consideration years of experience, continuing education, bedside manner, use of new techniques and technologies and, of course, physical results. The online poll was listed with the American Dental Association, as well as local dental societies, thus allowing virtually every dentist the opportunity to participate. Dentists were also given the opportunity to nominate other dentists that they felt should be included in the list. Respondents were asked to put aside any personal bias or political motivations and use only their knowledge of their peers’ work when evaluating the other nominees. Voters were asked to individually evaluate the practitioners on their ballot whose work they are familiar with. Once the balloting was completed, the scores were compiled and averaged. The numerical average required for inclusion varies depending on the average for all the nominees within the specialty and the geographic area. Borderline cases were given careful consideration by the editors of the topDentists organization. Voting characteristics and comments were taken into consideration while making decisions. Once the decisions were finalized, the included dentists were checked against state dental boards for disciplinary actions to make sure they have an active license and are in good standing. There are many fine dentists, of course, who are not included in this list. It is intended as a sampling of the great body of talent in the field of dentistry in the United States. A dentist’s inclusion on the topDentists list is based on the subjective judgments of his or her fellow dentists. While it is true that the lists may at times disproportionately reward visibility or popularity, we remain confident that the polling methodology largely corrects for any biases and that these lists continue to represent the most reliable, accurate and useful list of dentists available anywhere.

DISCLAIMER The list is excerpted from the 2026 topDentists list, which includes listings for nearly 200 dentists and specialists in the Kansas City metro area. For more information, call 706-364-0835; or write PO Box 970, Augusta, GA 30903; or visit usatopdentists.com. TopDentists has used its best efforts in assembling material for this list but does not warrant that the information contained herein is complete or accurate and does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions result from negligence, accident or any other cause. Copyright 2011-2026 by topDentists, LLC, Augusta, GA. All rights reserved. This list, or parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission. No commercial use of the information in this list may be made without permission of topDentists. No fees may be charged, directly, for the use of the information in this list without permission.

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2026 TOP DENTISTS Endodontics Anthony Altomare

Leawood Commons Endodontics 11409 Ash Street, Suite A Leawood, KS 66211 (913) 491-5552 www.leawood endodontics.com

Robert H. Altomare

Leawood Commons Endodontics 11409 Ash Street, Suite A Leawood, KS 66211 (913) 491-5552 www.leawood endodontics.com

Christopher G. Budig Apex Endodontics 13364 Metcalf Avenue Overland Park, KS 66213 (913) 851-2739 www.drbudig.com

Jeffrey R. Burroughs Burroughs Endodontics 5525 West 119th Street, Suite 215 Overland Park, KS 66209 (913) 258-5696 www.burroughsendo.com

Adam S. Colombo

Village Endodontics 7301 Mission Road, Suite A-317 Prairie Village, KS 66208 (913) 236-7668 www.village-endo.com

Kevin P. Cunningham

11900 West 87th Street Parkway, Suite 160 Lenexa, KS 66215 (913) 599-0888 www.cunninghamendo.com

Kate Edwards

Creekwood Endodontics 5400 North Oak Trafficway, Suite 201 Kansas City, MO 64118 (816) 452-0900 www.creekwood endodontics.com

Kenneth J. Frick

UMKC School of Dentistry 650 East 25th Street, Floor 11 Kansas City, MO 64108 (816) 235-2749 www.dentistry.umkc.edu/ directory/kenneth-j-frickd-d-s-m-s

Steven P. Gish

Leawood Commons Endodontics 11409 Ash Street, Suite A Leawood, KS 66211 (913) 491-5552 www.leawood endodontics.com

Mark A. Holman

Cornerstone Endodontics 4601 West 109th Street, Suite 250 Overland Park, KS 66211 (913) 498-3636 www.cornerstone endodontics.com

Joon W. Kim

Cornerstone Endodontics 4601 West 109th Street, Suite 250 Overland Park, KS 66211 (913) 498-3636 www.cornerstone endodontics.com

Tae S. Kong

University Park Endodontics 11201 Nall Avenue, Suite 130 Leawood, KS 66211 (913) 491-0056 www.kcroot.com

James E. Moore

KC Endodontics 3700 West 83rd Street, Suite 106 Prairie Village, KS 66208 (913) 642-3636 www.kcendodontics.com

Barton W. Putnam

Olathe Endodontics 16093 West 135th Street, Suite A Olathe, KS 66062 (913) 829-0060 www.olatheendo.com

J. Mike Randall

Cornerstone Endodontics 4601 West 109th Street, Suite 250 Overland Park, KS 66211 (913) 498-3636 www.cornerstone endodontics.com

Brenton A. Reavley

Briarcliff Endodontics 4137 North Mulberry Drive Kansas City, MO 64116 (816) 326-8204 www.briarcliffendo.com

Alexander W. Stamos

Endodontic Care 4731 South Cochise Drive, Suite 221 Independence, MO 64055 (816) 478-8895 www.davidestamosdds.com

Daniel G. Stamos

Creekwood Endodontics 5400 North Oak Trafficway, Suite 201 Kansas City, MO 64118 (816) 452-0900 www.creekwood endodontics.com

David E. Stamos

Endodontic Care 4731 South Cochise Drive, Suite 221 Independence, MO 64055 (816) 478-8895 www.davidestamosdds.com

Amy Vermeer

Cornerstone Endodontics 4601 West 109th Street, Suite 250 Overland Park, KS 66211 (913) 498-3636 www.cornerstone endodontics.com

General Dentistry Ryan Bland

North Oak Family Dental Care 9241 North Oak Trafficway Kansas City, MO 64155 (816) 436-2525 www.northoakfamily dentalcare.com

Chad A. Bowles

Bowles Dental Center 6811 West 121st Street Overland Park, KS 66209 (913) 491-6663 www.bowlesdental center.com

Bernard G. Bruns

Tremont Dental 5501 Northwest 62nd Terrace, Suite 101 Kansas City, MO 64151 (816) 741-6960 www.tremontdental.com

Jason R. Ciminieri

Ciminieri Dental 11111 Nall Avenue, Suite 109 Leawood, KS 66211 (913) 491-4900 www.ciminieridental.com

Aaron M. Craig

11775 West 112th Street, Suite 240 Overland Park, KS 66210 (913) 469-5444 www.aaroncraigdds.com

Richard D. Crowder

Crowder Family Dentistry 14922 West 87th Street Lenexa, KS 66215 (913) 322-2222 www.crowderfamily dentistry.com

Thomas “Mac” Darnall

Suchman & Darnall Family Dentistry 3907 South Crackerneck Road Independence, MO 64055 (816) 373-3101 www.suchmandarnall.com

Rachel Pitts Driscoll

Rhoades Family Dentistry 13400 South Blackbob Road Olathe, KS 66062 (913) 782-8900 www.rhoadesdds.com

GOODBYE DENTAL DREAD, HELLO HIGH-TECH SMILE Digital scans, precision tools and advanced treatments are changing what it means to go to the dentist

J By David Hodes

ILLUSTR ATION BY DAVID BABCOCK

JUST AS YOU’RE THINKING about that great sweet dessert you had last night, a

quick look at your calendar sends a cold shiver down your spine: It’s time for your twice-annual visit to the dentist. Gulp. That sudden chill you feel is a real anxiety disorder called dentophobia. Time to steel yourself up for laying down on a treatment chair and surrendering your mouth to an up-close-and-personal intervention most of us would rather avoid. But stand by, ye seekers of the perfect smile. High-tech solutions are here to rescue us from this necessary inconvenience. According to the American Dental Association, more than 72% of dental patients are fearful about heading to the dentist. One-third call it an extreme fear. The anesthetic needles, the whirring drills, the gagging reflex from suction, a hygienist leaning in too close for comfort—all play into that uncomfortable intrusive feeling. In fact, just the sound of the drill causes the most fear, according to the report. In hopes of alleviating much of that fear, dentists and their patients are embracing new technology and eagerly awaiting more advances. FDA-cleared AI tools are changing the way dentists use X-rays and other dental images. These technologies can help dentists spot potential problems, plan treatments and track a patient’s progress over time. One of those AI tools, the VideaHealth AI platform, is being used by Heartland Dental, one of the country’s largest dental support organizations working with a group of Kansas City dental offices. More information processed and stored in a patient’s digital profile means more convenience for both patient and dentist.

Dr. Melanie Beck, the director of digital dentistry at the UMKC School of Dentistry, ran her own business, Capstone Dentistry, in Shawnee until July 2023. In April, UMKC hired her to build and manage a dental digital curriculum. “The goal is to try to change the curriculum and make it more digital,” she says. “That means integrating all kinds of things, like computer-aided design, computer-aided manufacturing, scanning, milling and 3D printing.” In her practice, she did 90% of the crowns. The scan process involves using a small handheld wand connected to a computer to capture a rapid 3D digital model of a tooth. Scans are then sent directly to software to design crowns, veneers and other restorations. “Once you go to scanning, you’ll never go back to conventional impressions, which are usually made using sometimes messy physical putty,” Beck says. “There’s nothing you can do with an impression that you can’t do better with a scanner. It’s more comfortable for the patient.” Larry Sturm, the president of lab services for Dental Art and Design, agrees. “Say you have a digital denture made from a 3D digital scan,” he says. “You can go into an office and have that denture reprinted the same day, which is kind of nice because that eliminates the back and forth visits to the office.” Today’s dentist can also use 3D printing to make precise dental restorations. Crowns are usually carved out of a block of porcelain or a similar material with an expensive milling machine available in most labs and some dental offices. Now, a 3D printer using a digital scanned-in intraoral image can print out a crown made of porcelain particles in a resin mix. While that composite crown is not as strong as a milled porcelain crown, it’s an option for expediting a replacement. One of the things most patients dislike is getting the temporary crown that has to be worn for a couple of weeks while the lab makes their definitive milled crown. “Then let’s say that it doesn’t fit,” Beck says. “Now they’ve got to send it back to the lab.” With a digital scanner and an in-house computer-aided design system, the process can be completed in 90 minutes. “There’s a lot of headaches for the patient that are just completely eliminated,” she says. The bad thing about digital is that there is a lot of calibration to be done, Sturm says. “The scanner has to be calibrated; the printers have to be calibrated regularly,” he says. “That’s something you have to really keep up on. The big negative for me on digital is the drawback because it’s cloud-based. If the internet’s down, you’re down, and that’s kind of tough.” Beck says that there are still some things that need to be worked out. “When I really think about 3D printing and the future of dentistry, it boils down to this: Dentists have to be artists, and we have to be able to shape things with our hands into something beautiful. 3D printing will level the playing field, so every dentist will be able to utilize a computer to make something as beautiful as possible, and then the 3D printer will be able to print it for them. That’s really exciting.” kansascitymag.com October 2026

A NEW SMILE FOR KC UMKC’s massive new health sciences building promises to transform how Kansas City trains dentists—and how thousands of patients receive dental care By Katie Baldwin

tucked into a suburban shopping center. It’s a dental chair at UMKC. The University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry has long served the dual purpose of training the region’s next generation of dentists while providing care to thousands of patients. Now, a massive new facility on the university’s Health Sciences Campus is poised to dramatically change how it does both. UMKC’s new Healthcare Delivery and Innovation Building, under construction at 25th and Charlotte streets, is scheduled to open in February 2027, according to the university. The approximately 160,000-square-foot building is the largest capital improvement project in UMKC history. UMKC has put the project’s cost at between $120 million and $145 million in various university reports. The building will bring together a range of health sciences programs, including the School of Dentistry’s patient clinics, School of Medicine simulation labs, the UMKC Health Equity Institute, biomedical engineering and the university’s Data Science and Analytics Innovation Center. But some of the most visible changes will happen in dentistry. The building’s third and fourth floors will house 180 operatories for UMKC’s predoctoral dental clinic, according to the School of Dentistry. The facility will also include an acute dental care center, radiology and laboratory space and a high-tech dental design lab capable of producing crowns, bridges and implants. The new technology will change the way students learn—and potentially what patients experience in the chair. School of Dentistry Dean Paul Luepke told the School of Dentistry’s Explorer magazine this summer that students will train with digital scanners, 3D milling and AI-assisted radiography while continuing to learn traditional dental techniques as the school expands both its physical size and curriculum. “We want to be innovators and even beta test new technology,” Luepke was quoted as saying. “You move from traditional lab work to digital design to production. It’s almost like walking through time.” The expansion is significant because of UMKC’s unusual position in the region. The university says its School of Dentistry is the only public dental school in Missouri or Kansas. It is also a significant provider of dental care for the region. UMKC’s dental clinics currently account for about 70,000 patient visits annually and provide approximately $500,000 in uncompensated dental care each year, according to both UMKC and the American Dental Education Association. University officials say the new facility will allow dental students to treat more patients through increased efficiency, advanced equipment, expanded acute-care hours and teledentistry, which could extend dental expertise to patients in places where access to care is limited. The building is also designed to rethink something decidedly less glamorous but important to anyone who has spent time in a dental chair: how a clinic works. “This building lets us rethink workflow in a way that’s more seamless for both patients and providers,” Luepke told Explorer. “We’re designing systems so instruments and materials move efficiently without extra steps.”

