A Preemptive Eulogy for 75th Street Brewery

The oldest surviving brewpub is closing its doors forever this Sunday, May 15 at 4:00. So technically, 75th Street Brewery is not dead yet. But I’m going to give my parting words now anyway.

I grew up in south Waldo, well really south of Waldo, near Ward Parkway Center. And while south (and south of) Waldo has its charms, really it’s home to the worst location of any given business. Wornall Road between 79th and 85th Streets is or was the home of the worst Sonic, worst Taco Bell, worst Dairy Queen (RIP), worst Torre’s Pizza and so on. It’s an ugly stretch of road to begin with, and the options around it didn’t help. Waldo proper, the crossroads of barbershops and bars around 75th Street, is the neighborhood I claimed.

So, when I moved back to Kansas City from college, Waldo became the hub of social activity. And as a budding good beer nerd, the brewery was where I wanted to spend my time. And they mad

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