Missie B's
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Interactive map of Missie B's | |
| Address | 805 West 39th Street Westport, Kansas City, Missouri United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 39°03′24″N 94°35′46″W / 39.056767°N 94.595997°W |
| Construction | |
| Opened | April 1994 |
| Renovated | 2020 |
| Website | |
| missiebs | |
Missie B's is a gay bar and nightclub located in the Westport district of Kansas City, Missouri. Established in April 1994, the venue is a site for drag shows and community events.
Description
The nightclub is a two-story complex. The lower level contains the main bar, seating area, pool table, darts, and a theater and main stage used for nightly drag shows and "bar theater".[1][2][3] The first floor also contains a semi-enclosed heated outdoor bar and patio area.[1] The second story has an additional bar, seating area, and a second dance floor with music video screens.[4] The second floor also houses a leather and fetish shop and a trophy case for the Kansas City Pioneers, a leather subculture service organization.[2][5]
History
The bar was founded in 1994 by Michael Burnes, a Vietnam War veteran who previously operated several other bars in the area, including Mike's Kitchen and The Dixie Bell.[2][6] The name is a play on Burnes's nickname of "Missie's Missing," which he received due to his habit of going "missing" when out drinking.[1] While it originally began as a piano and karaoke bar, the bar has expanded over four times its original size over the decades by acquiring adjacent spaces.[2][6][7]
In 1999, the bar was involved in a criminal case regarding J.D. O'Neal, a local publisher. O'Neal was investigated for burglarizing the establishment's safes and stealing the identities of Burnes and employee Buddy Taylor to open fraudulent credit accounts. O'Neal pleaded guilty to state felony charges in 2000 and died by suicide in November 2001 following a federal indictment for credit card fraud.[8]
The bar is open 365 days a year[9] and has hosted a free potluck holiday meal service on Thanksgiving and Christmas for several decades, a tradition Burnes started before opening the bar to serve individuals who were rejected or otherwise lacking family during holidays.[1][10] In 2016, following the Pulse nightclub shooting, the venue reported raising $54,000 for victim funds through community donations and merchandise sales.[1][7] Missie B's also held a fundraiser for the victims of the 2022 shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs.[11]
It underwent a complete renovation in mid-2020 during a shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[12]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Ritsch, Sara (September 9, 2016). "Missie B's is the place to go in KCMO". The Gayly. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Kavanaugh, Lee Hill (August 21, 2013). "Mike Burnes creates an oasis for all at Missie B's, a gay nightclub in midtown". Kansas City Star. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
- ↑ Brooks, Chadwick (September 7, 2015). "'Black Bewitched' at Missie B's is anarchy on stage". Kansas City Star. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
- ↑ Higgins, Molly (June 10, 2022). "RuPaul's Drag Race is bringing a new audience of fans to Missie B's on Friday nights". Kansas City Magazine. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
- ↑ "About". Kansas City Pioneers. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
- 1 2 Jackson, David W. (2011). Changing Times: Almanac and Digest of Kansas City's Gay and Lesbian History. Orderly Pack Rat the. p. 64. ISBN 978-0-9704308-4-7.
- 1 2 Smith, Joyce (November 3, 2021). "The best gay bars in red states? National website says one is in Kansas City". Kansas City Star. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
- ↑ Hipp, Deb (November 22, 2001). "No Flowers Please". The Pitch KC. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
- ↑ "Kansas City's Premier Gay Bar". Missie B's. Retrieved April 23, 2026.
- ↑ Smith, Grace (December 26, 2023). "Missie B's Christmas dinner tradition, serving LGBTQ community for 50 years". KCTV 5. Retrieved April 13, 2026.
- ↑ Peltier, Kelli (November 21, 2022). "Midtown's Missie B's holding fundraiser for Club Q shooting victims in Colorado". WDAF-TV. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
- ↑ "Missie B's Reopening & Surprise Elevations". City of Fountains Sisters. October 29, 2020. Retrieved April 13, 2026.