This issue is filled with delightful surprises, and there’s something for everyone.
Writer Jackie Hostetler details the upcoming Juneteenth exhibit at Shawnee Town 1929, a new guided tour to start off a “History Highlights” series at the living museum. Turn to page 22 for the scoop.
Shawnee destinations is the theme for Bob Luder’s article on page 8. He directs our attention to a variety of great places to visit for great food and drinks and wonderful shopping.
One of those great places to eat is Mother Clucker!, the place to find Nashville hot chicken in the KC area. Writer Corinn Guemmer fills us in on the restaurant’s history on page 12.
A Shawnee magician shares his passion for his craft on page 16. Writer Jill Dutton interviewed Keith Leff about his rise to magician extraordinaire.
On page 20, Beth Kornegay puts a personal spin on the military deployment of two Shawnee Police Department officers. Upon their return home, the officers shared some of their experiences and photos with Beth.
To wrap up the issue, we have an article about The Garden Club of Shawnee’s biannual Garden Sampler Tour. I had a lot of fun writing this piece and appreciate the input from members of The Garden Club and the owners of the gardens to be featured on June 14. Find the details on page 26. This turk’s cap lily (above) is one of many blooms to grace the gardens of Christopher Leitch and Stuart Hinds.
While there are a variety of topics in this issue, one thing remains the same. Shawnee is the place to be for the best in history, food, and entertainment!
Take a day and explore!
Jean editor, Shawnee Magazine
Editor Jean Teller
Designer/Art Director Alex Tatro
Copy Editor Leslie Clugston Andres
Account Executive Angie Taylor
Contributing Photographers Kevin Anderson Molly Kuplen
Contributing Writers Jill Dutton
Corinn Guemmer
Jackie Hostetler
Beth Kornegay
Bob Luder
Publisher Bill Uhler
Director Bob Cucciniello
Shawnee
(888) 497-8668
Photograph by Molly Kuplen
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The Shawnee Pulse
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article by Bob Luder
What a Day!
IVisitors and residents alike have a lot to choose from for food, entertainment, and more in Shawnee.
t wasn’t many years ago that Shawnee was considered a bedroom community. The northwestern Johnson County suburb was a fine place to come home to after a hard day’s work in downtown Kansas City, bustling Overland Park, or fast-growing Olathe. But a destination to hang out on weekends or shop on days off? Not at the top of many people’s to-do list.
Today, nothing could be further from the truth.
With three breweries, a speakeasy, a trendy restaurant, and a refurbished, active theater, the corner of Johnson Drive and Nieman—the heart of Shawnee—is more than just one of the best spots in the city or county; it’s a bright spot of the entire KC metropolitan area. Shawnee nightlife, and day-life, are alive and well, and there are a multitude of new establishments worth a visit.
Here are a few places to pop in next time a day or evening trip around the city is in order.
Rize N Shine
Looking to start the day with a hearty, home-cooked breakfast? Rize N Shine recently replaced eggtc. at 7182 Renner Road and claims to be the perfect blend of modern farmhouse charm, culinary excellence, and genuine hospitality. Owned by longtime Shawnee residents Heather and Matt McQueeny, Rize N Shine serves everything from fluffy pancakes to savory omelets, breakfast sandwiches, several variations of eggs Benedict, and equally satisfying lunch options. Each dish is prepared with care, using the freshest ingredients. Whether you’re craving a hearty morning meal, a leisurely weekend brunch or a satisfying lunchtime escape, Rize N Shine has something to delight every palate. Rize N Shine is open 6:30 a.m.–2 p.m., seven days a week.
www.rizenshine.com
photos by Kevin Anderson
Paulo and Bill
Before Paulo and Bill opened in the late 1990s in the thennew Westglen area at 16501 Midland Drive, Shawnee was infamous for its lack of upscale dining options. For nearly 30 years, Paulo and Bill has elegantly filled that void, with a wide array of Italian fare served in a homey atmosphere. A full bar is available, and the establishment does great lunch business with offerings that range from a grilled chicken breast sandwich to stone-oven-baked flatbread pizzas. Other highlights include salmon, blackened shrimp, traditional sandwiches and, of course, delicious lasagna. www.pauloandbill.com
ShananiGanns Boutique
Owner Kristina Gann-Albright has a phrase at the bottom of her ShananiGanns business card that gets to the heart of what the boutique at 11106 Johnson Drive is all about. “A hot-mess store … and so much more.” You’ll find a bit of everything in the roughly 4,000-square-foot space. After all, ShananiGanns, which has been at its current location about eight years, deals with some 40 vendors. Much of what the store carries is Kansas City-centric—the Chiefs, Royals, Sporting KC, and Current all have a presence on T-shirts, sweatshirts, and caps. Other offerings include candles, a wide array of cups, glassware and mugs, bags, socks, ties, cards, stuffed animals and baby onesies, signs and office supplies. Many items carry funny, catchy and, yes, even some blue phrasing. It’s all fun in this unique community boutique. www.facebook.com/shananiganns
The Hot Spot to Be
Couple brings Nashville hot chicken to Shawnee with Mother Clucker!
