A Bonner Springs brewery that started as a 300-square-foot operation on a horse ranch is now consolidating its taproom and production line into a single downtown building, right as Oak Street undergoes one of the biggest transformations in its history. Range 23 Brewing plans to merge its taproom into its 127 Oak Street production facility in 2026, folding its two-location setup into one address as the surrounding block fills with new apartments and a rebuilt city park.
Range 23 has come a long way from its roots. According to Range 23 Brewing, the company launched in 2020 as what it describes as the smallest brewery in Kansas, a 300-square-foot setup on a 40-acre horse ranch north of Bonner Springs. The brewery describes itself as a firefighter-owned family brewery and says it began after its owners noticed a lack of neighborhood craft beverage options. The brewery has since been featured as a local favorite in FOX4KC.com's coverage of downtown Bonner Springs businesses, which described the taproom as an inviting space with unique offerings and craft beers.
The brewery moved its production facility to 127 Oak Street in 2024 while running its taproom separately at 200 Oak Street, according to Range 23 Brewing. This year's planned merger into a single facility marks the next step in that expansion.
A Changing Block on Oak Street
Range 23's consolidation is happening alongside significant public and private investment on the same stretch of downtown. Construction is set to begin in May 2026 on Centennial Park improvements on Oak Street, adding a splash pad, public restrooms, and a mid-block pedestrian crossing.
Just down the street, construction is underway on The 120 on Oak, a four-story development at 112 Oak Street designed to add 92 market-rate and moderate-income apartment units, per the City of Bonner Springs. The project sits on a former retail site that was demolished in 2023, meaning downtown businesses like Range 23 could see a boost in daily foot traffic once residents move in.
Beyond Beer: Sodas, Lemonade and Cocktails
Range 23 has also diversified its menu well beyond traditional beer styles. The brewery produces non-alcoholic craft sodas, craft cocktails on tap, and a proprietary Prairie Juice hard lemonade line, according to Range 23 Brewing, and its craft sodas are wholesaled to select regional coffee shops and markets.
That diversification tracks with wider industry pressure. Craft beer production and total brewery counts declined across Kansas and Missouri in 2025, reflecting a national trend in which craft brewery closures outpaced openings for the first time since 2005, according to Axios Kansas City. Industry shifts tied to that decline have pushed small brewers nationwide to expand into non-beer craft beverages, a strategy Range 23 appears to be leaning into with its soda and lemonade lines.
State law also shapes how far a brewery like Range 23 can grow its beer sales on its own. Under Kansas Statute ยง 41-308b, licensed microbreweries may sell up to 1,000 barrels of self-manufactured beer directly to retailers each year, and the rules address delivery to a licensed beer distributor through a packaging and warehousing facility, according to the Kansas Department of Revenue. Kansas microbreweries are also subject to licensing rules, per the same agency.
Packaging Trends and a Regional Tourism Boost
Packaging choices are shifting for small taprooms nationwide, too. Aluminum cans accounted for 78% of U.S. packaged craft beer volume in 2025 compared to 22% for glass bottles, with Kansas noted as a state where canned market share retains room to grow, according to Packaging Dive.
Regional Wyandotte County attractions include the Kansas City Renaissance Festival, Azura Amphitheater, and the National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame. Tiblow Days is also mentioned.
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