Mahomes-era Chiefs prove a game-changer for small biz, community alike, says Tom’s Town owner
February 8, 2023 | Channa Steinmetz
Editor’s note: The following is part of a multi-story feature profiling Kansas City small businesses reaping wins thanks to the Kansas City Chiefs’ 2023 Super Bowl bid. Click here to read more from this limited series.
Time and time again, the Chiefs organization and team show how they are truly ingrained in the local community, said David Epstein, co-founder of Tom’s Town Distilling Co.
David Epstein, Tom’s Town Distilling Co.
In 2021, Tom’s Town Distilling Co. announced an official partnership with the Chiefs, with the Tom’s Town Botanical Gin becoming the first official gin in the National Football League.
“The Chiefs approached us, and I think that speaks volumes,” Epstein said. “What better way to be a part of the community than to be working with smaller, local brands like Tom’s Town? The partnership has not only helped us in the gin category, but it connected us to a whole new audience through football.”
Tom’s Town gin and canned cocktails are available to purchase for the nearly 80,000 fans at Arrowhead Stadium, Epstein said, noting that the Chiefs impact goes far beyond the stadium.
“What is vastly more important is the stamp of approval from the Chiefs that can be found on our bottles and our labels,” he said, referencing Tom’s Town season gin label designed in the iconic red and gold of the Kansas City Chiefs. “There’s such goodwill for the Chiefs that it has opened up doors for us, even outside of Kansas City.”
Because when a team or brand is successful, others want to be a part of it, Epstein continued.
“It starts with a conversation,” he shared. “People love talking about it. You would think, well, what if they aren’t Chiefs fans? But let’s say we’re entering the Texas market, well the Chiefs have such a dynamic reputation — not just of their success — but they’re beloved. So we’ve rarely had any pushback in other markets.”
Consumers may not immediately see the connection between the partnership of gin and football — but both organizations set out to do the unexpected, Epstein said.
Tom’s Town Distilling Co.
“Tom’s Town is about game-changing spirits, and what has been so fascinating about working with the Chiefs is that they really aren’t like other sports teams,” Epstein explained. “If you watched their last game [against Cincinnati], it’s not like watching other football teams. It is almost like watching a ballet with Mahomes and how they choreograph these games. They are so wildly creative.”
“… For us, every single thing we enter into the market is different,” he continued. “Our gin is not a London Dry; our vodka is made with rye; our bourbons go through an aging process that is very different from most bourbons. We aspire to change the game.”
Click here to shop Tom’s Town online.
Working alongside the Chiefs for the past two years has been a fundamental part of Tom’s Town growth strategy, Epstein said, noting that Tom’s Town is currently distributed to 10 states in the U.S.
“It’ll be fascinating to see — after we win the Super Bowl, how much more progress is made,” Epstein said. “I’m excited for that conversation.”
Featured Business
2023 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Cerner ‘call for innovation’ hopes to bring brand to life alongside KC startups
One of Kansas City’s largest employers is looking for help from the smaller firms in its backyard. Health IT giant Cerner Corp. is looking to collaborate with startups and entrepreneurs to feature their innovative custom furniture, properties or experiential design elements for a coming conference. If selected, each startup’s work would be featured in front…
Heartshaped Clothing: A love story fashioned into a Dad-hat
Corey Reed’s wife opened his heart to true love, he said. Love of God, community, creativity and family. The revelation didn’t just inspire Reed’s Heartshaped Clothing line, it allowed him to recognize and appreciate the gifts and sacrifices of his faith and those around him, like his parents, who adopted him at birth, he said.…
Kritiq fashion show MADE for Kansas City designers
Designers don’t need to go to the east or west coasts to pursue their dreams, Mark Launiu said. “There’s so much passion and grind here in Kansas City. And a lot of people on the outside don’t know that,” said Launiu, co-founder at MADE Urban Apparel. “We’re always overlooked because they think of just our…
Random origins, but no fluke: MADE grinds to grand expansion
The MADE Mobb is getting used to risk taking. “We know what it’s like to walk into something blind,” laughed Mark Launiu, co-founder at MADE Urban Apparel. Launiu, along with co-founders Vu Radley and Jonathan “JP” Platz, launched MADE in 2012 with the streetwear apparel line selling in just a few pop-up shops. Early partnerships…