When Kylie and Derrick Foster met in culinary school in New York, they knew food would be at the center of their future. They shared a passion for creativity, flavor, and entrepreneurship, and from the start, they planned to build something together. That vision inspired them to open Mother Clucker! a Nashville hot chicken restaurant that has become a staple in Shawnee.
The idea for Mother Clucker! began in 2017 after the couple traveled to Nashville and experienced the iconic hot chicken. At the time, this fiery dish was mostly limited to Tennessee, and the couple saw an opportunity to bring it to a wider audience. They returned home with a mission: Create a recipe that would introduce the bold flavors of Nashville hot chicken to everyone, not just those living in Nashville.
“We knew we had to make the experience of hot chicken readily available to everyone,” Derrick says. “Nashville hot chicken was something you could only get there, and we wanted to make it something anyone could enjoy, right here in Shawnee.” What started as a small idea has since turned into a thriving business.
Finding the right mix of spices to achieve their signature heat was a meticulous process. After more than eight months of working to perfect the recipe, they finally nailed down the right balance of heat, crunch, and flavor and launched their first location.
“We weren’t going to release it until it was just right,” Kylie says. “It had to be something special.”
Getting the word out was another hurdle. The right social media strategy can make or break a small business, and the Fosters quickly realized they needed to build an online presence.
“We saw how powerful social media could be when we engaged with our customers directly,” Derrick says. “It really helped spread the word and create a following around Mother Clucker!”
From day one, the community’s response was overwhelming. People showed up in droves, eager to try the chicken for themselves. Social media posts, rave reviews, and countless photographs of the food quickly built a loyal customer base.
article by Corinn Guemmer
photos by Molly Kuplen
Derrick and Kylie Foster found the right recipe to replicate Nashville’s famous hot chicken for a Kansas audience. Photo courtesy the Fosters
Certified
Certified
Little
Little
Located
Located
Comedy magic is a specialty, and Leff says he’s won a gold medal for achievement in comedy.
He says, “I tell people that I do comedy magic. So anything I say that’s not funny is magic.”
When not performing a set, Leff says he does a lot of strolling magic and has done so in many restaurants over the years, working as house magician at Old Shawnee Pizza for 30 years. He even went on a countrywide tour teaching restaurant magic, he says, called Table Hopping: The Art and Science of Restaurant Magic.
“I was in 29 cities in 25 states in two months, from the beginning of October through the end of November, doing my restaurant lecture. Art is the magic I teach, and the science was the business side, how to get and keep a restaurant booking,” Leff says.
“After my lecture tour, I made a name for myself in the magic community. So I’m getting booked at magic conferences and magic conventions and different magic clubs throughout the country now.”
His style of magic is very visual.
“I say it’s the closest thing to real magic that people will ever have a chance to experience because it happens right at close range, right under their noses, right in their very own hands. I think people appreciate the skill and accountability level involved with using sleight-of-hand versus prop magic on stage,” Leff says.
His start as a full-time magician came after he visited a magic convention in 2000. There, he learned that he could make a good living as a corporate magician.
“I kind of thought you had to be like David Copperfield or David Blaine to be a professional magician. At the convention I learned that you don’t have to be famous to work as a professional magician,” he says. “So I took a leap of faith and quit my corporate job and started doing magic full time.”
Leff describes his most memorable performance as the time he volunteered at Children’s Mercy Hospital, entertaining the children. “It was a very rewarding experience to hear from parents that they hadn’t seen their child laugh or smile in so long,” he says. “Very rewarding.”
A job skill many may not realize, Leff says, “It’s probably the only job where you have to be absolutely amazing every day at work.”
Since he creates his own tricks, Leff named his company Magicreations’ Magicomedy because he creates magic based on whatever the client’s needs are. This way, he can tie the act into any theme or event. He also creates shows based on holiday themes—his Christmas show has all green, red, and white props, or the costumes are color-coordinated for whatever holiday it might be or for any trade show theme.
Shawnee has played a large part in Leff’s career, he says.
“Being at Old Shawnee Pizza for so many years, I get a lot of people who come in to see me. They like the show so they’ll end up booking me for a family reunion or company event. It’s led to a lot of business and helped my career just being here locally,” he says.
When asked if he could perform for any one person, and why, Leff responded immediately:
“Jesus Christ. Because I’m the closest thing to real magic, like a miracle, that could possibly be, and I would love to get his feedback on how I can do it better. Like a real miracle, real magic.
“People do ask me sometimes if I can turn water into wine. I tell them that’s a little out of my league.”
www.keithleff.com
People are amazed by Leff’s closeup magic and love the comedy he weaves into his presentations.
Bringing Juneteenth to Life
Shawnee Town’s new “History Highlights” tours begin with a look at life for Black Americans in the 1920s.
