Green Lady Lounge, the Crossroads jazz staple that has kept live music playing 365 days a year since 2013, is now saying it hopes to reopen December 1. The venue at 1809 Grand Blvd. has sat closed since a rooftop fire started in its HVAC system three and a half months ago; repairs were initially expected to take a few weeks, perhaps a month.
According to The Kansas City Star, the lounge shared an updated timeline on social media, posting photos of an empty room and freshly repainted walls. “Finally rolling the red paint back on,” the venue wrote, adding, “We look forward to seeing you before the end of the year. Hoping for December 1st.” The Star reports the lounge has filed several permits with the city for structural repairs as well as new gas and electric lines, though the total cost of the damage was not available.
How the Rooftop Fire Started
KCUR reported that crews responded just after 12:20 p.m. Sunday, May 31, while The Star separately gives the fire date as June 1. Firefighters determined the blaze started in the rooftop HVAC air conditioning unit, per the same Star report citing local fire officials, and crews cut a hole in the roof to reach and extinguish it. Daytime staff noticed the smoke and evacuated the building before anyone was hurt, and officials confirmed the structure itself remained intact even as water soaked into the roof and attic.
Water damage from the firefighting effort ruined the carpet along with the lounge's vintage mirrors and light fixtures, per the Star's reporting. Owner John Scott, reached by the paper via email, said he had no further comment beyond the update posted online. Initially, a manager told the Star the closure was expected to last only a few weeks, potentially a month; the lounge has since announced a hoped-for December reopening and filed permits for structural, electrical, and gas-line work.
Sister Venue Kept the Music Playing
Rather than go dark, Green Lady Lounge shifted its scheduled performances next door to its sister venue, Black Dolphin at 1813 Grand Boulevard. KCUR reported that music continued there and that Black Dolphin had been open the night before its report.
The lounge's weekly public-radio broadcast, “Live at Green Lady Lounge,” hosted by David Basse, airs Saturdays at 6 p.m. with Sunday evening encores. The show is recorded on the lounge's stage and built around original Kansas City jazz compositions.
A Nearly 130-Year-Old Building With Deep Roots
The lounge occupies a building on Grand Boulevard. Scott opened Green Lady Lounge in 2013 in the space that had previously housed nightclub Balanca's.
Scott's Kansas City jazz operation includes Green Lady Lounge and Black Dolphin.
Kansas City's Jazz Scene
Kansas City's jazz scene provides the backdrop to Green Lady Lounge's closure and hoped-for reopening.
Green Lady Lounge sits in the heart of the Crossroads Arts District. Hoodline has covered a new booze-free jazz spot that opened in the Crossroads. Whenever Green Lady Lounge does swing its doors back open, it will be reclaiming its spot in a scene that hasn't slowed down without it.
