Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Harrison.
Hi Mary, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Kirby’s Beer Store first came onto my radar long before I was old enough to get inside its famous sticker and poster-laded walls. I had already been attending shows at local all-ages venues for a couple of years before I first stood in the parking lot at Kirby’s with friends to hear the live music that was bursting from the tiny, unassuming building across from Wichita State University. It gave me such hope to know that this was here waiting for me to turn 21, that being consumed by the energy of loud live music and camaraderie was not something I would ever have to outgrow. This place has been a hub for creatives since its inception in 1972, and though it changed hands a few times over the years, the community clearly needed this space and the freedom that it offered.
Fast forward to the summer of 2024. By this point, I had been a high school English teacher for eight years, had started a band of my own with my spouse, Eric Harrison, had performed at Kirby’s many times. While on vacation with Eric and my daughter, our longtime friend Alex Thomas called us. He had been running Kirby’s for years, most recently with a business partner who was moving on, and he wanted to know if we wanted to buy in.
Eric had been performing in various bands on the Kirby’s stage since the late 90s. We’d spent years attending shows there, eventually performing in shows there together. In fact, we nearly got married at Kirby’s (though ultimately we decided to celebrate there AFTER the wedding). It was an easy decision to accept what Alex offered to us.
Today there are six people on the Kirby’s ownership team including Eric and I. I quickly took over the booking, promotion, and social media role for this very busy little venue. With live music every single night featuring 3-4 acts per show, I am now in constant conversation with musicians as I curate and promote these events. Events that I know firsthand are a crucial outlet for performers and their fans.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
This has certainly been a humbling learning experience. When people ask how I’m doing as an organizer of a HUGE creative community (on top of being a mother, a full time teacher, and a member of a very active band), I say, “Kirby’s never sleeps.” Over 100 individual bands/solo performers take our stage every month, and I’m in conversation with most all of them. Thank GOODNESS I have so many others to rely on for making sure other aspects of a busy bar and music venue are well-functioning, because booking, promoting, and social media is pretty all-consuming. In the best way! Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE what I’m doing, but building systems and keeping so many communications organized happened slowly. I have mastered the art of “friendly reminders” while herding so many (cool) cats. 🙂
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Kirby’s Beer Store has stood right across the street from Wichita State University as a bar for creatives and free-thinkers since 1972. It organically became a space for those seeking community with others who were skeptical of the Vietnam War and has continued to be a gathering place for free-thinkers and artists ever since. It soon became a music venue, and now hosts upwards of 35 events per month. Some are local shows, but most often these events feature artists from all over the United States (and occasionally from outside of the US) who are passing through the heartland on their tours.
With a few exceptions, shows at Kirby’s have free admission, and patrons throw cash in the tip bucket as it makes its rounds during every set. This maximizes access to live music, something we believe that everyone deserves to have, while artists are paid directly by patrons. It’s a super punk-rock, DIY tradition that our patrons take very seriously: “WASH YOUR HANDS AND TIP THE BANDS!” you’re likely to hear the old-school Kirbyites shout.
Each show is carefully curated so that local musicians and bands can meet and network with relevant touring artists. Every show is an artistic collaboration with the potential to open doors for everyone involved. Often, they naturally start promoting each other and lifting each other up long after their Kirby’s gig. Sometimes these artists meet up again here in Wichita, sometimes elsewhere in the country. Kirby’s is a little place that connects our local community to a much larger community.
A point of pride for Kirby’s is that while some amazing, nationally-known, up-and-coming artists have played our stage, this stage is also for “first gigs.” If somebody can play at least 30 minutes of original music, they can get a show at Kirby’s. While we are part of the national music community and love to host touring artists, we are most proud of those moments when somebody feels the rush of performance for the first time, when audiences can hear something that literally nobody has heard before being performed live.
Whether or not a band is playing, the friendly atmosphere of Kirby’s is bound to hook anyone who enters. Our walls are covered with artifacts spanning our entire history, our staff and patrons are full of midwestern warmth, our drinks are still reasonably priced after all these years, and we even have a room full of pinball machines to entertain you all afternoon and evening. There’s nowhere better to help you stop staring at your phone and start engaging with others.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is that you absolutely never know how valuable all the little connections you make with others can be. There have been times when what seemed to be a benign interaction turned into something much bigger because I managed to impress the right person. It’s something I knew to be true from performing in Brave Boy, my band, that I learned also applies when booking touring artists for Kirby’s.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kirbysbeerstore.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/kirbys_1972
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/kirbys1972
- Other: If you want to book a show at Kirby’s, email us at: divebar@kirbysbeerstore.com
