Local business celebrates 135 years as St. Pat’s parade returns to city

By Betsy Webster

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    KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KCTV) — When the St. Patrick’s Day parade returns to Kansas City after a two-year, COVID-induced hiatus, a local business along the route will have even more to celebrate.

Browne’s Irish Marketplace was bustling Wednesday as people snapped up a little green and some special whiskey for St. Patrick’s Day.

Many milling around might not have known the wood floors they were walking on date back to the turn of the 20th Century. A sign on the 33rd and Pennsylvania location calls the building historic. The story of the store began just around the corner at the founding family’s home in 1887. They moved to the current location in 1901.

“It’s definitely our 135th St. Patrick’s Day, which is amazing to think, my great grandparents, what were they doing on Saint Patrick’s Day? Did they celebrate at all?” wondered current co-owner Kerry Browne, whose great-grandparents started the business.

For years Browne’s has been revelers’ starting spot, grabbing an Irish breakfast and Irish coffee before lining up along the parade route. When COVID came knocking, parade plans were put on hold and Browne’s did away with indoor dining.

COVID brought numerous challenges in the last two years, but she and her husband didn’t flounder. They expanded.

“So many Irish musicians were having a hard time because they couldn’t perform anywhere. And those are all our good friends. So, we thought what can we do?” she explained.

They started doing shows in the grass out back. Then they added a patio, a pergola, a fence and more.

“And now we look at it’s like why on earth didn’t we have this 20 years ago?” Browne said.

That wide open space will be the new, bigger site of this year’s Saint Patrick’s Day celebration. They will have a bar, food trucks, yard games and live music. Breakfast sandwiches have replaced a full breakfast.

“The parade is one block away to the east of us, so people can come to Browns, get an Irish breakfast sandwich and an Irish coffee, walk up and see the parade and then walk back to Browne’s and they’ll be more excitement,” Browne enthused.

That will be about St. Patrick’s Day. The celebration of 135years will continue all year long, a celebration of the generations that came before them.

Five generations of family working in the store and a supportive community are their recipe for success.

Browne admits, another part of what makes this work is a certain pressure. It’s been going so long. How dare they be the generation to let it go?

“Over COVID people kept saying, ‘Are you going to close?’ And it’s like, absolutely, positively not. We are going for another 135 years. The fifth and sixth and seventh generation are ready to be part of it and they already are involved. So, we’re here for the long haul,” Browne declared.

If you plan to participate be aware that they will not be opening until 9 a.m. In previous years they opened at 7 a.m. Lawn chairs are welcome and advised as there will be limited seating at their picnic tables.

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