Opening a storefront cafe on Troost didn't seem like a stretch to
Holmes, a KC native who graduated from Rockhurst High and went to UMKC for a degree in mass media and communications. But it didn't take long to realize that the the
street's name is still loaded. "The people who stress the hardest that
Troost is the dividing line don't come here," he says. "Ask Kurt Wirken (of Mike's Tavern).
If you saw the diversity of his bar on any night for any of his events,
you wouldn't see it. I didn't think people still believe that kind of
stuff, but they do."
The summers are slow at the shop, so it's fortunate that Holmes owns
his building, formerly the home of his father's business, Razorback
Plumbing. He appreciates the traffic he gets during the school year
from Rockhurst and UMKC, but his relationship with the latter is made
complicated by the fact that UMKC gobbled up a significant stretch of vacant property
to his north for which there seems to be no immediate plans. Without
any other retail neighbors to bring in pedestrian traffic during the
hot months, Coffee Break can feel like a desert island.
Holmes used to create his own neighbors-for-a-day by hosting events
like WearHaus fashion shows and marketplaces. It's something he'd like
to get back into, so he says he welcomes artists and designers to hit him up for a place to show off in the fall.
Oh and p.s., Coffee Break is hosting "Cup of Kindness," a summer benefit series of concerts benefiting causes like the March of Dimes, Bridging the Gap, KKFI and the Midwest Music Foundation, and featuring acts like Howard Iceberg, Scott Easterday, Luna Cantera, Dino O'Dell, Cheri Woods, Elaine McMilian, Nick Baker, Dennis Porter, Mikal Shapiro and others. The next one is Friday, July 17.
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Cof-fee Bre-ak
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That's right. Troost is where its at.
Those few blocks of Troost in the 50's are doing pretty well these days. Coffee Break is a great addition to the neighborhood. Seemingly every Saturday there is something happening there, whether it's a craft sale, live music or antique cars in the parking lot. It seems to be a popular spot for community groups to meet as well. Even though it's not totally my style of place, Coffee Break contributes a lot to the character of the street and the neighborhood and I appreciate that as someone who lives nearby.
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