EP-413 Kemet Coleman, Elliott Ivory, and Woodie Bonds Jr. of Vine Street Brewing

There’s something special about when talent, vision, and respect are all
wrapped up in a relationship. These attributes can provide people deeper
meaning and drive which make dreams more attainable. Accomplishing a goal
can be daunting on your own, but when you have partners who push you to be
better—and complement each other in meaningful ways—that’s when whole new
opportunities can come to life.

These ideas are at the core of this conversation with three co-founders of
Kansas City’s Vine Street Brewing. The business earned national attention
last year as Missouri’s first-ever black-owned brewery and from day one has
backed it up with beloved beer and offering a space that quickly became a
new and exciting part of the city’s downtown life. Located in the historic
Jazz District of Kansas City, you’ll find all kinds of community
connections stemming from the brewery, from beer collaborations, to music
and film events, and more.

Joining me to talk about what this means are Kemet Coleman, Elliott Ivory,
and Woodie Bonds Jr. Each has taken different paths to this moment, but
their shared connection—whether it be brewing backgrounds with Woodie and
Elliott or Kemet’s ability to bring people together—has allowed Vine Street
to not just grow in its first year, but become a celebrated part of the
Kansas City beer scene. What you’ll hear from them offers a lot of tangible
examples of what it looks like when talent, vision, and respect turn into
something you can see, feel, and taste. And as the trio prepares for their
second year in business, these things also offer them plenty to reflect on
and use as motivation for Vine Street’s future.