2025 60 Kansas City October 2026

Patients should notice another difference: the surroundings. The new clinics are being designed with bright, naturally lit treatment spaces rather than the more institutional feel traditionally associated with teaching clinics. “For patients, I think it will create a more uplifting experience,” Luepke says. “Natural light even helps with clinical work, like matching tooth color more accurately.” Construction is now in its final stages. According to UMKC’s September construction update, crews are finishing drywall and painting, installing ceilings, casework and countertops and continuing mechanical, electrical and exterior work. When the doors open next year, the building will represent a new generation of dental education for UMKC. But its impact will extend well beyond the students learning inside it. For the thousands of Kansas Citians who already rely on UMKC for dental care each year, it promises something more tangible: more capacity, more technology and potentially greater access to treatment.

ILLUSTR ATION BY DAVID BABCOCK

FOR THOUSANDS OF KANSAS CITIANS, the dentist’s office isn’t a private practice

2026 TOP DENTISTS G. Brent Evers

Evers & Gardner Dental 5815 Northwest Barry Road Kansas City, MO 64154 (816) 741-2333 www.kcnorthdentist.com

Erin P. Flood

7301 Mission Road, Suite 203 Prairie Village, KS 66208 (913) 362-7320 www.erinflood-dds.com

John C. Flucke

Flucke & Associates Dentistry 209 Northwest Blue Parkway Lee’s Summit, MO 64063 (816) 209-6675 www.enlightened smileskc.com

Creighton Gallagher

Tricia C. Halford

Corinth Dental Care 3700 West 83rd Street, Suite 108 Prairie Village, KS 66208 (913) 341-9600 www.corinthdentalcare.com

Sarina M. Harman-Tinnel

HT Complete Family Dentistry 7621 Frontage Road Overland Park, KS 66204 (913) 962-0036 www.drtinnel.com

Ross S. Headley

KCSmile 12850 Metcalf Avenue, Suite 200 Overland Park, KS 66209 (913) 491-6874 www.kcsmile.com

Overland Park Family Dental 8925 West 135th Street Overland Park, KS 66221 (913) 439-4311 www.overlandparkfamily dental.com

Craig W. Herre

MeLinda A. Garcia

Scott B. Herre

Somerset Family Dentistry 7930 Lee Boulevard Leawood, KS 66206 (913) 383-5373 www.somerset dentalteam.com

James D. Gentry

Gentry Dental 4861 West 134th Street Leawood, KS 66209 (913) 341-0018 www.gentrydental.com

Mark D. Gilroy

Gilroy Dental Care 11826 West 135th Street Overland Park, KS 66221 (913) 681-1900 www.gilroydentalcare.com

Eric Gottman

UMKC School of Dentistry 650 East 25th Street, Floor 1 Kansas City, MO 64108 (816) 235-2146 www.dentistry.umkc.edu/ directory/eric-gottman

Jarrett S. Grosdidier S&G Family Dentistry 11313 Ash Street Leawood, KS 66211 (913) 945-1612 www.sandgfamily dentistry.com

Amy Rhoades Hahn

Rhoades Family Dentistry 13400 South Blackbob Road Olathe, KS 66062 (913) 782-8900 www.rhoadesdds.com

University Park Dental Associates 11201 Nall Avenue, Suite 120 Leawood, KS 66211 (913) 491-4466 www.holisticdentalkc.com Scott Herre Dentistry 11237 Nall Avenue, Suite 140 Leawood, KS 66211 (913) 912-7341 www.scottherre dentistry.com

Timothy R. Herre

Dental Health By Herre 11201 Nall Avenue, Suite 120 Leawood, KS 66211 (913) 491-4466 www.dentalhealth byherre.com

Andrew Herwig

Herwig DDS 11900 West 87th Street Parkway, Suite 260 Lenexa, KS 66215 (913) 492-8884 www.herwigdds.com

Mitch R. Hopkins

Hopkins Dental Health 460 Nichols Road, Suite 375 Kansas City, MO 64112 (816) 531-1648 www.hopkinsdental health.com

Stephen J. Huber 13400 Roe Avenue Leawood, KS 66209 (913) 543-3751 www.leawoodkansas dentist.com

John K. Humphrey, Jr. Kansas City Dental Works 12705 West 87th Street Parkway Lenexa, KS 66219 (913) 432-9414 www.kcdentalworks.com

Luke Joliff

Leawood Dental 11551 Granada Lane, Suite 200 Leawood, KS 66211 (913) 642-3939 www.leawood.dental

Alison M. Jones

Alison Jones Family Dentistry 4601 West 109th Street, Suite 110 Overland Park, KS 66211 (913) 491-0077 www.alisonjones dentistry.com

Kory Kirkegaard

The Art of Dentistry 7550 West 160th Street Overland Park, KS 66085 (913) 270-7959 www.theartof dentistryop.com

Rebecca Kisling

Kisling Family Dentistry 13401 Mission Road, Suite 212 Leawood, KS 66209 (913) 357-8333 www.kislingfamily dentistry.com

Ashley E. Knight

Pierce & Knight Family Dentistry 8615 Rosehill Road, Suite 101 Lenexa, KS 66215 (913) 251-9930 www.lenexadentist.com

Ian J. Krusich

Krusich Dental 11111 Nall Avenue, Suite 106 Leawood, KS 66211 (913) 675-8039 www.krusichdental.com

John C. LaBarca

Dental Excellence 19501 East U.S. Highway 40 Independence, MO 64055 (816) 795-9500 www.dentalexcell.com

William D. Ledford

Blue Stream Dental 1236 West 103rd Street Kansas City, MO 64114 (816) 941-0980 www.drwilliamledford.com

Joel D. LeMense

8012 State Line Road, Suite 100 Leawood, KS 66208 (913) 341-3415 www.lemensedental.com

Steven B. Lemieux

Brookside Cosmetic & Family Dental 211 East 63rd Street Kansas City, MO 64113 (816) 333-3711 www.brooksidecosmetic dental.com

Matthew Lenz

Lenz family and Cosmetic Dentistry 14221 Metcalf Avenue, Suite 100 Overland Park, KS 66223 (913) 851-5900 www.lenzdds.com

Patrick Lillis

Overland Park Dental Design 4601 West 109th Street, Suite 318 Overland Park, KS 66211 (913) 451-7330 www.opdentaldesign.com

Anthony Marengo, Jr. Esthetic Enhancement 16103 West 135th Street Olathe, KS 66062 (913) 829-9222 www.marengodds.com

Eugene F. McGill

3700 West 83rd Street, Suite 208 Prairie Village, KS 66208 (913) 381-9880

Jacob W. Meggison

Dental Elements 11912 West Shawnee Mission Parkway Shawnee, KS 66216 (913) 383-0440 www.dentalelementskc.com

Andrew S. Moore

Andrew Moore Family & Cosmetic Dentistry 5367 Roberts Street Shawnee, KS 66226 (913) 422-0007 www.andrewmooredds.com

Robert A. Pierce

Pierce & Knight Family Dentistry 8615 Rosehill Road, Suite 101 Lenexa, KS 66215 (913) 251-9930 www.lenexadentist.com

Jennifer L. Pottinger 6885 West 151st Street, Suite 202 Overland Park, KS 66223 (913) 897-4300 www.jlpottingerdds.com

Robert W. Rechtien, Jr. Rechtien Dental 231 Northwest 72nd Street Gladstone, MO 64118 (816) 436-5900 www.rechtiendental.com

Lawson S. Rener

St. Luke’s Hospital 4320 Wornall Road, Suite 402 Kansas City, MO 64111 (816) 561-8050 www.lawsonrenerdds.com

Richard D. Rhoads, Jr. Smiles By The Lake 6700 West 121st Street, Suite 101 Overland Park, KS 66209 (913) 214-0352 www.smilesbythelake.com

Jamie Smiley

Smiley Dental 13430 Briar Street Leawood, KS 66209 (913) 402-8888 www.smiley dentaloffice.com

David Lawrence Suchman

Suchman & Darnall Family Dentistry 3907 Crackerneck Road Independence, MO 64055 (816) 373-3101 www.suchmandarnall.com

Brian S. Sutton

Fountain City Dental Group 4546 Main Street Kansas City, MO 64111 (816) 931-2342 www.briansuttondds.com

J. Brad Tally

13650 Roe Avenue Leawood, KS 66224 (913) 491-5040 www.jbradtallydds.com

Kelly K. Thomas

Leawood Cosmetic & Family Dentistry 4861 West 134th Street, Suite C Leawood, KS 66209 (913) 685-1900 www.leawoodcosmetic dentistry.com

Ross Thompson

Olathe Pointe Dental 14979 West 119th Street Olathe, KS 66062 (913) 780-0080 www.olathepointe dental.com

Jamie L. ThurmanTaylor

TLC Family Dentistry 3568 Southwest Market Street Lee’s Summit, MO 64082 (816) 537-6161 www.tlcfamilydentistry.com

William S. Tinsley

Two Westwoods Drive Liberty, MO 64068 (816) 207-3356 www.seaportdentistry.com

David L. Tuttle

Tuttle Family Dentistry 8631 West 150th Street, Suite 103 Overland Park, KS 66223 (913) 681-2893 www.tuttledentistry.com

Julie A. Tuttle

Tuttle Family Dentistry 8631 West 150th Street, Suite 103 Overland Park, KS 66223 (913) 681-2893 www.tuttledentistry.com

Stephanie M. Warden 2200 West 75th Street, Suite 101 Prairie Village, KS 66208 (913) 825-2500 www.wardendds.com

D. Douglas Watts II Geha Family Dental 4601 West 109th Street, Suite 240 Overland Park, KS 66211 (913) 338-3384 www.gehafamilydental overlandpark.com

kansascitymag.com October 2026 2025

2026 TOP DENTISTS Luke Wolniak

Prairie Fields Dentistry 16072 Metcalf Avenue Overland Park, KS 66085 (913) 871-5360 www.prairiefields dentistry.com

