Chances Social Completes STRETCH’s Entertainment District

By Kevin Collison

Chances Social opens Sunday at 419 E. 18th St., and owner STRETCH views his new coffee shop and bar as the last ingredient in the homegrown, East Crossroads entertainment district he started 15 years ago with Grinders.

“Grinders is known as a dive bar with good cocktails,” he said. “This will be a nicer version. You’ll be able to go from Grinders to Chances to Crossroads KC with a cocktail in your hand.

“We wanted to create a distinct environment and destination that houses everything.”

Chances Social is opening in the space formerly occupied by Thou Mayest, the popular coffee shop that closed in December.

For the most part, STRETCH has left the space intact. The biggest changes have been new furniture and converting the upstairs to an art gallery.

Chances Social will serve coffee drinks and breakfast fare as well as having a full bar.

“We wanted to fill a void in the coffee scene and introduce a bar concept,” he said. “It’s there for the community. There’s no coffee east of Grand and there’s a lot of opportunity there with good access and parking for a quality product.”

Chances Social also will offer light breakfast fare, baked goods in addition to its full-service bar and plenty of coffee drinks. Hours will be from 6 a.m. to late, 11 p.m. or midnight, depending on what’s happening at the Crossroads KC concert venue behind it.

STRETCH said in addition to being a place to have coffee or a beer, wine or cocktail, Chances also will feature local artists in rotating exhibits in the upstairs gallery. The space also can be rented for weddings, parties or meetings.

“The art scene always will be changing,” he said. “The building had good bones so there was no reason to rip out what was done well.

“We have the food behind it, the cocktails and music. It’s part of the whole plan.”