Your new favorite pizza-and-cocktail spot has two house rules: Be social; don’t kill the vibe

Happy hour has a new home at Martini Corner — and the face behind the bar could look familiar.

Serial entrepreneur Brian Roberts is back in the building where he began his brick-and-mortar journey, opening an aperitivo and cocktail bar — Social House — just a few yards away from the original Black Pantry retail space in Midtown’s Tower East neighborhood.

Social House at 325 E 31st St. in Midtown Kansas City; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

Social House is set to debut Saturday, Aug. 1 at 325 E 31st St. with an atmosphere Roberts hopes feels energetic, but still mature and relaxed, he said.

“I want it to be elevated, but not so elevated where you have to get dressed up,” Roberts told Startland. “I wanted it to be lively, but really something nice where the neighborhood can come in and just hang out.”

Crafted for nearby residents who want a comfortable, everyday spot, he expects the “premium neighborhood bar” to serve customers ages 25 and older, with music kept at a level that still allows people to talk, read or work.

Roberts previously founded The Black Pantry — first as a pop-up highlighting products by Black-owned businesses, then as a retail operation within Made in KC’s former Midtown location at the corner of 31st and Oak streets — and later Good Karma Coffee. (The Black Pantry now falls under the Good Karma brand.)

Social House is intended to, in its own way, continue the mission of The Black Pantry, Roberts said, pairing cocktails made with Black-owned, local spirits with pizza from neighboring Orange By: Devoured.

The cocktail program will feature Italian-inspired drinks alongside Black-owned and local spirits. Roberts plans to stock labels including BRAY Prosecco, Lobos 1707, and Uncle Nearest, extending the purchasing ecosystem he began developing through The Black Pantry and Good Karma Coffee.

“They’re having cocktails with Black-owned spirits, and we don’t have to say, ‘Support Black-owned businesses,'” said Roberts. “We can just use the product and love it. As long as we’re making drinks, making food and creating that ecosystem.”

The bar takes the place of the former Ludo’s shuffleboard concept operated by the team at Made in KC. Its location fits a vision Roberts had when The Black Pantry was still operating within Made in KC: a commercial corridor at Martini Corner strengthened by Black businesses working together.

Brian Roberts, Social House; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

“My mind was like, ‘How dope would it be for there to be Black businesses in a space like this, all working together as one ecosystem?'” he said.

Roberts first met Orange By: Devoured founder and chef Jhy Coulter before she even opened her compact Martini Corner storefront, he said, recalling Coulter’s days of artisanal pizza pop-ups.

That existing relationship made the businesses’ pairings even more natural.

“She knew my vision, understood what I was going to provide, and she was aligned with that,” Roberts said, noting they’ve already tested their collaboration through neighborhood gatherings and block parties.

More pizza-centered events are expected after Social House opens, he said.

An aperitivo approach to nightlife

The aperitivo bar concept is based on the Italian tradition of light bites and bitter drinks that can be enjoyed after work, but before dinner, Roberts said.

“We really want to drive earlier engagement in nightlife,” he added.

A chocolate tasting paired with Amaro at Social House; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

Social House is expected to open at 4 p.m. and close at 11 p.m., carving out a lane between the workday and the late-night crowd and offering neighbors and visitors alike a place to meet after work, start an evening out or settle in without committing to the bar-hopping scene.

“It’s built for a good balance of cocktails, food and just chilling,” Roberts said. “This is a place where you either come to start the night before you go out, or if you’re trying to wind down early, you come here and hang out.”

Pizza from Orange By: Devoured will anchor the food offering, including combinations built around sausage, bold sauces and ingredients like hot honey. Smaller bites, such as pimento cheese and crackers, will keep the menu in line with the spirit of aperitivo without turning Social House into a full-service restaurant.

Programming beyond food and cocktails also is in the works, Roberts said.

A rotating DJ residency will take over Saturdays through the end of the year, with a different DJ highlighted each month. Roberts emphasized music is expected to add energy without drowning out conversation.

He’s also working to host movie nights during quieter weekdays where independent filmmakers could screen their work while guests order pizza and drinks during the showing.

“That’ll be an outlet for independent filmmakers to have a space to show their movies for free,” he said.

A polished-bar that still feels like home

Renovated for its earlier Made in KC incarnations, the Midtown building is more than a century old, which led Roberts toward an industrial-modern design. He’s handled much of the buildout using the same gradual, hands-on approach that shaped his earlier ventures.

“It’s been very DIY, very bootstrapped,” he said.

The house rules at Social House, 325 E 31st St.; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

That process has become part of his operating model. Good Karma Coffee opened with about 20 seats and later grew to roughly 45, he said. Social House will continue changing as revenue comes in, with more furniture, lighting and artwork added over time.

“Every time you come in, it’ll be a little different because the money you spend, I’ll reinvest,” said Roberts. “I haven’t pocketed any money since I started The Black Pantry. I just keep rolling it over into other things, and it’s becoming quicker.”

Roberts expects Social House to draw interest as a Black-owned bar with a distinct concept, but he is more focused on becoming a regular stop for people who live in North Hyde Park and Union Hill.

“My ideal customer is a regular customer,” he said. “I really want this to be a neighborhood spot, somewhere to go with no frills. Just pull up as if you are from the neighborhood.”

New apartments, homes and mixed-use projects are adding density around the corridor. Its central location also places the neighborhood between the Crossroads, Midtown and the Country Club Plaza.

Roberts said the growth gives Social House an opportunity to serve people who increasingly want dining and nightlife within walking distance.

“I don’t need to be the biggest name in the city,” said Roberts. “I just want to be something for the people who actually live in this neighborhood, so they don’t have to go far.”