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Nicholas Anggelis

Facial Surgery Group 7577 Northwest Barry Road, Suite B Kansas City, MO 64153 (816) 741-8999 www.bestoralsurgerykc.com

Michael Barber

Oral & Facial Surgery Associates 23351 Prairie Star Parkway, Suite A135 Lenexa, KS 66227 (913) 258-1375 www.ofsa-ks.com

Adam Flack

UMKC School of Dentistry 2101 Charlotte Street Floor 3 Kansas City, MO 64108 (816) 404-0500 www.providerdirectory. universityhealthkc. org/provider/ Adam+Flack/2237867

Tanya Gibson

UMKC School of Dentistry 650 East 25th Street Floor 3 Kansas City, MO 64108 816-235-2133 ww.dentistry.umkc.edu/ directory/tanya-gibsond-d-s

Steven D. Green

Midwest Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery 11551 Granada Lane, Suite 100 Leawood, KS 66211 (913) 491-4488 www.midwestomskc.com

Christopher J. Haggerty

Facial Surgery Group 4700 Belleview Avenue, Suite L-10 Kansas City, MO 64112 (816) 561-1115 www.bestoralsurgerykc.com

Lakewood Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Specialists 3600 Northeast Ralph Powell Road, Suite D Lee’s Summit, MO 64064 (816) 554-8300 www.lakewoodomfs.com

Joseph C. Camarata

Matthew R. Hlavacek

Zachary L. Brown

ClearChoice Overland Park 10777 Nall Avenue, Suite 100 Overland Park, KS 66211 (913) 871-1527 www.clearchoice.com/ locations/dental-implantskansas-city-overland-park

Kirk C. Collier

Oral & Facial Surgery Associates 3700 West 83rd Street, Suite 103 Prairie Village, KS 66208 (913) 381-5194 www.ofsa-ks.com

Douglas W. Fain

Johnson County Oral Surgery 50052 Woodland Road Lenexa, KS 66220 (913) 839-9709 www.johnsoncounty oralsurgery.com

Brett L. Ferguson

UMKC School of Dentistry 2101 Charlotte Street Floor 3 Kansas City, MO 64108 (816) 404-0500 dentistry.umkc.edu/ directory/brett-l-fergusond-d-s

2025 62 Kansas City October 2026

Kansas City Surgical Arts 8080 North Flintlock Road Kansas City, MO 64158 (816) 286-4126 kansascitysurgicalarts.com

Tyson E. Marrs

Oral & Facial Surgery Associates 3700 West 83rd Street, Suite 103 Prairie Village, KS 66208 (913) 381-5194 www.ofsa-ks.com

Patrick B. Moore

Parkville Modern Dentistry & Orthodontics 6340 North Chatham Avenue Kansas City, MO 64151 (816) 746-1171 www.parkvillemodern dentistry.com

Gary L. Nesslein

Northland Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery 6301 North Oak Trafficway, Suite 101 Kansas City, MO 64118 (816) 452-0300 www.northlandoms.com

Brent F. Newby

KC Dental Implants & Oral Surgery 7701 West 119th Street Overland Park, KS 66213 (913) 529-5999 www.kcdios.com

Richard D. Hannah

Joe Moon

Paul J. Hechler

Eric S. Neuer

Hannah Orthodontics 1441 East 151st Street Olathe, KS 66053 (913) 829-2244 www.hannahbraces.com

Daniel C. Nielson

Great Plains Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery 965 North Mur-Len Road Olathe, KS 66062 (913) 780-3100 www.gpoms.com

Christopher T. Vogel Kansas City Oral Surgery & Implant Center 8771 North Platte Purchase Drive Kansas City, MO 64155 (816) 281-7173 www.kcoralsurgery andimplants.com

Harold D. Wallin, Jr.

Midwest Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery 11551 Granada Lane, Suite 100 Leawood, KS 66211 (913) 491-4488 www.midwestomskc.com

C. Reiger Wood IV

Deer Creek Oral Surgery 12800 Metcalf Avenue Overland Park, KS 66213 (913) 451-7680 www.deercreekoms.com

Orthodontics Eric Anderson

Anderson Orthodontics 121 Delaware Street Leavenworth, KS 66048 (913) 651-5040 www.dranderson orthodontics.com

Branson Billings

Braces By Billings 8600 Tom Watson Parkway, Suite 101 Parkville, MO 64152 (816) 226-4291 www.bracesbybillings.com

Chad Bulleigh

Bulleigh Orthodontics 8600 West 95th Street Overland Park, KS 66212 (913) 441-7321 www.bulleighortho.com

David M. Christensen KC Braces + Kids 7675 Northwest Prairie View Road Kansas City, MO 64151 (816) 41-1155 www.christensen orthodontics.com

Hechler Orthodontics 12800 Metcalf Avenue, Suite 1 Overland Park, KS 66213 (913) 469-6086 www.hechler.com

Steven L. Hechler

Hechler Orthodontics 12800 Metcalf Avenue, Suite 1 Overland Park, KS 66213 (913) 469-6086 www.hechler.com

Henry Hoffman

Hoffman Orthodontics 11213 Nall Avenue, Suite 130 Leawood, KS 66211 (913) 649-8890 www.hoffmanortho.com

Kurt J. Hoffman

Hoffman Orthodontics 11213 Nall Avenue, Suite 130 Leawood, KS 66211 (913) 649-8890 www.hoffmanortho.com

Jerry W. Huerter, Jr.

Elizabeth B. Nill

Drs. Blackwell, Nill and Francois 10 Northwest Chipman Road Lee’s Summit, MO 64063 (816) 524-6525 www.blackwellnill francois.com

Jay M. Oltjen

Oltjen Orthodontics 15159 South Blackbob Road Olathe, KS 66062 (913) 829-8855 www.oltjenbraces.com

John P. Roth

Starting Point Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics 10940 Parallel Parkway, Suite N Kansas City, KS 66109 (913) 948-8688 www.startingpoint dental.com

Clarence E. Simmons

Jay Joshi

Bradley N. Smith

Stay Smiling Orthodontics 4601 West 109th Street Suite 310 Overland Park, KS 66211 913-661-9901 www.staysmiling orthodontics.com

Neil C. Kanning

Kanning Orthodontics 9101 Northeast 82nd Terrace Kansas City, MO 64158 (816) 781-8585 www.kanning orthodontics.com

Kurt E. Kavanaugh

Kurt Kavanaugh Orthodontics 8407 North Main Street Kansas City, MO 64155 (816) 420-8100 www.kavanaughortho. com

Michael Klein

Dykhouse Orthodontics 1300 Northwest South Outer Road Blue Springs, MO 64015 (816) 229-0444 www.dykhouseortho.com

Jeremy R. Fry

Jeffrey J. Lenius

Fry Orthodontic Specialists 11940 Quivira Road Overland Park, KS 66213 (913) 469-9191 www.fryorthodontics.com

Prairie Pointe Orthodontics 10044 Woodland Road Lenexa, KS 66220 (913) 393-9911 www.bracesbydesign.com

Huerter Orthodontics 8919 Parallel Parkway, Suite 450 Kansas City, KS 66112 (913) 334-3055 www.huerterortho.com

Klein & Walker Orthodontics 975 North Mur-Len Road, Suite C Olathe, KS 66062 (913) 829-4466 www.kleinwalker orthodontics.com

David E. Dykhouse

Moon Orthodontics 14247 Metcalf Avenue Overland Park, KS 66223 (913) 782-7223 www.moonortho.com

Lenius Orthodontics 8764 West 151st Street Overland Park, KS 66221 (913) 357-1212 www.leniusortho.com

Odyssey Smiles 601 East Russell Avenue Warrensburg, MO 64093 (816) 317-0130 www.odysseysmiles.com

Dyer & Smith Orthodontics 11244 West 135th Street Overland Park, KS 66221 (913) 897-6950 www.bradsmithortho.com

Douglas Thompson

Doug Thompson Orthodontics 6872 West 121st Street Overland Park, KS 66209 (913) 491-3549 www.dougthompson ortho.com

Jeffrey J. Thompson Jeff Thompson Orthodontics 4851 West 134th Street, Suite A Leawood, KS 66209 (913) 681-8300 www.jeffthompson ortho.com

Kelly H. Toombs

Toombs Orthodontics 3700 West 83rd Street, Suite 215 Prairie Village, KS 66208 (913) 381-5292 www.toombs orthodontics.com

Cameron Walker

Klein & Walker Orthodontics 975 North Mur-Len Road Suite C Olathe, KS 66061 (913) 829-4466 www.kleinwalker orthodontics.com

DRILLING DOWN INTO THE BIG BUSINESS OF DENTISTRY

From independent practices to growing dental groups, the economics of dentistry are shifting By David Hodes

S ILLUSTR ATION BY DAVID BABCOCK

STEP INSIDE YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD DENTIST OFFICE today and

you’ll probably see more than just a drill configuration, a chair, a spit tray and a smiling hygienist standing at the ready. Dental offices are turning into a techland wellness space. Dentistry is becoming a complex business entity, providing not only your basic dental services but also services that are key to your overall physical health. This transformation is also attracting corporate business developers who see dollar signs in a high-profit-margin business. Oral health treatment is not just about shining up them-there pearly whites. It involves your gums, the lining of your mouth and throat, your tongue, lips, salivary glands, chewing muscles, nerves and the bones on the upper and lower jaws. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic found that what happens in your mouth can affect the function of your heart or your kidneys, create pregnancy and birth complications, cause pneumonia or even make diabetes worse. Today’s dentists are changing as well. They are doing more than just fixing cavities and giving you a lesson in proper tooth maintenance. They’re also the partner or owner, the CEO, the business manager and the technologist driving the business to whatever next level their solid business plan identifies. “We put on different hats—the business hat, the clinician hat, the neighborly friendly person hat,” says Gary Hatutian, a Southwest High School graduate and the owner of Executive Hills Dentistry in Overland Park. This trend is being felt everywhere, and David Thein is on the frontlines of the transition. Thein operated two periodontal dental practices in the late 1980s, which he sold by 2019. Now he is a clinical professor and curriculum director at the UMKC School of Dentistry, teaching the business aspects of dentistry. “When I was in dental school years ago, we had very few business-related trainings at all,” Thein says. “We pretty much got into dentistry and just winged it. And because the profit margins in dentistry are high, most of us had no problem.” Today, Thein says, business training is ramping up as dentistry becomes more of a healthcare enterprise. “It’s much more complicated than it has ever been,” he says. “Even though dentists have the rooms available and the time available, they don’t have the people available to maximize the capacity they could have if they had all the right pieces in place.” Marko Vujicic, the chief economist and vice president of the Health Policy Institute at the American Dental Association, says it’s not necessarily that the dentist is becoming more like a CEO but that smaller practices and solo practices are being replaced by group practices of different sizes and different natures. “Part of that consolidation involves a kind of a split between the clinical duties and the management duties,” Vujicic says. Practices are consolidating because they are looking to get more efficient and scale up their business, Vujicic says. “The business is dealing with long-term trends such as insurance reimbursement rates to dentists rising much slower than inflation. Yet the cost side of running a practice keeps going up in terms of labor costs, wages, equipment and supplies, technology. It’s squeezing dentists’ earnings, which have been sluggish and flat.” That being said, being a dentist is a good living. It’s an insurance-driven business, meaning there’s a relatively dependable cash flow because most insurance companies pay 100% of simple preventative services.