When most people think of museums, they envision static displays behind glass. But at Shawnee Town 1829, history breathes, moves, and speaks directly to visitors through immersive experiences that transport them back in time. This summer, the museum is launching a new “History Highlights” tour series, with the inaugural event focused on Juneteenth.
“We decided to kick it off in June with a Juneteenth theme,” says Hannah Howard, curator of education at Shawnee Town 1829. “The tour is called ‘Juneteenth Then and Now,’ and it’s a one-hour guided tour that will explore the museum spaces through the lens of Juneteenth and life in the 1920s.”
Beyond the Textbook: A Living History Approach
What makes this tour particularly compelling is its approach to history as a lived experience rather than a distant academic subject. Unlike traditional museums with display cases and informational placards, Shawnee Town 1829 serves as a living history site showcasing recreated 1920s buildings and spaces.
“Our goal is to take a national holiday and a national event and make it relatable using local history and local people,” Howard says. “We want to show what life felt like 100 years ago and put people into a real environment where they realize it’s not just history written in a book. It’s real people experiencing this in real time.”
article by Jackie Hostetler photos courtesy Shawnee Town 1829
Catch a glimpse of a 1920s barber shop when visiting Shawnee Town 1929.
Shawnee Town 1929
11501 W. 57th St.
Shawnee, KS 66203
913-248-2360
shawneetown@cityofshawnee.org www.shawneetown.org
Dunbar School students pose with their teacher, Mrs. Elllis (second from left) sometime in the 1910s (top); postal carrier Cornelius Jackson (above) makes his rounds via horse-drawn cart in downtown Shawnee (circa 1920s; photo courtesy Johnson County Museum); the Dunbar School exhibit building is open at the Shawnee Town 1929 Museum (left).
Small but Mighty
Marlene Weishaar has crafted a colorful sanctuary around her townhouse, creating an extraordinary entertainment spot for friends. She incorporates numerous annuals to infuse color into the patio and flower beds; she loves SunPatiens in particular for their vivid hues. The open-air patio serves as a centerpiece, featuring a tree-of-life gate designed by a family friend. While plants and garden décor envelop her home, she has also added custom-made touches to engage the senses: a handmade lattice pergola that mimics bay windows and a metal sunflower sculpture on the side of the house. “The sunflower sculpture is by Rito, a metal works artist from Topeka,” she explains. “The back gate was also created by Rito. It’s a beautiful focal point when entering the patio from the outside.”
The patio, designed by Marlene and her contractor, Mark, was begun in 2021 and completed in 2023. It was designed as two separate rooms, upper and lower.
Clematis and heirloom climbing roses have staked a claim on the pergola, and visitors will enjoy the bougainvillea, a weeping cherry tree, alliums, and cotoneaster, along with a variety of potted flowering plants.
“I have a number of potted plants in the patio area. These include three large concrete urns with Prince Tut ornamental grass as the centerpiece,” she says. “The grass is surrounded by coleus, vinca, fan flowers, to name a few. The lower patio bird bath is surrounded by Kimberly Queen ferns and color coleus. The upper level of the patio contains more tropical plants such as palms, cannas, and mandevilla.”
An ornamental oregano plant blooms in a container in Marlene Weishaar’s garden (top); ceramic blue birds peek out from the foliage in a concrete urn on her patio (above).
Woodland Retreat or Cottage Garden
Part English cottage garden and part woodland retreat, the gardens surrounding Kate Wilhoft’s home showcase native plants, drought-tolerant perennials, an abundance of colorful flowers, and vegetables. A fence protects the lettuce and peas in the front-yard potager garden from hungry critters; the summer vegetables include tomatoes, cucumbers, pole beans, and raspberries. The garden incorporates stones and curved edges for a natural appearance.
Changes this year include the removal of a massive cottonwood tree. “I replaced it with a narrow columnar maple, but as we wait for that to fill in, I plan on planting snapdragons, salvia, celosia, and ageratum in the area,” Kate says. She’s also planning to add a seven-son flower tree.
A natural creek—complete with a waterfall— graces the backyard. “While our lot is 12,000 square feet, the creek has a steep rocky hill that I can’t garden. So the workable area of my backyard is quite small,” she says. Kate hopes it inspires visitors with small spaces to see what can be accomplished with limited space.
Hydrangeas of every variety blanket the backyard garden. Katie also favors Annabelles, brunnera, hostas, Solomon’s seal, Japanese maples, and coleus. She incorporates vertical elements like homemade trellises since space is limited. Shrubs are layered with vines while groundcovers cascade over boulders and rock walls, infusing green into barren areas.
“I don’t grow rare and unusual plants,” she says. “I focus on plants that are easy to grow in our area, and I try to make them look special with how they’re used. For example, in colorful combinations with other plants.”
Kate’s background in fashion design helps her plan and sculpt her gardens, and she says the gardens still fit with her art and design background.
“I consider gardening to be a special kind of art,” she says, “where you have your plans but God does his part too. I give Him the credit for all my happy accidents.”
Kate Wilhoft often adds vertical elements in her garden as well as spots to take in the colorful blooms.
