Crossroads bar will open a new speakeasy with nods to Kansas City history By David Hudnall
For a few years now, the Crossroads bar and distillery Tom’s Town has hosted seasonal pop-ups in its basement space: a Halloween-themed party called The Cloven Hoof, a Christmas bash called Tinsel Town. As of Friday, Tom’s Town is launching a more permanent concept downstairs at 1701 Main St. called The Vault.
“Pre-pandemic, it could get to be kind of a madhouse upstairs,” said Tony Pulford, Tom’s Town’s marketing manager. “Since then, things are a little calmer. It’s more sophisticated. Everybody’s seated. We wanted to bring a little bit of that old rowdiness back downstairs.”
A painting of Tom Pendergast with his racehorse, Climax, on the walls of Tom’s Town’s basement bar The Vault. David Hudnall dhudnall@kcstar.com The “Tom” in Tom’s Town is a nod to Tom Pendergast, the KC political boss from the 1920s and 1930s. The Vault — moody, dim, speakeasy-like — doubles down on those historical allusions. An oil painting of Pendergast with his racehorse, Climax, is a focal point, surrounded by horse-racing medals and trophies. An old bank vault, built by a local set designer, sits in the corner.
Elsewhere, there’s old-school bar diversions — a pair of steel-tip dart boards and “ring on a string” — and Pulford said he imagines one of the rooms as ideal for card games. He said they also plan to lean into some programming: DJ nights, trivia nights, maybe the occasional burlesque troupe. The aim is for a younger crowd that appreciates simple cocktails at a slightly lower price point than what you will find upstairs.
The menu includes a Cafe Capone (their take on an espresso martini) for $12, craft shooters like the Loaded Dice (vodka, tequila, turmeric, agave, lime and CBD) for $8, and a limited selection of beers for $5. “We’re also doing hot dogs,” Pulford said. “We’d never do that upstairs.” The Vault is holding its grand opening Friday starting at 7 p.m. DJ Boss Hooligan will spin until 10 p.m. For now, hours are Friday and Saturday, 6 p.m. to close, which is usually around midnight.
Read more at: https://www.kansascity.com/news/business/openings-closings/article304021141.html#storylink=cpy