The majority of dentists are owners or partners. Salaries range from $100,000 to $200,000 a year, with some dentists making as much as $500,000 annually, according to a business intelligence salary survey. Porcelain veneers can cost nearly $2,000 a tooth; crowns can be $1,500 per tooth. A full smile makeover? Upwards of $17,000. But right now, for all dentists, the No. 1 business priority is finding and keeping a good hygienist. The American Dental Association reported that just 60% of dentists have an adequate number of dental hygienists on staff. “Labor is costing 25% more than it did five to 10 years ago,” Hatutian says. “Going rates for hygiene service in dental practices are anywhere from $40 to $60 an hour. In some other cities on the coasts, they demand $70 an hour and even more.” The kind of wages that are needed to alleviate hygienist shortages and draw more people into the hygiene profession may not be fiscally feasible in the short term, Vujicic says. “We’re in a bit of a pickle here in terms of staffing shortages,” he says. Thein says the new dentistry business model has changed considerably over the past few years, reflecting the influx of corporate dentistry. “Private equity has seen how profitable dentistry is, so they’re kind of getting in on the deal,” Hatutian says. Three years ago, the UMKC dental school put together a DDS/MBA program. “Students are now electing to do this dual degree just to get training that they may need to do the kind of dentistry that’s being done today,” Thein says. “A dentist who wants to be a business person—buy multiple practices, hire other dentists to work in those offices, manage those offices, and maybe do some clinical work—has to have more skills than we can teach them in dental school, business-wise.” kansascitymag.com October 2026 2025

How teeth clenching and grinding can go beyond teeth damage and show signs of aging

B By Nicole Kinning

BOTOX, COLLAGEN, RETINOL. We’re constantly told what to add to our skincare

routines to slow down aging. But there’s one area you might be overlooking, and that’s your teeth. Years of clenching and grinding, clinically known as bruxism, can wear teeth down millimeter by millimeter. As teeth become shorter, flatter and more jagged, they lose the structural support that helps hold up your lower face, creating a more collapsed or sunken appearance. “Our teeth provide scaffolding or support to the vertical dimension of our face,” says Dentist Rebecca Kisling of Leawood’s Kisling Family Dentistry, who has completed extensive training in full-mouth rehabilitation, TMJ disorders and sleep-disordered breathing. “As the teeth shrink and get shorter or more worn, that collapses our face,” she says. The transformation usually happens slowly, and because gradual enamel loss often doesn’t hurt, many people have no idea they’re grinding until a dentist points out the damage or worse: a tooth cracks. Kisling emphasizes that there’s rarely a single cause to why someone clenches their teeth, which is why each patient requires a closer look. Some arrive in pain, but many first learn about their clenching during a routine exam after 3D scans reveal divots, chips or the layer of tooth tissue under the enamel called dentin.

64 Kansas City October 2026 2025 64

ILLUSTR ATION BY DAVID BABCOCK

WEAR AND TEAR

“Tooth wear happens slowly, and it doesn’t usually hurt,” Kisling says. “Most people wouldn’t realize unless they looked at snapshots of their smile over time.” A worn smile can make someone appear older because the teeth no longer have the length and shape they once did. Wear can also reduce the vertical distance between the upper and lower jaws, and with less structural height supporting lips and cheeks, the lower third of the face may look compressed. In advanced cases, dentists may recommend a full-mouth rehabilitation, which rebuilds the teeth with crowns to restore their original height. Kisling says that after these procedures, patients often notice a change not only in their smile, but also in their facial proportions. “If you restore the teeth back to the correct vertical height, then their face essentially looks younger,” she says. “Teeth are a huge component of the vertical support of our lower face.” Bruxism doesn’t have a single cause. Stress is a common contributor, but dentists also say posture, medications, inflammation, nasal obstruction and sleep-disordered breathing are also factors. Certain antidepressants and ADHD medications can increase clenching, and nighttime grinding may be your body’s attempt to open a restricted airway. Because there isn’t a one-size-fits-all cause of teeth grinding, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, either. Kisling starts by looking for cues that can point to what’s driving the problem, like frequent morning headaches, facial muscle tension, chronically inflamed gums and a scalloped tongue, which are small indentations created when the tongue presses against the teeth. The evaluation helps determine the course of treatment. Instead of buying the first bite guard you see on Amazon, Kisling recommends seeing your dentist for a custom one, which creates a precise barrier between your upper and lower teeth to protect enamel from grinding while fitting your unique bite. An over-the-counter guard can be bulky or position your jaw in a way that aggravates TMJ pain rather than relieving. During the day, Kisling encourages keeping your jaw relaxed, which we know is easier said than done. “Our teeth should only be touching when we’re chewing,” she says. Noticing when your teeth are pressed together—and consciously separating them—can help. Maintaining clear nasal passages, limiting excess caffeine and addressing posture or medication side effects may also help, depending on the cause. The most important step, Kisling says, is to act early, before the damage is done. A custom night guard may feel pricey upfront, but it is far less expensive than rebuilding multiple damaged teeth. “A $500 night guard is a lot cheaper than a $2,000 crown,” she says. “The more preventative care and the better you take care of your teeth, the less you’re going to spend on them throughout your lifetime.”

2026 TOP DENTISTS Ashlee Weber

Weber Orthodontics 7577 Northwest Barry Road, Suite A Kansas City, MO 64153 (816) 746-1200 www.drweber orthodontics.com

Angela Williams

Fry Orthodontic Specialists 11940 Quivira Road Overland Park, KS 66213 (913) 469-9191 www.fryorthodontics.com

Zachary T. Williams

Blue Springs My Kids 1254 Northeast Coronado Drive, Suite 113 Blue Springs, MO 64014 (816) 220-5598 www.mykidsdentist bluesprings.com

Pediatric Dentistry Kurt A. Aarons

Kurt Aarons Pediatric Dentistry 4411 Belleview Avenue Kansas City, MO 64111 (816) 531-2070 www.kurtaaronsdds.com

Vanessa R. Axelsen

Blue Valley Pediatric Dentistry 7560 West 160th Street Overland Park, KS 66085 (913) 232-2708 www.bvkidsdentist.com

Brenda S. Bohaty

UMKC School of Dentistry 650 East 25th Street Floor 3 Kansas City, MO 64108 (816) 235-2036 www.dentistry.umkc.edu

Erin Bumann

UMKC School of Dentistry 650 East 25th Street Floor 3 Kansas City, MO 64108 (816) 235-6450 www.dentistry.umkc.edu/ directory/erin-ealbabumann-dds-phd-ms

Jared Christensen

KC Braces + Kids 7675 Northwest Prairie View Road Kansas City, MO 64151 (816) 741-1155 www.kcbracesandkids.com

Emily C. Cortes

Prairie Pediatric Dentistry 15230 West 87th Street Parkway Lenexa, KS 66219 (913) 871-5771 www.ppdkansas.com

Tara Craven

Smiles Dentistry for Kids 14700 Metcalf Avenue Suite 110 Overland Park, KS 66223 (913) 685-9990 www.smilesdentistry 4kids.com

Sara Crow

Leblanc & Associates 143 and Metcalf Avenue Overland Park, KS 66223 (913) 387-3500 www.kidsmileKC.com

Emily C. Drake

3801 South West Trafficway Kansas City, MO 64111 (816) 622-2000 www.pediatricdentistkc.com

John T. Fales, Jr.

Fales Pediatric Dentistry 13496 South Arapaho Drive Olathe, KS 66062 (913) 782-2207 www.kidzdentist.com

Rachael L. Graue

Parkville Pediatric Dentistry 6004 Northwest 9 Highway Parkville, MO 64152 (816) 708-4466 www.parkvillepediatric dentistry.com

Elizabeth Hechler

Blue Valley Pediatric Dentistry 7560 West 160th Street Overland Park, KS 66085 (913) 232-2708 www.bvkidsdentist.com

Bryan Henrie

LeBlanc & Associates 1601 North 98th Street Suite 104 Kansas City, KS 66111 (913) 299-3300 www.kidsmilekc.com

Matthew W. Hillman Smiles Dentistry for Kids 14700 Metcalf Avenue, Suite 110 Overland Park, KS 66223 (913) 685-9990 www.smilesdentistry 4kids.com

Jill C. Jenkins

Jenkins Dentistry for Kids 6810 Silverheel Street Shawnee, KS 66226 Multiple locations (913) 745-2500 www.jenkinsdentistry forkids.com

Robinson T. Kiser

Little Chompers Pediatric Dentistry 2511 South 4th Street Leavenworth, KS 66048 (913) 250-6583 www.littlechomperspd.com

Michael A. LeBlanc LeBlanc & Associates Dentistry for Children Multiple locations (913) 378-3500 www.kidsmilekc.com

Louis A. Pollina

Dentistry for Children 7001 North Cherry Street Suite 100 Gladstone, MO 64118 (816) 548-340 www.kidsdentistkc.com

Casey Rhoads

Honey Bee Pediatric Dental 4621 West 6th Street, Suite B Lawrence, KS 66049 (785) 331-0043 www.honeybeepdc.com

Brandi K. Roeber

Dentistry for Children 7001 North Cherry Street, Suite 100 Gladstone, MO 64118 (816) 548-3400 www.kidsdentistkc.com

Glynn Spencer

Spencer & Spencer Pediatric Dentistry 301 Northeast Mulberry Street, Suite 201 Lee’s Summit, MO 64086 (816) 607-6000 www.spencerdental.com

Jodie L. Spencer

Periodontics Amy L. Gillihan

Gillihan Periodontics 3151 South M291 Highway, Suite B Independence, MO 64057 (816) 373-5400 www.gillihanperio.com Krause Dental Center 9401 Nall Avenue Overland Park, MO 66207 (913) 642-7272 www.krausedental.com

Adam C. McClellan

Periodontal Care 5000 West 95th Street, Suite 270 Prairie Village, KS 66207 (913) 341-4141 www.periodontal carepa.com

Sidney A. McKnight III McKnight & Oliver Periodontics and Implants 2200 West 75th Street, Suite A Prairie Village, KS 66208 (913) 649-4978 www.mandoperio.com

Patrick J. Morris

Morris Periodontics 613 Southeast Fifth Street Lee’s Summit, MO 64063 (816) 554-2663 www.morrisperio.com

Catherine A. Mowry

Kathryn N. Stanley

Kevin Mowry

Jaime Stinnett

Joyful Dentistry for Kids 6500 West 95th Street, Suite 102 Overland Park, KS 66212 (913) 649-0166 www.joyfuldentristy forkids.com

D. Scott Thomas

Shoal Creek Pediatric Dentistry 9051 Northeast 81st Terrace, Suite 220 Kansas City, MO 64158 (816) 781-5437 www.shoalcreeksmiles.com

Benjamin Unruh

Hello! Pediatric Dentistry 717 North 7 Highway Blue Springs, MO 64014 (816) 622-2843 www.hellopediatric dentistry.com

Foundation Periodontics 8704 Bourgade Street, Suite 100 Lenexa, KS 66219 (913) 894-9962 www.mowryperio.com Foundation Periodontics 8704 Bourgade Street, Suite 100 Lenexa, KS 66219 (913) 894-9962 www.mowryperio.com

Nancy L. Newhouse

Newhouse Periodontics 4731 South Cochise Drive, Suite 200 Independence, MO 64055 (816) 373-6800 www.newhouseperio.com

N. Randolph Oliver

McKnight & Oliver Periodontics and Implants 2200 West 75th Street, Suite A Prairie Village, KS 66208 (913) 649-4978 www.mandoperio.com

