BY OWEN MORRIS
Last I had heard about Bar Natasha, the bar-cum-cabaret at 1911 Main, it was being shopped around to potential buyers for a little over $100,000. Owned by JD Mann, who also serves as vice president of the restaurant organization KC Originals and actress/singer/all-around-performer Missy Koonce, Bar Natasha was modeled after performer lounges on the East Coast, especially New York's Don't Tell Mama.
But a restaurant for sale is never a sign that business is booming. And because it hasn't found a buyer, Bar Natasha is slated to close on September 20.
Bar Natasha had a good run, coming on the Crossroads bar scene in 2003 as First Fridays were really becoming mainstream and playing an important part of this city's cabaret revival. For a while, Bar Natasha was the "it" bar in Kansas City. As The Pitch'sJen Chen wrote in a 2004 Night Ranger column, "The hype about Bar Natasha is justified ... our friend Steve had been there earlier that night for happy hour, and he reported that it was packed. It was still hopping when we got there around 10."
But as the economy grew worse, light-hearted cabaret seemed somewhat frivolous and the competition surrounding Bar Natasha is now a lot stiffer than it was in 2004. Plus, as the KC Beer Blog points out, the food and drinks were never anything to write home about.
There's no word about what building owners Jeff and Diane Alpert plan to do with the soon-to-be empty 5000 square feet of space.
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WE were last night at the finale and it was wonderfull just like back in the day. Full and exciting! I still think that there was more inspiration in the previous casts that they had though or at least better singers..but it was a great goodbye to my favourite place in KC! Where am I going to take my guests out of town now? Pretty much everything else is domestic???At least i always felt like I am in a different place in that bar! So much inspiration and dreaming! It did not belong here and unfortunatelly it did not last..We will miss you! Start another place!!!!!
Thank you Missy and staff for a wonderful
venue and many wonderful memories
Wayne Siegert and Kathleen Warfel
Thank you Missy and staff for a wonderful
venue and many wonderful memories
Wayne Siegert and Kathleen Warfel
To all the friends and family- cherish the memories of what a few friends brought to Kansas City. It's amazing to see that the nastiest critics are also the least informed of anything they are spitting venom at! Let them try to do something as unique as bar Natasha for even one week. Big bear hug to all, extra squeeze for J.D. and Missy.
the comments by patrons are actually more intriguing than the bad news itself. i'd been a patron since day one,but less and less with the passing of time. yes it was expensive, yet i was willing to spend, just to support such an audacious idea--live entertainment of a kind other than the narcotized rhythms of bland institutional KCJAZZ just barely breathing in the few clubs where it is still on life support. i liked the girl at the door,i liked the old gal at the piano who wore a different wig every night and who would always play la vie en rose for me. i liked the silly and uninformed bartender, who when i ordered the savory pate' platter responded with,"i'm sorry we don't have that right now, pate' is out of season". tell that one to the french. clubs have a lifespan, but this one died too soon.
the comments by patrons are actually more intriguing than the bad news itself. i'd been a patron since day one,but less and less with the passing of time. yes it was expensive, yet i was willing to spend, just to support such an audacious idea--live entertainment of a kind other than the narcotized rhythms of bland institutional KCJAZZ just barely breathing in the few clubs where it is still on life support. i liked the girl at the door,i liked the old gal at the piano who wore a different wig every night and who would always play la vie en rose for me. i liked the silly and uninformed bartender, who when i ordered the savory pate' platter responded with,"i'm sorry we don't have that right now, pate' is out of season". tell that one to the french. clubs have a lifespan, but this one died too soon.
Bank on it:
Gay-oriented bars and restaurants inevitably feature exorbitantly-priced food and drinks, and then foreclosure. Never mind that the place is selling only for $100K--it's likely the owners pocketed a mint after five years of selling pre-mixed $10 martinis.
Bar Natasha was overrated and the food, drinks, and service are what put it out of business. -Not the P&L. I was assaulted by a big black lesbian "bouncer" who thought I hadn't paid my tab when I had just paid with my cc minutes before. The waitress handed the card back without having me sign and this was my fault? She called us fXXcking faggots and shoved me. How nice. It was Karma waiting to happen...spent a $160 bucks that night too. No apology from the owner. HAHAHAHA
We really enjoyed having Bar Natasha right across the street. There was always music playing and people haveing a great time there. We were not able to go there often, but when we did - it was always fun and very entertaining! Bar Nastasha will be missed and good luck to J.D. and Missy.
Michael and Nancy
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