It’s a Wonderful Life: Holiday pop-ups offer KC business owners a second chance, Canary owner says

Sophistication is on the menu as Canary Bar and Bistro unveils its first holiday pop-up, Silver Bell Supper Club, a nostalgic cocktail and culinary experience set to pour hope for a pandemic-fatigued Kansas City and inspired by a classic Christmas film.

Auld Lang Syne, a champagne cocktail with pomegranate arils at Silver Bell Supper Club; photos by Ashley Elwell

“We’re going for a chic Christmas vibe. White warm lights, hanging 3D snowflakes, Christmas trees everywhere,” described Keely Edgington, owner and founder, previewing to Startland News ahead of a planned Dec. 1 launch for the pop-up. 

A menu of comfort-food classics — ranging from hearty short ribs, zesty scallops with black lime and garlic to such vegetarian dishes as roasted romesco with curry and ginger, curated and prepared by Chef Mark Dandurand, culinary director at Canary — will nourish guests of Silver Bell while holiday spices and seasonal fruit serve as inspiration for the pop-up’s eight cocktails. 

“[We’ll have] a sugarplum old fashioned with warm baking spices and a clove studded orange; another is a gimlet with cranberry and sage and the Auld Lang Syne, a champagne cocktail with pomegranate arils dancing on the bubbles,” Edgington detailed, teasing sophistication and nostalgia with each sip — free of the kitsch many holiday pop-ups have capitalized on.

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That aesthetic is already planned for another of her businesses: Westport-based Julep, home of the Sippin’ Santa holiday pop-up, which will also open Dec. 1, returning for its third run. 

Beau Williams and Keely Edgington, Silver Bell Supper Club and Julep KC; photo courtesy of threethree photography

“This is the opposite in every way from Sippin’s loud, tiki holiday bomb. I like to mix it up and create a totally different holiday environment that is specific to our patron’s tastes,” she added. 

“Most holiday pop ups focus on just cocktails and decor, but this is a full experience that guests can make a whole night of — holiday atmosphere, dinner, holiday cocktails, and on Sundays, live music from 7 p.m. to 10.”

Lauren Krum and her holiday band, Matt Otto Trio, are set to headline a holiday jazz ensemble in addition to the seasonal stylings of Stephen Martin and a trio of his own, Edgington said. 

Holiday bars in KC: Click here to learn more about the return of Sippin’ Santa and other holiday pop-ups on the menu for the metro, including the return of three popular “Miracle” bars. 

Wrapping up its first year of business, there’s no better way to mark the success of Canary than with a seasonal experience, Edgington said. But such a celebration holds even more meaning in the pandemic-era when bar and restaurant owners have been greatly impacted. 

“One of my favorite movies, not just for holidays, is It’s a Wonderful Life,” Edgington said of the source material from which Silver Bell got its name, a reference to the classic film’s infamous phrase: “Everytime a bell rings, an angel gets its wings.”

“I personally love the movie because it’s about second chances and a community coming together — much like the restaurant industry (and many other industries) have.”

This holiday season, Kansas City has a second chance, she added. 

Click here to make a reservation on or after Nov. 17 or here for more information on Canary.

 

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This story is possible thanks to support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, a private, nonpartisan foundation that works together with communities in education and entrepreneurship to create uncommon solutions and empower people to shape their futures and be successful.

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