Seth Rush

Periodontics & Implant Dentistry 9249 Ward Parkway Kansas City, MO 64114 (816) 444-8822 www.rushperio.com

Lara Tull Ryan

UMKC School of Dentistry 650 East 25th Street Floor 3 Kansas City, MO 64108 (816) 235-2075 dentistry.umkc.edu/ directory/keerthana-msatheesh-b-d-s-d-d-s-m-s

Kelley S. Thompson

Lana Krause

Spencer & Spencer Pediatric Dentistry 301 Northeast Mulberry Street, Suite 201 Lee’s Summit, MO 64086 (816) 607-6000 www.spencerdental.com Stanley Pediatric Dentistry 8575 West 110th Street, Suite 310 Overland Park, KS 66210 (913) 345-0331 www.opkidsdentist.com

Tanu Satheesh

Kelley Thompson Periodontics 8340 Mission Road, Suite 203 Prairie Village, KS 66206 (913) 652-9844 www.kelleythompson periodontics.com

Audra Ward

Ward Periodontics Implant Dentistry 12701 Metcalf Avenue, Suite 200 Overland Park, KS 66213 (913) 563-7400 www.wardperio.com

Jeremy Youngblood

Youngblood Periodontics 6301 North Oak Trafficway, Suite 102 Kansas City, MO 64118 (816) 453-2323

Prosthodontics Bruce C. Cummings

4151 North Mulberry Drive, Suite 260 Kansas City, MO 64116 (816) 454-9090 www.drbruce cummings.com

W. Stuart Dexter

Prairie Village Prosthodontics 7301 Mission Road, Suite 206 Prairie Village, KS 66208 (913) 362-8200 www.drstuartdexter.com

Brandon A. James

12541 Foster Street, Suite 330 Overland Park, KS 66213 (913) 642-0000 www.brandon jamesdds.com

Kelly Miller

Lawrence Dental Solutions 545 Columbia Drive, Suite 2001 Lawrence, KS 66049 (888) 993-1707 www.lawrencedental solutions.com

Cynthia S. Petrie

UMKC School of Dentistry 650 East 25th Street Floor 2 Kansas City, MO 64108 (816) 235-2694 www.dentistry.umkc.edu

Brandon Sparks

Johnson County Periodontics 15074 South Blackbob Road Olathe, KS 66062 (913) 491-5548 www.jocoperio.com

KC Complete Prosthodontics 11401 Nall Avenue, Suite 102 Leawood, KS 66211 (913) 703-5599 www.sparksdentalkc.com

kansascitymag.com October 2026 2025

Creating Smiles That Last a Lifetime ✓ Same Day Delivery! ✓ State of the Art Technology! ✓ All in one Place!

Welcome to the NuLife Dental Implant Practice. Dr. James and Dr. Camarata have a combined 50 years of experience in placing dental implants and transforming people’s smiles, and lives, for the better. Together, they bring the highest standards of patient care and clinical outcomes to their patients in Overland Park, Kansas. With technology and skill as the driving forces behind their impeccable results, Dr. James and Dr. Camarata ensure that your NuLife will be your best life yet.

12541 Foster Street, Suite 330 Overland Park, Kansas 913-888-0087 - nulifekc.com

• BONE GRAFTS • FULL DENTAL ARCH TOOTH REPLACEMENT • SINGLE/MULTIPLE TOOTH REPLACEMENT

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TOP DENTISTS 2026

When you are choosing a dental provider for you or a loved one, there are several factors to consider. One of the most important is how they are perceived among their peers. The featured dentists in the following pages are among some of the dentists featured in the USA Top Dentists list, which is a widely recognized group of dental professionals that are chosen as the best in their field.

TOP DENTISTS 2026

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FAMILY DENTISTRY

RHOADES FAMILY DENTISTRY Amy Rhoades Hahn, DDS Rachel Pitts Driscoll, DDS Jessica Johnson, DDS Historically, dentistry has been focused on managing the fallout of developmental changes in the face, shrinking jaws, crowded teeth and a struggle to breathe. Dr. Amy Hahn and Dr. Rachel Driscoll began seeking answers as to why these changes may be happening and how to remedy them. Patients are suffering the ill effects of processed food heavy diets, which can change the development of their skulls and faces and even the way they breathe. Dentistry is on the precipice of change. Hahn and Driscoll are driven to determine the root cause and want to prevent these problems early instead of trying to remedy years later. The most current research shows an emerging truth: if a patient is breathing normally through their nose from birth to age seven, they probably won’t need many dental services over the course of their life. They’re not going to snore or need braces, and they’re going to get fewer cavities and grind their teeth less. If the nose works well, they’ll also experience a lower risk of heart attack and stroke. Rhoades Family Dentistry, a multi-generational practice, whose core values of expedited and minimalistic dentistry is on a mission to change the way people feel about dentistry. It’s common to meet patients who are anxious or traumatized from prior dental experiences. Turning that around and sending them off with a positive dental experience is what they live for. They want to create a completely customized experience for you. If you want cutting-edge dentistry and a high level of health, they can provide that. If you love the saying “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” that’s the kind of dentistry they’ve loved to provide to patients over multiple generations. With more than 30 years of combined dental experience, their practice is perfect for busy families that benefit from their full range of dental services, so they can take care of your entire family’s dental needs in one place!

Pictured L to R: Jessica Johnson, DDS, Amy Rhoades Hahn, DDS, Rachel Pitts Driscoll, DDS

"Earning generations of trust for fifty years by showing how much we care!"

13400 S. Black Bob Road, Olathe, KS 66062 ❙ 913.782.8900 ❙ rhoadesdds.com 68 Kansas City October 2026

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TOP DENTISTS 2026

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PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

From L to R: Dharti Gandhi, DDS, Alex O'Connor, DDS, Jill Jenkins, DDS, Benjamin Olson, DDS, Jaime Stinnett, DDS

JOYFUL DENTISTRY FOR KIDS Joyful Dentistry for Kids, formerly Jenkins Dentistry for Kids, marks an exciting new chapter for a practice built around making dental care a positive, joyful experience for children and families. For more than 20 years, Dr. Jill Jenkins, DDS, has built a reputation for patient-centered pediatric dental care, creating an environment where children feel comfortable, confident, and even excited about visiting the dentist. The Joyful name reflects the heart of that approach while representing the continued growth of the practice.

Dr. Jenkins is proud to lead a talented team of pediatric dentists who share her commitment to compassionate, individualized care, including Dr. Dharti Gandhi, Dr. Benjamin Olson, Dr. Jaime Stinnett, and Dr. Alex O’Connor. Dr. Stinnett and her team join Joyful at the Overland Park location, formerly Pinnacle Pediatric Dentistry. In Olathe, Joyful is honored to continue the legacy of Dr. John Fales and Fales Pediatric Dentistry as Dr. Fales steps into retirement, with Dr. O’Connor stepping in to care primarily for Olathe families.

Along with its established Shawnee and Lenexa locations, Joyful Dentistry for Kids is expanding to Overland Park and Olathe, allowing the team to care for even more families across the Kansas City area.

Across all four locations, the mission remains the same: creating positive dental experiences that build confidence and healthy habits for life. With advanced pediatric training, modern technology, kid-friendly environments, and a growing team, Joyful Dentistry for Kids is bringing more joy, more access, and more ways to care for Kansas City families.

"We’re dedicated to changing the way young patients in Johnson County feel about their dental care. With diligence, compassion, and authentic care, we’ll support your efforts to prioritize and strengthen your child’s oral health and work with you to create a personalized at-home routine that will keep their smile healthy for life! "

Lenexa 913-270-6064 ❙ Olathe 913-782-2207 Overland Park 913-649-0166 ❙ Shawnee 913-308-7557 kansascitymag.com October 2026

TOP DENTISTS 2026

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ORTHODONTICS

LENIUS ORTHODONTICS Jeffrey Lenius, DDS, MSD Choosing an orthodontist is about more than straightening teeth—it’s about finding a doctor you trust to provide exceptional care and create a smile you’ll love. After more than a decade in practice, Dr. Jeffrey Lenius founded Lenius Orthodontics to provide a more personalized approach to orthodontic care. As a doctor-owned practice, patients receive individualized treatment and consistent, hands-on attention from Dr. Jeff throughout their orthodontic journey. “Every smile is different, and every treatment plan should be too,” says Dr. Jeff. Using advanced digital technology, he creates customized treatment plans for children, teens, and adults with Invisalign® clear aligners and modern braces. His approach considers more than simply straight teeth, focusing on the bite, facial balance, long-term dental health, and the details that create a natural, beautiful smile. Dr. Lenius is recognized among leading Invisalign® providers and has consistently been voted by his peers as one of Kansas City’s Top Orthodontists by topDentists™. For children, finding the right time to begin treatment is just as important as determining what treatment is needed. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends an initial orthodontic evaluation by age seven, but most children do not need treatment at that age. “Sometimes the best treatment is simply watching growth and waiting,” says Dr. Jeff. “Early evaluations allow us to identify potential concerns, monitor development, and recommend treatment only when the timing is right.” Whether you’re considering orthodontic treatment for your child or have always wanted to improve your own smile, the first step is simple. Come meet Dr. Jeff, learn about your treatment options, and discover what’s possible. Your first consultation is complimentary, and no referral is needed.

“I believe great orthodontic care should be personal. That’s why I stay closely involved in every patient’s treatment from their first visit through their final result.”

8764 W. 151st St., Overland Park, KS 66221 ❙ 913-357-1212 ❙ leniusortho.com 70 Kansas City October 2026

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TOP DENTISTS 2026

FAMILY AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY

HERWIG DDS Andrew V. Herwig, DDS Herwig DDS believes a true smile radiates from the inside out, which is why they are so passionate about delivering an exceptional dentalexperience that makes you look great, but feel great, too! Their highly trained staff of professionals offers a full spectrum of services within the fields of preventative, restorative, and cosmetic dentistry. A native of Overland Park, Dr. Andrew V. Herwig earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 2015 from UMKC School of Dentistry. He customizes his dental approach based on your long-term needs. It is an approach based on trust, comfort, necessity, and expertise, with the result focused on ultimate satisfaction. Dr. Herwig is a member of the Fifth District Dental Society, Kansas Dental Association and American Dental Association. The family-owned practice has proudly served the Greater Kansas City area since 1981. Their mission is to provide first-class dental care with the utmost professionalism. Dr. Herwig and his team are committed to helping you maintain a healthy and beautiful smile that you can be proud of. With offices located in Johnson and Miami counties, they are excited to become your local family dentist. Dr. Herwig’s practice welcomes new patients and hopes to make you a part of their dental family!

LENEXA 11900 W. 87th St. Pkwy., Suite 260, Lenexa, KS 66215 ❙ 913-492-8884 PAOLA 24 S. Silver St., Paola, KS 66071 ❙ 913-294-4321 ❙ herwigdds.com

PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

HELLO! PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY Ben Unruh, DDS Mikayla Stevens, DDS Hello! Pediatric Dentistry has been helping Blue Springs kids smile since 2017. They care for little ones starting at their very first tooth (or first birthday) all the way through their teen years. Dr. Ben Unruh designed the office to feel more like a fun hangout, rather than a dentist’s office. The waiting room is bright and welcoming with a tablet bar and their friendly team knows how to help even the shyest kids feel like superheroes. Dr. Ben and Dr. Mikayla are proud needle phobes...great news for their patients! They use special techniques for pain-free injections, so most kids don’t even realize they’ve had one. Plus, they utilize electric powered tools which are quieter, and quicker, making visits easier and less scary. The number one goal at Hello! Pediatric Dentistry is happy, healthy smiles and kids who can’t wait to come back!

