Daiquiri District chills fresh-squeezed spot for hot chicken, cold drinks near Martini Corner

James Thomas spent years taking his mobile daiquiri shop to wherever the party popped up — hauling rented machines and setting up a mobile operation that gave customers around Kansas City, Lawrence, and Topeka a place to grab one of his frozen drinks.

Now he’s letting thirsty customers come to him.

The Daiquiri District opened Tuesday at 408 E. 31st St. — the former Barrio Taquiera near Martini Corner — adding a taste of brick-and-mortar permanence to Thomas’ Brain Freeze Mobile Daiquiri Shop operation.

“Being at the location now, I’m able to expand and explore different flavors, different concepts,” said Thomas, who plans to introduce cocktails and mimosas alongside Brain Freeze’s signature daiquiris.

While his mobile business will continue as a revenue stream, the roughly 3,000-square-foot space — possible thanks to the City of Entrepreneurs’ Open Doors! storefront program — is a significant jump from the on-the-go setup Thomas used to build the Brain Freeze brand. It includes a bar, multiple seating areas, TVs, and room for private events, giving customers the option to watch a game, sit at the bar, or settle into a quieter spot.

“I’d been (to the 31st Street location) before, but I didn’t realize how big it was until I walked through it again,” Thomas said. “I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s a huge space.’”

The Daiquiri District at 408 E. 31st St., the former Barrio Taquiera near Martini Corner; photo by Brian Escobar, Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City (EDCKC)

A home for Brain Freeze

The storefront changes how customers interact with Brain Freeze, said Thomas, noting people regularly asked where and when they could find the business — a question that became difficult to answer when Brain Freeze was hopping from spot to spot.

“Now they can go to one location six days a week, no matter what’s happening,” he said.

That consistency also opens up new possibilities for the menu. Daiquiris remain the focus, but Thomas plans to add more drinks based on what customers want.

“I gotta embrace everybody,” he said. “We don’t do just daiquiris. We got cocktails and beer. So I love it. Just trying to make everyone happy.”

Brain Freeze has also kept one of the things Thomas said sets it apart from other daiquiri spots: letting customers build their own drinks.

Customers can choose their flavors, liquor, and drink size, with virgin and sugar-free options available. The idea came from wanting to give people more control over what they order instead of limiting them to a set selection of premade combinations.

“You like this flavor, like this alcohol. OK, this is what we can do for you,” Thomas said. “So every drink is made customized with whatever you want it to be.”

Kim Randolph Davis, CEO and president of the Heartland Black Chamber of Commerce, joins James Thomas for a ribbon cutting at The Daiquiri District, at 408 E. 31st St.; photo by Brian Escobar, Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City (EDCKC)

Howlin’ Fowls joins the concept

The Daiquiri District isn’t only a bar. Thomas brought Howlin’ Fowls hot chicken — powered by hometown favorite District Biskuits — into the space to handle the food operation.

The kitchen offers chicken tenders, wings, shrimp, and other items, while Thomas focuses on the drinks. The two businesses are also working together to combine the food and beverage concepts, with a brunch menu planned for the weekend.

The partnership is intended to be permanent, not just an opening-week collaboration.

“They’re in the kitchen for good,” Thomas said.

Room for a drink, a game or a whole party

The size of The Daiquiri District gives customers several ways to spend an afternoon or evening, Thomas emphasized — whether they’re sitting at the bar, watching a game on one of the TVs, or settling into a sectional with friends.

Windows can be opened to bring some of the street into the space, while music from the 1970s and 1980s plays overhead.

Customers already have responded well to the atmosphere since opening, Thomas said.

Private events and collaborations also are quickly becoming part of the mix. Requests are rolling in, he said, and Thomas hopes to eventually use the rooftop for exclusive parties once that part of the project is ready.

Upstairs, he’s working toward opening a cocktail lounge, allowing The Daiquiri District additional space to grow into. Game days will bring another layer to the location, with DJs and hosts planned for Chiefs parties throughout the season.

An Open Doors! Opportunity

The storefront arrived through Open Doors!, an initiative led by the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City and the City of Kansas City, Missouri, that initially helped connect local businesses with vacant commercial spaces ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Thomas signed up after receiving an email about spaces available through the program. He eventually made it through the selection process, though he wasn’t convinced a permanent location would actually come together. Then his future landlord called.

“He said, ‘Hey, got you a spot.’ I was like, ‘Oh, wow, OK.’ It went from zero to 100 real quick,” Thomas said with a laugh.

The opportunity came with a much larger footprint than Thomas had worked with before, but he said it also showed him that people involved with the program saw potential in what Brain Freeze could become.

“It was really an honor and blessing,” he said. “People are telling me, ‘Hey, we like what you’re doing. We see what you can do, and we should take it to a higher level than what you can imagine.’”

The business still has plenty of room to evolve, he emphasized, noting potential for a future cocktail lounge, rooftop, and additional menu expansion.

For now, Thomas’s focus remains on getting customers through the doors and giving them a reason to return — whether that’s for a customized daiquiri, brunch, a Chiefs game day party or an evening at the bar.

“I love just the whole energy of people just being like, ‘You know what? This is a cool spot to go to,’” he said. “We have something for everyone to take hold of and take with them.”