Inspiring Conversations with Logan Smith of Hillsiders Neighborhood Bar

Today we’d like to introduce you to Logan Smith.

Hi Logan, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I moved to KCK in 2013 and took a job working security at The Riot Room in Westport, KCMO. After a rough and tumble year of cutting my teeth in the service industry at the door and relentlessly asking to be promoted to a Bar Back position, I was finally given the opportunity. I learned everything I could about the technicalities of operating a high-volume bar and was eventually promoted again to a bartender position. I then took on additional roles in the back of the house, handling Ticketing, Artist Relations, and Graphic Design (among other things). After 5 years of 70hr work weeks, I left The Riot Room to open a hyper-aesthetic greenhouse bar called Panthers Place, where I was General Manager for nearly three years. We had an awesome run at Panthers Place, opening an adjacent sister bar and restaurant called Outpost Social Club that operated for around six months before I walked away after seeing an opportunity in my neighborhood to open a bar of mine.

The 403 N. 5th St. building was in disarray and would take months to repair. I spent the following 11 months bartending 6 days a week all over Kansas City. I worked at 8 bars during this period, saving everything I could to help launch this new project. Many nights, I would get off work at a bar in town around 2 am, and I would head straight to my little construction site to work until sun up on any projects underway. Creating something alone without people standing in my way was a ton of fun and exciting.

On October 1st, 2022, Hillsiders Neighborhood Bar opened its doors, and we haven’t looked back. I’m very appreciative and thankful for the support we’ve received in the short time we’ve been open, and I look forward to becoming a staple of my neighborhood in the years to come.

Let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
The road to where I’m currently has been rough, but it’s given me the perspective that you have to have to do something like this. I wouldn’t change a thing.

As you know, we’re big fans of Hillsiders Neighborhood Bar. What can you tell our readers who might need to be more familiar with the brand?
I love bartending. I love meeting new people and helping them feel comfortable at the bar, befriending most of the patrons I serve. Hillsides would reflect me as a bartender: welcoming, all-inclusive, and essentially, intentionally generic. We aren’t rewriting the playbook here; it’s really simple: A great neighborhood bar. I’m a nostalgic person, and this space is a perfect fit for my business. I wanted to breathe new life into a building serving drinks and memories for decades before I was born. I tried to salvage as much of the remnants of bars come and go as possible. We spent countless hours rewiring original light fixtures, repairing original furniture, etc. I expanded the back patio and built multiple stages inside and out for live music and other entertainment. I want to party with everyone.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
I spent my childhood on the outskirts of Springfield, Missouri. My favorite childhood memories are of my family spending hot summer days on the banks of the James River, relaxing under the Railroad bridge we used for shade. I drank my first beer there. I purposed there; I spent countless hours skipping rocks there when I couldn’t settle my mind. It’s my spot.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @HillsidersKCK

Image Credits
Matt Cox