Pictured L to R: Mikayla Stevens, DDS and Ben Unruh, DDS

706 NW Highway 7, Suite A, Blue Springs, MO 64014 ❙ 816-622-2843 ❙ hellopediatricdentistry.com kansascitymag.com October 2026

TOP DENTISTS 2026

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FAMILY DENTISTRY

GEHA FAMILY DENTAL Joe Geha, D.D.S. Geha Family Dental specializes in preventative dental care for the whole family. Their office is a pleasant, relaxing atmosphere, where individual patient needs are their principal interest. Dr. Geha and his staff believe in forming trust-based relationships with patients and their families. From preventive to cosmetic dentistry and more specialized treatments of dental implants and comprehensive dental care, Dr. Geha offers a wide range of dental procedures. Dr. Geha says, "from the start, it has always been our goal to become a complete dental health care resource.” “We've built strong and enduring relationships with patients in the community, and we're prepared to care for the next generation of families", says Geha. Every member of Geha Family Dental strives to advance the quality of our dental care practices through ongoing education and skills improvement. Serving Overland Park and the surrounding areas.

4601 W. 109th St., Suite 240, Overland Park, KS 66211 913-338-3384 ❙ gehafamilydentaloverlandpark.com

ENDODONTICS

BURROUGHS ENDODONTICS Jeffrey R. Burroughs, DDS At Burroughs Endodontics, their vision is to deliver the highest quality root canal treatments in the greater Kansas City area. While the idea of a root canal can be intimidating, the compassionate team at Burroughs Endodontics is dedicated to making patients feel at ease from the moment they schedule their appointment until their specialized care is complete. Led by one of the few board-certified endodontists in Kansas, Dr. Jeffrey Burroughs expertly combines state-of-the-art technology with a steadfast commitment to endodontic excellence. Advanced 3-D imaging and surgical microscopes are used to accurately diagnose conditions and provide precise treatment. Burroughs Endodontics also offers the innovative GentleWave® procedure, a minimally invasive technique designed to effectively remove infection while preserving natural tooth structure. As the practice continues to grow, Burroughs Endodontics has moved into a larger, state-of-the-art facility designed to better serve its patients and the Kansas City community. The new office provides a comfortable and modern environment while delivering the exceptional “Quality Care" patients have come to expect. And that's not just a motto; it’s their mission. Schedule an appointment to experience the difference.

6730 W 121st St., Overland Park, KS 66209 ❙ 913-258-5696 ❙ burroughsendo.com 72

Kansas City October 2026

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TOP DENTISTS 2026

PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

LEBLANC AND ASSOCIATES Michael LeBlanc, DDS For more than two decades, LeBlanc & Associates Dentistry for Children has been creating healthy smiles and positive dental experiences for children throughout the Kansas City area. With five convenient locations, the practice combines specialized pediatric dental care with a fun, welcoming environment designed with children and families in mind. Behind every smile is a dedicated team of pediatric dentists, hygienists and clinical assistants who share the same passion: caring for children. Team members 6500 6500W. W.95TH 95THST., ST.,STE. STE.102, 102,OVERLAND OVERLANDPARK, PARK,KS KS66212 66212 understand the trust families place in their child’s healthcare providers. Every 913.649.0166 913.649.0166 | | KIDSFUNSMILES.COM KIDSFUNSMILES.COM patient is treated with the same compassion, patience, and personalized attention they would want for their own children. From a child’s first dental visit through their teenage years, LeBlanc & Associates is proud to partner with families every step of the way. Honored to be named Best Pediatric Dentist for six consecutive years, the practice believes in saying yes—yes to exceptional service, yes to putting patients first, and yes to building great smiles for life.

Kansas City ❙ Overland Park ❙ South Olathe ❙ Prairie Village ❙ West Olathe 913-387-3500 ❙ kidsmilekc.com

FAMILY AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY

LEAWOOD COSMETIC AND FAMILY DENTISTRY

Kelly Thomas, DDS

For more than 20 years, Dr. Kelly Thomas has been dedicated to creating healthy, confident smiles through exceptional patient care and advanced dentistry. She completed extensive post-graduate training at the Las Vegas Institute (LVI) for Advanced Dental Studies, expanding her expertise in cosmetic, restorative, and neuromuscular dentistry. Recognized as one of the nation’s Top 40 Dentists Under 40, Dr. Thomas has also been recognized locally as Best of KC for general and cosmetic dentistry. She combines advanced technology with artistic attention to detail to deliver beautiful, natural-looking results tailored to each patient’s goals. This state-of-the-art practice serves Leawood, Overland Park, and the surrounding communities. Whether you need preventive care, a complete smile makeover, dental implants, or same-day emergency treatment, Dr. Thomas and her team are committed to making every visit comfortable, personalized, and stress-free. Their philosophy is founded on delivering exceptional dentistry by listening and building lasting relationships. She and her team help patients achieve healthy, confident smiles that last a lifetime.

JAIME STINNETT, DDS

4861 W. 134th St., Leawood, KS 66209 ❙ 913-685-1900 ❙ LeawoodCosmeticDentistry.com kansascitymag.com October 2026

TOP DENTISTS 2026

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ENDODONTICS

LEAWOOD COMMONS ENDODONTICS Robert H. Altomare, DDS, MS, PA Steven P. Gish, DDS, MS, PA Anthony A. Altomare, DDS, PA Ellie Altomare, DDS Leawood Commons Endodontics welcomes Dr. Ellie Altomare to its practice. Dr. Altomare received her undergraduate degree from Loyola Marymount University and her dental degree from Creighton University in 2019. She spent the next four years in general practice before attending UMKC to complete her specialty training in endodontics. Dr. Altomare is a professional member of the American Association of Endodontists. Away from the office, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her husband, Bryan, and their two sons, Cameron and Vinny. Dr. Altomare brings exceptional skill, compassion, and a patient-centered approach to endodontic care. The practice is delighted to have her and looks forward to the expertise and warmth she will bring to their patients and the community.

From L to R: Robert H. Altomare, DDS, MS Ellie Altomare, DDS, Steven P. Gish, DDS, MS Anthony A. Altomare, DDS

11409 Ash St., Suite A, Leawood, KS 66211 ❙ 913-491-5552 ❙ leawoodendodontics.com

FAMILY DENTISTRY

SMILEY DENTAL Jamie Smiley, DDS Dr. Jamie Smiley has been recognized as a Top Dentist for the past 12 years while providing quality dental care in Johnson County for over 21 years. She and her team provide a complete range of dental needs, including preventive and cosmetic dentistry, as well as emergency treatment. To ensure your visits are pain-free and comfortable, they offer patients the most advanced and sophisticated dental technology available. Among them is an in-house CEREC machine, delivering crowns to patients in one visit. Smiley Dental also utilizes digital radiography, eliminating nearly 90% of x-ray exposure from traditional radiography. Additionally, they apply the most advanced sterilization systems and techniques, ensuring you the safest experience possible.

13430 Briar St., Leawood, KS 66209 ❙ 913-402-8888 ❙ smileydentaloffice.com 74

Kansas City October 2026

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TOP DENTISTS 2026

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ORTHODONTICS

FAMILY DENTISTRY

FRY ORTHODONTICS

KISLING FAMILY DENTISTRY

Rebecca Kisling, DDS

Jeremy Fry, DDS and Angela Williams, DDS Fry Orthodontics is the orthodontic family Kansas City has trusted since 1977. They have helped over 50,000 children, teenagers, and adults achieve their ideal smile through metal braces, ceramic braces, and Invisalign. They know how a healthy smile can positively impact your success at work and school. The Fry team treats your individual goals and eliminates excessive orthodontic treatment. At each of their 14 Kansas City locations, they strive to make patients feel comfortable every step of the way, helping you start your journey toward a confident, beautiful smile.

Locations in Kansas & Missouri ❙ 913-469-9191 info@fryorthodontics.com ❙ fryorthodontics.com

Dr. Kisling attended UMKC School of Dentistry and the Advanced Education in General Dentistry Residency. She opened her practice in August of 2022 and is proud to be a 100% family-owned small business in Leawood, KS. Kisling Family Dentistry will change your perception about going to the dentist. From the moment you walk through the door, you’ll feel at ease in a relaxed and lighthearted environment curated by Dr. Rebecca Kisling and her team. The office delivers quality, non-judgmental, and compassionate dental care in a low pressure and friendly way. She and her team offer patients of all ages a variety of treatment including cosmetic and therapeutic Botox, snoring and sleep apnea appliances, as well as preventative, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry. They are accepting new patients and welcome the opportunity to show you the Kisling Family difference. 13401 Mission Rd., Suite 212, Leawood, KS 66209 913-357-8333 ❙ kislingfamilydentistry.com

Find them all on kansascitymag.com. When you’re searching for a dentist or dental specialist for yourself or a loved one, use this peer surveyed directory of top dental professionals that serve the KC community.

Cosmetic Dentistry Dental Anesthesiology - Endodontics General Dentistry - Oral & Maxillofacial

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DENTISTS AND SPECIALISTS

Surgery - Oral Pathology Orthodontics - Pediatric Dentistry Periodontics - Prosthodontics

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

kansascitymag.com October 2026

More Than 10,000 Pieces of Sports Memorabilia

People visit Chappell’s to see the sports memorabilia but always come back for the food - Jim Chappell. Named one of the nation's best sports bars - Sports Illustrated.

Chappell's Restaurant and Sports Museum 323 Armour Rd, North Kansas City, MO 64116 ❙ 816.421.0002 ❙ chappellskc.com

savor PHOTOGR APHY PROVIDED BY CHESTNUT CHARLIE’S

EATING AND DRINKING WELL IN KANSAS CITY

Fall for Chestnuts By Tyler Shane

DON’T LET THE CLASSIC YULETIDE CAROL FOOL YOU. The peak season for chestnuts is

actually in September and early October, not during those cool-weather holidays. “We will be completely sold out by Thanksgiving,” Charles NovoGradac, owner and operator of Chestnut Charlie’s, told me when I initially asked to cover his chestnut farm in November of last year (far too late in the season). “We have been trying for years to get the Christmas song out of folks’ heads.” At Chestnut Charlie’s, located just right outside Lawrence, NovoGradac and his

wife, Debbie, wait for the chestnuts to fall from the trees, around mid-September, to start collecting them (unlike walnuts or pecans, chestnuts cannot be shaken down). Later in the month, and early in October, “the nuts are raining down on us,” NovoGradac says. Raw chestnut kernels are crisp in texture, sort of like a raw carrot, and can range greatly in flavor, from bland to sweet, according to NovoGradac. And while the lyrics “chestnuts roasting on an open fire” have created a misunderstanding of the nut’s seasonal

availability, he agrees this is the best way to enjoy them. You can find Chestnut Charlie’s (chestnutcharlie.com) chestnuts in Kansas City at Whole Foods and 888 International Market. If you want to save some for your holiday recipes, just peel and freeze them after purchasing. “Cooked chestnuts soften some and might remind you of sweet potatoes for flavor— but not exactly,” NovoGradac says. “You just have to eat some to understand their flavor. Children take to them immediately. I tell them they are cookies which fall off trees.” kansascitymag.com October 2026

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From old-school glazed and sourdough to mochi and cronuts, these Kansas City shops make early mornings worth it By Tyler Shane Photography by Zach Bauman

