139 years of Irish cheer at Browne's
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Outside of Browne's Irish Marketplace. Photo: Abbey Higginbotham/Axios
Browne's Irish Marketplace, opened by Irish immigrants in Kansas City in 1887, will celebrate its 139th St. Patrick's Day on Tuesday as parade crowds gather nearby.
Why it matters: One block from the KC St. Patrick's Day Parade route, Browne's has become a gathering place for generations of Kansas Citians and an enduring Irish tradition in Midtown.
Flashback: Ed and Mary Flavin, immigrants from County Kerry in Ireland, opened Flavin's Market in front of their home near 27th Street and Jefferson Avenue.
- Neighbors stopped in for groceries and household goods, and the shop quickly became a meeting place for the surrounding community.
- In 1901, the family moved the business to a brick building at 33rd Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, which still houses the store today.
- The business became Browne's after the Flavins' daughter, Margaret, married Jim Browne, who helped expand the grocery and later helped found Associated Wholesale Grocers.
State of play: Kerry Browne, the Flavins' great-granddaughter, and her husband, John McClain, have run the business since 1981.
- Over time, the shop evolved from a corner grocery into a deli, bar and import store known for Irish foods and drinks.
What's next: Browne's often fills early on parade morning as organizers, musicians and families gather nearby before heading to the routes, so get there early.
Fun fact: Browne says representatives from the Irish Trade Board told the family that the Midtown shop is the oldest Irish family business outside Ireland.
What they're saying: "I wish I could time travel and see what the other generations did," Browne tells Axios.
- Her great-grandparents likely did not imagine how large the city's celebration would become.
- "We're proud to be Irish, but we're also proud Kansas Citians," Browne says.
- "Sometimes people come in homesick and meet someone else from home," she says. "By the end, they're shaking hands and planning to meet again."
Case in point: Browne says customers often strike up conversations with strangers who share Irish roots or memories of the neighborhood.
The bottom line: Nearly 140 years after it opened, Browne says the store's goal remains the same: offering a place where people feel welcome, especially on St. Patrick's Day, as parade-goers stop in for food, music and a pint.