Inside Soiree, which sits as an anchor-tenant in Kansas City’s historic 18th & Vine Jazz District, owner and chef Anita Moore is working some of her last shifts in the Jazz district. After five years in business, Soiree will close its doors at the end of August.
“Despite our best efforts to recover, the financial strain has proven insurmountable,” Moore wrote in a letter to customers. “The lack of investors and ongoing economic pressures have left us with no choice but to close our doors.”
Soiree’s closure is the latest in a pattern of restaurant struggles in and around the 18th & Vine district. Around the corner, award-winning chef Shanita McAfee-Bryant is fighting a potential eviction from her space at 2000 Vine Street, where she operates The Prospect KC, a culinary training nonprofit and cafe.
Other restaurants have come and gone in the district including early tenants Peachtree and Bayou on the Vine. The restaurant industry is a notoriously fickle business, but restaurants in the Jazz District have a number of issues tied specifically to the district.
Challenges of the Area
Chuck Byrd operated Bayou on the Vine, a Cajun restaurant and bar located on the corner of 18th and Vine from 2018-2021. He was quick to identify foot traffic as a major hurdle for restaurants in the area. He said his business benefited from Sprint having a hub in the area, but they’ve moved out.
“You need something down there that’s going to be the staple and that’s going to create foot traffic, not just on the weekends, but Monday through Friday,” says Byrd.
Byrd’s restaurant ultimately closed due to building maintenance issues, highlighting another challenge in the historic district – aging infrastructure in some properties. For Soiree, which leased its space from the city, building issues were less of a factor, since the city is required to keep the building up to code.
City Councilmember Melissa Robinson, who represents the district, has been actively involved in trying to help both The Prospect and Soiree survive. She agrees foot traffic is part of the problem. She also points to a concentration of low-income housing in the district, and a lack of coordination between the district’s business, cultural institutions, and events.
“We have a lot of festivals in the district, but often the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing,” says Robinson.
The district also faces perception challenges related to safety concerns, despite crime rates lower than areas like Westport. Byrd noted that high-end restaurants face a particular challenge in the area.
“The people that can afford steak and oysters are not coming down there,” says Byrd. “They just won’t come down there.”
There are however, some longtime spots like Smaxx and Juke House that are succeeding in the district. Both feature a lower-priced menu, bolstered by alcohol sales.
Increasing Foot Traffic and Mixed-Use Development
A major focus is on increasing the number of residents and visitors in the area through new mixed-use developments. The One Nine Vine project will bring several hundred new residential units to the district, along with first-floor retail space.
“You have to have the rooftops and the foot traffic. What I’m am noticing is two-fold,” says Robinson. “One, there has to be programming in the area in which you are driving foot traffic and two, we need complementary businesses to meet that foot traffic.”
She noted that evaluating the right mix of businesses to complement the new housing will be crucial. The nearby Parade Park neighborhood is currently being redeveloped and will add more mixed-income housing options, which could help create a larger base of potential restaurant customers living in the area.
Coordinating Events and Businesses
She noted that evaluating the right mix of businesses to complement the new housing will be crucial.
Better coordination of events and consistent business hours could help restaurants capitalize on visitors to the district’s cultural institutions like the American Jazz Museum, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, and Zhou B Art Center.
“We don’t want those folks to just come in and not activate their wallets,” says Robinson.
She suggested the district needs more options for visitors to grab breakfast before a baseball game at the Urban Youth Academy or lunch after a museum visit.
“If someone wants a cup of coffee they have to go over to McDonalds on 14th and Prospect,” says Byrd.
Supporting New Restaurant Concepts
The city is exploring new ways to support aspiring restaurateurs in the district. Robinson mentioned the possibility of an incubator-style approach, similar to a program at the Kansas City airport where chefs can test concepts before opening standalone restaurants.
“We are open to all ideas,” Robinson said. The city plans to release a broad Request for Proposals for several vacant restaurant spaces in the coming months.
Robinson suggests that the needs of the existing residents and cultural institutions need to be considered as the city looks for new tenants in the area. She shared that there are numerous needs in the area including a place to grab light snacks in a convenience or grocery store, a lynchpin restaurant, and a place for coffee or a light lunch.
Preserving Cultural Heritage While Embracing Change
As new development comes to the area, maintaining the district’s identity as a hub of Black culture and history remains a priority. Byrd cautioned that there’s a risk of gentrification if the area becomes more of an entertainment district than a historic district.
“Between 18th and Vine and 12th and Brooklyn, that’s the only thing we have left as Black people,” Byrd said. “They’re just waiting for us to exhaust all of our efforts down there, and they will then connect 18th and Vine with the Crossroads, and then it’ll become an entertainment district. The only problem is the new owners down there won’t look like me or you.”
Finding the right balance of new investment while preserving the area’s character will be crucial for the district’s future.
What’s Next?
As the city prepares to seek new tenants for recently vacated spaces, there’s cautious optimism about the future of dining in 18th & Vine. The closure of establishments like Soiree is a setback, but also an opportunity to reassess what types of restaurants can thrive in the evolving district.
“We are hoping to really be well on our way by the end of the year,” Robinson said of efforts to bring in new restaurants. “We’re hoping that we can get something out soon.”
For her part, Soiree’s Chef Moore remains hopeful about her culinary future, even as she prepares to close her 18th & Vine location.
“This marks not the end of Soiree, but the beginning of a new chapter in our journey, wherever we may pop up next!” said Moore.
As new housing developments continue to pop up and the city explores fresh approaches to supporting restaurants, the ingredients for a vibrant dining scene in 18th & Vine are all there. The key will be finding the right recipe to honor the district’s past while embracing its future.