Kansas City October 2026

REVIEW

here’s good news and bad news when it comes to donuts in Kansas City. The bad news: LaMar’s Donuts and Coffee, debatably our city’s most iconic and historic donut shop (it opened in 1963), is one of the most expensive spots in town for the sugary pastries; you can easily spend more than $30 for a run-of-the-mill dozen. That being said, that damn glazed donut is still one of the softest bits of dough you’ll ever pop in your mouth. The good news, however: Donuts on the lower end of the price spectrum are equally delicious throughout KC, and these are the spots I found myself coming back to as I built this list. Some of the spots below are real holesin-the-wall (pun intended), with little but a cracked linoleum floor and a display case packed with long johns, twisted crullers and fritters. From tried-and-true classics to innovators bringing us a new age of glazed confections, here are the best spots to grab a twisted cruller or a cronut, a classic glazed donut or a sourdough one—and even one painted with ube glaze.

kansascitymag.com October 2026

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SLOW RISE

It’s been quite a few years since we’ve seen any metro donut shop offer anything other than the traditional yeast and cake donuts. The last shakeup was the introduction of the mochi donut—a tasty cross between a traditional American-style donut and Japanese mochi—by Blackhole Bakery and Mr. D’s Donuts. But that changed when Slow Rise came on the scene as an Overland Park Farmers Market pop-up. Slow Rise slings one kind of donut only—sourdough—filled with various creams and jams inspired by owner Jessica Dunkel’s Indonesian heritage (sweetfilled breads are common in Indonesia). Dunkel’s new-ish storefront offers 20 different flavors each morning. And if you thought Slow Rise’s move from a pop-up to a brick and mortar in south Overland Park meant less waiting in literal hour-long Farmers Market lines, you’re (kind of) correct. Slow Rise’s tangy, sugar-coated donuts are still glorious (which is really unfortunate for those of us who’d rather not fight for morning pastries), so I recommend getting your fix as soon as the store opens. I arrived there on a Thursday morning at 9:30 am and there were only six flavors left. I’m sure they sold out just a few customers later. While Slow Rise technically shuts its doors at 11 am, there never seem to be donuts left at closing time. Know that it doesn’t matter whether you think you like filled donuts or not. Slow Rise exceeds all expectations. After trying one, you’ll like filled donuts—I promise. With flavors like earl grey chocolate, strawberry milk, biscoff cookie butter and salted miso caramel, there is something to please most any palate. Slow Rise’s sourdough creations have definitely become one KC’s must-try donuts. But Dunkel will be the first to tell you to eat the donuts immediately. They are best enjoyed within an hour of getting your hands on one, so dig in.

80 Kansas City October 2026

FILLED SOURDOUGH DONUTS

Photography by Samantha Levi

PHOTOGR APHY PROVIDED

11228 W. 135th St., Overland Park. slowrise.co. Thursday–Friday, 8 am–11 am; Saturday, 9 am–11 am.

REVIEW

THE EVERYTHING DONUT, SLOW RISE

FRESH DONUTS Multiple locations. Tuesday–Sunday, 5 am–1 pm. Several places in the metro boast about their delicious cronuts, but it’s the Northland’s Fresh Donuts on Barry Road that serves the best. Think of a cross between a croissant and a donut, with layers and layers of dough deep-fried and glazed. Biting into these square-shaped confections delivers a delicate crunch. The Northland business, which opened

during Covid and quickly expanded to the Legends and Parkville, serves the usual cake and yeast donut varieties, but for this time of year, I recommend the pumpkin spice cake donut. It was just as I expected, tender, crumbly and perfect after such a heatdrenched summer.

DONUT KING 2320 Armour Road, North KCMO. donutkingkc.com. Monday–Sunday, 5 am–8 pm. My dad is a truck driver, and throughout my childhood, he would get off work at the

crack of dawn, just in time for Donut King to open. I wondered if the Northland shop would live up to my childhood memories, and all I can say is Donut King remains the truth for any and all donuts. Along with LaMar’s, Donut King is one of Kansas City’s oldest donut shops and has one of the largest donut selections in the city. The bright-pink and purple shop is great if you’re up earlier than you want to be, when the sun hasn’t fully risen and you need something to take the edge off. It’s also open later than almost any other donut shop in town if you want a late-night fix. Might I suggest a classic glazed, a long john or the cherry cake donut? kansascitymag.com October 2026

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F OX & B U L L BAKING CO. 10510 Grandview Road, KCMO. foxandbullkc.com. Thursday–Sunday, 7:30 am–1:30 pm. Available on Fridays and Sundays only, this artisan bakery sitting just outside Grandview fries up sourdough brioche donuts. Come early for a lemon blueberry, key lime pie or peanut butter and jelly donut. Whatever the flavor of the week, it’s sure to be soft as a cloud (and worth the drive).

J O H N NY ’ S DONUTS 4424 Prospect Ave, KCMO. Wednesday–Sunday, 4:30 am–3:30 pm. Just a block southeast of Ivanhoe Park is Johnny’s, one of those hole-in-the-wall neighborhood joints that only accepts cash for its donuts, cheeseburgers and catfish sandwiches. The latter two menu items are strictly lunch items. As for breakfast, start with a classic glazed donut, or, if your arteries can handle it, get the chicken, bacon and cheese donut sandwich.

STRAWBERRY KNOT

HANA’S DONUTS 2131 S. 34th St., KCK. hanasdonuts.co. Wednesday–Friday, 5:30–noon; Saturday–Sunday, 6:30 am–noon. Out of all the donut displays, Hana’s is the most scrumptious-looking. From the cherry-glazed heart donuts beside the lemon lace pastries to the perfect tier of Homer Simpson donuts above the strawberry knots, each intricate and uniquely filled pastry adds to the display case’s sense of fantastical wonderment. Luckily, they taste good, too. The strawberry knot is sizable, it almost looks like the bow on a christmas wreath. The cashier recommended it as a customer favorite. Even with its large size, it's fluffy, with mellow layers of a strawberry preserve that make for a luscious tang. However, it must be said that the old-fashioned, with its crisp edges and crumbly bite, might be one of the best I’ve ever had. Hot tip: The staff will fill a donut upon request.

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HOMER SIMPSON DONUT

REVIEW

BLACKHOLE B A K E RY

MR. D’S DONUTS

5531 Troost Ave., KCMO. blackholebakery.com. Tuesday–Friday, 7 am–2 pm; Saturday–Sunday, 8 am–2 pm

11222 W. 75th St., Shawnee, KS. mrdsdonuts.com. Tuesday–Sunday, 5:30 am–noon.

You might be tired of seeing Blackhole Bakery’s mochi donuts continually make our “best of” lists throughout the years (and yes, the bakery’s gravy-filled croissant just made our Best Biscuits and Gravy list in August), but it’s a civic duty. The slightly-smallerthan-a-baseball donuts are made with rice flour and therefore have a delicate chewiness that's hard to find anywhere else in town. They come in flavors like horchata, hibiscus lime and root beer float, but the chocolate—aka, the Blackhole—is a menu staple and a must try.

It’s hard not to love the mom-and-pop feel of Mr. D’s dining room, with its mint-green and butter-yellow countertops and stools bolted to the ground. The Shawnee strip-mall shop feels vintage, and the donuts are made daily, including the popular mochi donuts. Unlike Blackhole Bakery's mochi donuts , Mr. D's are served as rings, like the more traditional versions of the pastry. Skip the ones dressed like Patrick Mahomes or the Cookie Monster and order the ube, a purple yam native to Southeast Asia, and frosted animal cracker flavors.

MOCHI DONUTS

kansascitymag.com October 2026

S AVO R

DRINK

Sip Into Fall By Alex Omorodion SEQUESTERED INSIDE HOTEL PHILLIPS,

in what used to be a basement mail sorting room, is now a somewhat hidden basement bar known as P.S. Speakeasy (106 W. 12th St., KCMO). When the bar first opened in 2017, a hotel employee had to guide you there using a hidden door in true prohibition speakeasy fashion. Now it’s a little easier. Slip down a marked side entrance behind the hotel’s front desk, get in an elevator and you’re almost there. When you see cozy booths, well-dressed patrons and hear something akin to a jazzified version of Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer,” you know you’re in the right place. It’s not a bad spot to spend an autumn evening, especially when sipping one of the establishment’s signature cocktails: Dream Fall. Despite its name, Dream Fall—a legacy recipe from ex-bartender Spencer Randall— is available year-round. The rum-based drink features apple cider and lime juice and is topped with soft whipped cream and a pinch of chai spice. The first sip is a slightly tart, eggnog-adjacent blend rounded out by a sweet and citrusy flavor, making for a rich drink that is somehow still very refreshing. The bar has a celebratory atmosphere where people watching becomes a fun sport. I found myself seated next to co-workers celebrating a promotion, newlyweds popping champagne with their wedding party and a couple on a romantic date, definitely making for a dreamy fall night out.

84 Kansas City October 2026

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ZACH BAUMAN

I NS TAVO E RV IRE W

P E R FSEECCTTDAY ION

There’s a New Queen in Town By Tyler Shane I FIRST MET KIMBERLY ROWLAND A COUPLE YEARS AGO. She was my server at Dagwood’s Cafe in KCK, and

although I was there at the recommendation of chef Carlos Mortera to try the club sandwich, I couldn’t help but notice Rowland’s incredible warmth and congenial personality as she worked the dining room. She shot the breeze with the men at the counter just getting off their night shifts, and I was half expecting her to refer to me as “sugar” or “darlin’” when she took my order—that’s how cheerful she was. So cheerful, in fact, I gave her a shoutout in my Instagram post about the club sandwich (which was excellent). I didn’t see Rowland again until just a few months ago in a trending video that announced she was the new owner of the longtime KCK burger and shake shack, Christy’s Tasty Queen. “I’ve always just been around,” Rowland says. Beyond serving at Dagwood’s and as a go-to fill-in at Christy’s for the past several years, Rowland, who grew up in KCK’s Turner neighborhood, has always been active in the community. She still lives in the neighborhood and is raising her family there. She was nervous about her reception, she says, but she credits her community involvement, like coaching her kids’ sports teams and being a PTA member, to the massive support she has received in taking over the beloved KCK institution. Christy’s Tasty Queen, which opened in the 1960s and was originally named Carter’s Tasty Queen, has been through several owners, but for the last 43 years, Lowell and Marla Christy have helmed the spot. It’s the same small joint it always has been, with a red and white exterior and a sign boasting it serves “KC’s Best Tenderloin.” There are no seats inside—just an old-school letterboard menu and a walk-up counter. Classic and comfortable neighborhood joints like these seem to speak to Rowland. “The homey feel is exactly why I decided to take Christy’s over,” Rowland says. “You feel welcomed right when you walk in the door. If you’re having a rough day, I want you to feel like family because not everybody has their family, and diners [offer that].” PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAKE WICKERSHAM

K I M B E R LY ROWLAND’S P E R F E C T D AY I N KC Rise & Dine The kids and I are going to Dagwood’s. We’re getting a cinnamon roll, a strawberry waffle and I’m personally getting the biscuits and gravy special. I’ll also get the hashbrowns because they can crisp them really well without burning them. Shop Till We Drop My daughter loves to shop. Typically, we go down to Merriam Town Center and walk the whole strip. We’ll hit up Marshalls and Ross, stop by the pet store and get some treats. She also loves T.J. Maxx, so we might go to Legends for that. Making Waves We’ll spend hours at Oceans of Fun. If we’re eating there, we obviously have to get Dippin’ Dots. Dinner Date We’ll go to Chipotle. It’s our kids’ favorite. It’s a must. Sundae Best If we don’t go to Andy’s on the way home, we’ll go to Christy’s. My kids love walking into Christy’s because the staff knows what ice cream they’ll get. It’s special for them.

