Rising Stars: Meet Lulu Stevens

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lulu Stevens.

Hi Lulu, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
The story of Ryan’s Public House is one that starts with the love for a small-town downtown.

Our downtown was coming back to life after some businesses closed during the recession. Seeing the vacant building on the daily was depressing. I continued to inquire about the price of the building over months. One day it got so affordable that… (condensed version) I accidentally became a pub owner.

With full-time jobs, busy teens, and an awesome (but introverted) husband it seemed unlikely that our family would be taking on the task of creating a community gathering place, but that is exactly what happened.

Our siblings, kids, friends, moms, and neighbors, worked months on the pub. At one point a stranger, who was stranded due to his car breaking down, helped us lift the giant cooler up and over the bar. The car shop sent him our way while they fixed his vehicle. My brother opened the door and asked if he was there to help… so he did. So many hands went into creating the welcoming and functional space.

The concept of “a third place” is key to the notion of a public house. Everyone is welcome. Your time is unstructured. A customer once called the pub “Tonganoxie’s Living Room”, which sounds perfect.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
As a business owner, I looked to my family for support in this endeavor, especially my wonderful husband Mike (the introvert).

When the pub opened in March of 2018 we were both behind the bar taking orders for the first time. We looked at each other and almost simultaneously asked, “You’ve done this before, right?” It was clear only at that moment– neither of us had ever worked a shift at a bar before. All we could do was laugh at ourselves, ask for guidance, and feel gratitude for our very kind customers that day.

The pub gained momentum and was doing well, but on the day after the second anniversary, COVID closed everything. This is a familiar story. Fortunately, a grant came through that was carefully used over the next 15 months. It made the difference between closing or surviving. Onward and upward!

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Most every customer who visits Ryan’s Pub for the first time can’t believe how cozy-cool it is. The outside of the building is still the large cinderblock building (originally a welding shop) built in the 1940s. Three specific people have helped create such a wonderful vibe.

I learned most of my party-hosting skills from my mother Betty. She had a few key rules for making a space feel relaxed and welcoming. Those are all incorporated into the pub.

Years ago a childhood friend had just mentioned on social media he’d opened some club… the Green Lady? We were out in KC so we headed over. The Green Lady is the swankiest, coolest place on the planet. The owner has provided advice and support to Ryan’s Pub. When it seemed like it would never work, he reassured us that we would have our own gem in Tonganoxie. Thank you to John Scott for seeing us through the early days.

Finally, the idea for the featured mural on the west wall of the pub came about before we opened. It was a brainstorm during a night of painting at the pub with friends. The now-even-more-famous Elizabeth Daniel is the artist who painted the Atomic Kansas Mural. She did this during a Mural Watch Party with loads of input from the public about what the mural would represent. The mural is something to see, and Elizabeth Daniel is someone to watch.

The two other pubs in town (one lost to COVID) were/are also owned by women. Both Kate and Missie provided support and advice to me as new and unprepared pub owners. I am grateful to both of them. BTW – My husband and I love to visit the Hilltop Bar, owned by Missie. We are there most Sundays for tacos. Come check out this historic roadhouse!

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
It is my favorite when customers meet and become friends at the pub. There are trivia cards out on the bar so it is easy to start conversations over the potential answers, or the merit of the questions. We have some games, old yearbooks, old phone books, and quirky stuff around. Really any oddity can be a way for people to start chatting, find commonalities.

We also have hula hoops and twirling batons. It brings me joy to see someone begin to say “I can’t…” before I remind them “…yet!” Many folks have learned to hula hoop or twirl the baton at the pub. When someone surprises themselves or catches themselves laughing? Well, that is the best.

Mike reminds me that not everyone wants to chat or make new friends, which is true. Maybe that is just me? But we both know that everyone wants to feel welcome. That’s what you are at Ryan’s Public House.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: instagram.com/ryanspublichousetonganoxie
• Facebook: facebook.com/RyansPublicHouseTonganoxie
• Twitter: @ryanspublichousetonganoxie