Friction Is Brewing In Shawnee

Opening

Friction Is Brewing In Shawnee

The much anticipated Friction Beer Company has finally opened in Shawnee on Johnson Drive in the old Hartman Hardware building.

• Brew Beginnings: Friction Beer Co became the latest brewery to open in Shawnee, open Thursday through Friday offering beers made in-house.

• What’s On Tap: The Friction Beer selection currently has 4 in-house brews Dr. Feelgood, a strawberry blond, My Aim Is True, a milk stout, Policy of Truth, a coffee milk stout, Normal Town, an IPA, with more beers on the way.

• Shawnee = Beer Capital?: Friction becomes the latest brewery to join the Shawnee Craft Beer Tour including 2 other breweries on Johnson Drive.

Friction Beer Co opened on June 24 and will maintain four days/week of operation until business requires more. For now, you can visit them Thursday & Friday from 4 pm - 10 pm, Saturday from 12 pm - 10 pm, and Sunday 12 pm - 7 pm at 11018 Johnson Dr.

Development

Bringing Music To Martini Corner

El Torreon, the historic Kansas City music hall and event space that has hosted events since 1927 on Martini Corner, is set to receive a $16M renovation to become a music venue once again.

• Historic: While the venue remains in operation, the once-vaunted jazz music hall has struggled to become a music venue where big names would want to play. The building has served as everything from a roller rink to an automotive sales dealership in its years of service.

• New Life: Whitestone Co., the locally-based real estate investing group, plans to add new floors, a new VIP area, new sound and green rooms for musicians, as well as a 30-foot domed concert venue capable of housing 1,500 people.

• Martini Corner Resurgence: With all of the development coming to Martini Corner off Gillham, the new concert venue could be a big boost to the area, having El Torreon host its first concert since 1974.

No timetable has been set for the renovation yet, but the beautiful old building can still be visited or booked for events at 3101 Gillham Plaza.

Events

Friday is First Fridays

This Friday will be the first Friday of the month, which means that the Crossroads and West Bottoms will be hosting First Friday events.

• First Time?: Each month, the first Friday is reserved for the Crossroads and West Bottoms neighborhoods to host visitors, offering everything from food trucks, art galleries, live music, and other special events.

• Been There, Done That: Even if you’ve been before, you may be surprised to see the full list of events that take place. For example, did you know there are exclusive art exhibits and free live comedy?

• Antiquing More Your Style?: If you’re the type who would rather be at home on a Friday night watching this week’s new House Hunters episode, the West Bottoms are perfect for mid-day antiquing followed by a local beer at Voltaire or Campground.

The West Bottoms start to pop when most antique and vintage shops open around 10 am. Meanwhile, the Crossroads kick things off around 5 pm.

KC Daily Picks

In Other News

• ☀️Summer’s Over: Royals owner, John Sherman, said a new location for the Royals will be selected by the end of summer.

• 👩‍🎤No Blank Spaces: Taylor Swift’s concert this weekend is expecting so many visitors that it’s selling out hotels in St. Joseph and Warrensburg.

• 🎸Starlight Music: Starlight will be hosting Tears for Fears and the Cold War Kids next Friday.

• 🍨Shawnee is Italian for Ice Cream: Shawnee opens its newest addition to the downtown, Flying Cow Gelato.

• 🎂Look What You Made Her Do: Taylor Swift’s concert could add a boost of $46M to the local economy, including a bakery selling 300 Swift-themed cakes in a week.

• 🪴New Coffee and Plants: Garden House, a coffee shop also selling indoor plants, has its soft opening today in Rosedale.