On Monday, the Westport neighborhood learned it was losing two longtime favorite spots.
The first, and most widely reported, is the loss of Joe’s Pizza. The pizza window was a staple of the nightlight zone, serving appropriately greasy slices to sodden bargoers and likely saving tens of thousands of brutal hangovers in the process. We swung by Joe’s just a few months ago after crushing some drinks at Bistro 303 and found it’d survived the pandemic quite well.
Joe’s announced the closure via social media, with the owner saying he wished to retire after 49 years in the local food and bev industry. Joe’s closed quietly after serving slices on Halloween night.
That bad news was quickly followed by more bad news: Westport Saloon, a popular spot for roots music, Americana and honky-tonk will close at the end of the year. They have continued to book shows through the end of 2021 and say they “fully intend to finish on a high note.” The Saloon’s statement also plugged other independent music venues in KC, encouraging patrons to support them.
Please support them and other small businesses, especially in Westport where, as our podcast producer Patrick likes to say, every closure means another Johnny Kaw’s coming.
If you’re looking for our favorite spots, we put together a how-to on enjoying Westport after age 30 in this year’s bar guide.
