Cordish, Maybee mix jazz, cocktails for new Power & Light District club

The Cordish Co. and classic cocktail connoisseur Ryan Maybee are collaborating to open a new live jazz music venue and cocktail lounge in the Kansas City Power & Light District.    Kansas City Power & Light District Latest from The Business Journals Checking in on past players in the KCUMB sagaCordish plans M in downtown rental apartments Cordish plans M in downtown Kansas City rental apartment projects Follow this company

The Kill Devil Club will move into 5,400 square feet formerly occupied by southern restaurant Peachtree on the second floor above Fran’s Restaurant. The 120-seat club will focus on jazz music and rum-based drinks. Maybee, founder of classic cocktail bar Manifesto, said the venture is expected to open in late August.

Also in August, The Gallery Event Space will open adjacent the club.

Maybee said Cordish contacted him in February to collaborate on The Kill Devil Club. He’d never been into the space, which overlooks the intersection of 14th and Main streets.

“I wasn’t so sure if it would fit that kind of concept, but when I walked in, I was blown away,” he said.

Cordish will own and operate the club, but bringing in a local touch was important to the company.

“We are always looking for a way to get some of the really good local operators into the district, whether it’s Ryan (Maybee) or the owners of Johnny’s,” said Nick Benjamin, executive director of the downtown entertainment district.

The Kill Devil Club has been undergoing renovations, including new paint, new lighting, removing the televisions from behind the bar and bringing in new furniture. The space already had a large bar and stage, which lent themselves to the concept.

“Kansas City has a great jazz scene but not that many venues,” Maybee said. “We want this to be the hip, edgy, more exciting place for jazz and local music.”

Its name comes from a traditional name for rum, Kill Devil, which is 350 years old, Maybee said. A colonist to <st1:country-region>Barbados</st1:country-region> said the drink was potent enough to kill the devil, and the name stuck until the drink became known as rum years later.

The Kill Devil Club will feature at least 40 rums and probably have many more, Maybee said. He expects the menu to include six to eight rum cocktails and about six classic cocktails. Some of the drinks would have a tropical twist.

Maybee said he’s been consulting on every aspect of the project, from the menu to branding to decor. He said Cordish is working with a chef to develop a small plates menu.

The collaboration brings Maybee to the Power & Light District for the first time. Manifesto and connected restaurant, The Rieger Hotel Grill & Exchange, are in the nearby Crossroads Arts District.

“I’m really, really excited for it,” Maybee said. “It’s very important that we as a city we embrace that neighborhood ... and make it our own.”

Cordish is working on The Kill Devil Club through Entertainment Concepts Investors LLC, an affiliate that partners with entrepreneurs to create new concepts.