Since Rowland has taken over, there seems to be a resurgence of excitement about the tiny humble restaurant. “I’m blessed with how amazing [the community has] been and how much interaction I’ve gotten,” Rowland says. “People come around from all over. I know the videos help.” Rowland began making TikTok videos at the suggestion of her kids. That video I scrolled upon, in which Rowland is standing outside of Christy’s while holding a massive pork tenderloin sandwich and announcing herself as the owner, is quick, about 40 seconds. There’s no crazy editing or fancy angles, yet it has generated well over 200,000 views. Subsequent videos featuring Rowland, like one quickly introducing a new menu item, the tender bender (a massive piled-high chicken tender sandwich), continue to receive hundreds of thousands of views. Maybe viewers can sense what I felt at Dagwood’s that day as I sat over my club sandwich. “I take pride in what I do,” Rowland says. “I love being able to help people and be able to show that to my kids. I get to show them what it’s like to share kindness even if you have a hard day.” Rowland knows there might be pitchforks at her restaurant’s doorstep if she were to tweak Christy’s staples, like the pork tenderloin sandwich (don’t worry, that will continue to be made the exact same way it has been for the past several decades), but she does plan on slowly introducing some changes. The restaurant will be launching breakfast on Saturdays and start catering. Next year, Rowland plans to start a food truck, as well as introduce Friday football nights in which the local school teams can pull up for ice cream post-game. Oh yeah, and by the time you read this, the restaurant’s name will have been officially changed to Kimmie’s Tasty Queen. It’s not a huge change, but it’s one that marks the beginning of a new chapter for the beloved restaurant and for Rowland, the once-Dagwood’s server who now finds herself on the other side of the counter, welcoming KCK in for a bite. kansascitymag.com October 2026

’CUE CARD

PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY RYAN COOPER

S AVO R

Mizzou Grads Turn Their Road Trips Into the Ultimate Barbecue Guidebook By Jill Wendholt Silva MIZZOU GRADS RYAN COOPER AND SEAN LUDWIG have spent nearly a decade

ticking off the hundreds of restaurants on their Barbecue Bucket List. As co-founders of The Smoke Sheet, a weekly newsletter on Substack featuring barbecue news, media, recipes and events, their pursuit of the best smoked meat means they have spent countless hours crisscrossing the four major regions of barbecue: the Carolinas, Memphis, Texas and Kansas City. Their extensive travels through barbecue country provided an opportunity to compile an as-yet-unnamed barbecue travel guidebook by Harvard Common Press/ Quarto Books due out May 2027. “I don’t have a log of the number of miles [I’ve driven],” Cooper says during a recent research and photography pitstop in Kansas City. “But I typically drive everywhere, whereas Sean flies.” Cooper estimates that it must be “thousands and thousands of miles of driving.” The pair hasn’t kept an exact tally of how many pounds of meat they have consumed during their travels, either. “That would be scary,” Ludwig says. “We’ve probably had thousands of pounds of barbecue over the years.” The BBQ BFFs met by happenstance while in line for Snow’s BBQ in Lexington, Texas, a legendary pitstop so popular it requires waking up before sunrise on a Saturday to snag

86 Kansas City October 2026

a sample of their world-famous brisket, pork shoulder and pork steaks before sellout. A few months after meeting, Ludwig and Cooper grabbed lunch together at Scott’s Kitchen near Kansas City International Airport when they were both in town to visit their families and decided to start documenting their passion via The Smoke Sheet. Cooper initially wasn’t sure there was enough BBQ meat out there to write a weekly newsletter, but he soon discovered an avid fanbase eager to ride shotgun on the duo’s road trips. Although the pursuit of the best barbecue joints is a serious side hustle, both have kept their day jobs. Cooper lives in Omaha and works as a geographer with the National Park Service; Ludwig, who lives in New Jersey, is an editorial strategist and content operations leader. When they began to compile their travel guidebook, they knew the easiest place to start would be Kansas City, the barbecue they have been eating since childhood. “I think that people grow up and they try barbecue, and they think that’s what barbecue is, and that nostalgia is very powerful,” Cooper says. “Somebody who grew up in Kansas City might go to eastern North Carolina and try that and go, ‘Whoa, this isn’t barbecue!’ or ‘Whoa, this is really different!’ but I would encourage you, no matter what barbecue you grew up on, to expand your palate and just try other styles and try other places.” Ludwig envisions the guidebook as a handy reference smoke aficionados can keep in their glove box for their next road trip. “There’s so much that’s untapped, and I think one thing I’m really proud of is shining a light on barbecue that [isn’t] just Texas barbecue because the national conversation mostly flows through Texas,” Ludwig says. “But we want to shine it on every region because there is amazing barbecue that we had up my way in New York. You can find great barbecue in a bar. We can buy great barbecue in California. You just have to know where to go.”

S AVO R

BITES

Newsfeed

What’s new in Kansas City food and drink By Tyler Shane

Anjin

PHOTOS KANSAS CITY MAGA ZINE ARCHIVE

Anjin Receives National Acclaim Again and Again A restaurant in the Crossroads continues to make a national splash. Anjin, an izakaya-style restaurant helmed by Nick and Leslie Goellner of the Antler Room, made Kansas City proud when it was announced as a finalist in this year’s James Beard Awards Best New Restaurant category. The sake and small-plate restaurant didn’t win, but no worries: Bon Appétit named it one of the Best New Restaurants of 2026 in August. If that weren’t enough recognition, in September the New York Times listed Anjin, which opened in July last year, as one of its 50 best restaurants of 2026. We at Kansas City magazine agree with Anjin’s acclaim. We announced the eclectic 20-seat Japanese pub as the No. 1 Best New Restaurant in KC back in January. With a small but mighty menu of Japanese-inspired eats, great sake, a lively atmosphere and great hospitality, Anjin is certainly one of the most interesting places to eat in Kansas City right now.

Longtime West Side Restaurant Closes Blue Bird Bistro has long been a fixture of the West Side, sitting on the corner of Summit and 17th streets for the past 25 years. The farm-to-table restaurant surprised locals last month when it announced on social media that it would be closing within weeks. The announcement stated that the restaurant had “lost our lease” and, although it

was “a big change to process,” owner Jane Zieha hoped customers would continue to dine in over the next few weeks to help close its final chapter. Blue Bird Bistro appeared in Kansas City magazine’s 2023 Best Biscuits and Gravy roundup. The restaurant’s last day of service is Oct. 15.

Morty’s Chicago Food Truck Changes Ownership Since 2020, Brian Newton has been posting up with his Chicago food cart, Morty’s, outside a KCK strip-mall church off 43rd Street, slinging Italian beef sandwiches, depression dogs and more. Newton announced on Morty’s social media that he would be retiring due to health reasons, but not to worry: Morty’s will continue under new ownership. The cart is now operated by Sauls Beef, a pop-up specializing in Italian beef sandwiches. Owners Mike Iammarino and Ethan Wheeler are serving a limited menu to start, including Italian beef sandwiches and Chicago dogs (hot dogs garnished with sliced onions, tomato wedges, sport peppers, celery salt, yellow mustard and a whole pickle spear), with plans to expand soon. The cart’s hours aren’t set yet, so keep up with Morty’s hours on Morty’s or Sauls Beef’s Instagrams (@mortys_kc, @saulsitalianbeef).

Pitchside Lands at Current … Again After announcing the closing of their Crossroads brick and mortar in August, Pitchside

owners and Current players (current and former) promised it wouldn’t be the end of their coffee shop. They’ve made good on that promise, moving back to where the coffee brand first started: as a pop-up trailer in the Riverfront. Pitchside Coffee is now open full-time with its trailer parked in front of the Current Stadium, making it a great option for pre- or post-game beverages. According to an Instagram post by Current Landing, the coffee brand is evolving “into an all-day social drink destination” and will “serve up a menu that focuses on health and wellness drinks as well as curated cocktails.” Currently, the Pitchside menu offers espresso and matcha drinks, tea, and food from local restaurants like Luca Bagels, Buck Tui BBQ, Blackhole Bakery, Hana’s Donuts and more.

KC Restaurant Week Gets an Extra Day in 2027 Kansas City Restaurant Week is returning for its 18th year in 2027, but this time, the event is getting an extra day. Restaurant Week typically lasts for 10 days, but next year, it will last for 11 days, from Jan. 8 to Jan. 18. This extra day will allow diners to end their Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend by dining out. During Kansas City Restaurant Week, restaurants will offer multicourse menus at exclusive prices of $20, $40, $50 and $65. Each year, participating restaurants pledge to donate 10 percent of their menu sales to three charities. Hosted by Visit KC and the Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association, the charities include the Greater KC Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the Visit KC Foundation and 2027's feature charity, Pete’s Garden. “We are honored and grateful to be recognized as the 2027 charitable beneficiary for Kansas City Restaurant Week,” says Tamara Weber, founder and executive director of Pete’s Garden. “This recognition will help us spread the word within the community about our food recovery program and sign on more food donors as well as financial sponsors who can help keep our operations going.” kansascitymag.com October 2026

T H E S TO R I E S B E H I N D K A N S A S C I T Y ' S M O S T E Y E- C ATC H I N G S T R U C T U R E S

surreal estate

Big Brutus

The world’s largest electric shovel just happens to be in Kansas By Sophia Lacy

DRIVING THROUGH THE fields of West Mineral, Kansas, it’s hard to miss Big Bru-

tus. What’s Big Brutus? A massive Bucyrus-Erie model 1850-B shovel that stands 16 stories tall, weighs over 11 million pounds and definitely lives up to its name. The largest electric shovel still in existence, Big Brutus, which is now a museum, sits inoperable after only 11 years of mining. Built on-…:site in 1962 by the BucyrusErie company, the shovel was originally constructed to run for 25 to 30 years. Its purpose was to remove what’s known as overburden, or materials like rock and soil that cover a coal seam. This allowed smaller equipment to get in and extract the coal. The machine dug a variety of depths, reaching around 69 feet, and had a top speed of just over .2 miles per hour. In 1974, Big Brutus was retired after the Environmental Protection Agency found the quality of coal in West Mineral wasn’t what it should be.

88 Kansas City October 2026

“The EPA came in and the coal quality was not where they wanted it to be in this area,” says Cindy Morris, the executive director of the Big Brutus museum and memorial. “It ran totally electric, and the electric cost got to be significant enough that it wasn’t worth keeping it operational.” It was too expensive to dismantle the giant, so they parked the shovel in one of the fields and left it where it stood. It then sat idle just 10 miles from where it was built. However, a few years later, former miners, their families and members of the community had the novel idea of turning the behemoth into a museum. The Pittsburg and Midway Coal Mining Company, the entity that owned Big Brutus, donated it, and in 1985 it was dedicated as a museum. In 2018, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The land around it has deep holes and pits, now filled with water, from where Big Brutus once dug. From a perch on the shovel’s top, visitors can survey the area and see where Big Brutus used to drive and dig. The dinosaur rests as a reminder of the mining era and continues to support the town around it. “I think the community still thinks of it is an asset because it brings GO: in around 25,000 people to this 6509 N.W. 60th St., area every year,” Morris says. West Mineral, KS

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY CODY MORRIS

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