Visit Emporia and See What Small-Town Charm is All About

Avatar photo Posted on Jul 28, 2020 by Visit Emporia

If you’ve been going a little stir-crazy lately, and really who hasn’t, it’s time to spread your travel wings and take an adventure to Emporia. Our small-town charm will make you feel comfortable and welcome. We have authentic experiences just waiting for you to enjoy. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Eat, Drink and be Merry!

Leave it to Radius Brewing Company, Emporia’s first brewery since prohibition, to brew beer in the middle of the dinning area. Their open kitchen concept, eclectic menu and line of craft beers, keeps people coming back for more. With offerings like Avocado Blackberry Salad, Chipotle Pork Loin Sandwich, Scotch Eggs, Greek Goat Pizza and a rotating Chef’s menu, your tastebuds will be delighted. Radius is welcoming diners to the brew pub with both indoor and outdoor social distance seating. In addition to the regular menu, every Thursday Chef Gus creates a specials menu which is available daily after 5:00 pm. Follow Radius on Facebook to see photos of their delectable cuisine. Sunday brunch is available from 10 am to 2 pm. Prefer to eat at home? You can order online for curbside carryout. Radius has been named Kansas Small Business of the Year – Existing by the Kansas Small Business Development Center.

For those who like to wine, you will find local artisan wines at Twin Rivers Winery.  Wines and ciders are produced on site. Visit their tasting room (with social distance seating) and try  a sample, a glass or a flight. You will also find treats such as Boozy Popsicles, slushies and Mom’s Lemonade. Remember to bring your cooler and get drinks to go! Browse the gourmet shoppe that has all things wine including stemware, wine accessories, kitchen gadgets and gifts as well as home-brew and wine-making kits and supplies. A few of their specialty items include winey bears, chocolate cordials, bulk spices, fine cheeses, oils and vinegars. Twin Rivers also has a spacious upper story for large or small private parties, inquire online.

It is with GREAT pleasure that we announce to you the long-awaited opening of Trolley House Distillery! The distillery will open its doors to the general public on Thursday, July 30 at noon. Regular hours will be noon to 8:00 pm, Thursday through Sunday. Trolley House had planned to open May 4th, which would have been the two-year anniversary from the date of securing the property. But instead of moonshine, vodka, rum and bourbon, this community-minded business went into full-on hand sanitizer production in March to arm our local medical personnel and front line workers in the battle against COVID-19. (Great job THD! That’s some of that small-town charm.) Learn more about Trolley House in our March 31st blog.

Ready to give your taste buds a workout? Find out if you’re tough enough to complete the Do-B’s reaper burger challenge. Although the dining room remains closed the patio is available for the reaper burger challenge  Call ahead to make arrangements, (620) 342-7294. Prefer to wait awhile (or forever) on that challenge? Do-B’s has some of the tastiest burgers, sandwiches, salads and specials around. They have been voted Best Sandwich Shop in Kansas, Best Local Eats (Kansas) and Best Burger in Kansas two years in a row! Check out their menu. Curbside pick up at Do-B’s is booming! Place your order online and… enjoy!

Mulready’s Pub is back to a 7-days-a-week schedule again. This quirky neighborhood pub is located in the heart of historic downtown Emporia and was voted Best Small-Town Bar in Kansas. They have an extensive selection of scotches, whiskies and bourbons and beer choices in addition to their beers on tap. Their cicerone certified bartenders will suggest a great beverage to quench your thirst. Enjoy a beverage inside the Pub or on the back patio or get a growler to go. Follow Mulready’s on Facebook for specials, hours, beautiful pictures of cold sangria and other fruity drinks and fun videos with owner Rick Becker! Everyone is welcome, especially bicyclists!

Live Music

Live music returns to the Bourbon Cowboy in August with three concerts scheduled for the month. The Jack Nelson Band returns to Emporia August 1st to kick things off. Let’s show this Navy veteran a big welcome back from the founding city of Veterans Day! Additional performances include local favorite Brickhorse on August 15th and red dirt country entertainers The Lazy Wayne Band August 29th. Bourbon Cowboy is a 6,000 square foot, 2 level, woman-owned, country dance bar and pool hall.

Retail Therapy

Retail therapy is good for you and local businesses. Stop by Studio 50-4 and see what’s new in women’s and girl’s clothing as well as accessories. Learn more in our Studio 50-4 blog. If you’re in need of a gift Trox Gallery and Gifts and The Dusty Trail Gift Shoppe are both great places to find something unique or quirky. Read our Trox blog and Dusty Trail blogAka The Sports Fan has Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl memorabilia as well Royals, Emporia State Hornets, Kansas University Jayhawks, and Kansas State University Wildcats merchandise and more. Don’t let the name fool you, Jack’s Lawn and Pool also has a gift shop with all sorts of home décor, gifts and BBQ essentials. If a little nostalgia is what you need, do some antiquing at Poehler Mercantile Antique Mall, Mikes’ Attic (owned by three guys all named Mike!) and Emporia Flea Market & Antiques. Small businesses need you now more than ever.

Fun and Adventure

The kids will be happy to hear that Rollers Skating Rink has reopened. See their website for safety guidelines and hours. In addition to public skating, Rollers is a great place for birthday parties, special events, and group events. Follow them on Facebook for the latest info. Another fun adventure for both kids and adults is the Emporia Zoo. It should really be called zoo and botanical gardens because the plants and flowers are amazing! The Zoo is open and is currently under construction so some area may not be accessible. Masks are highly recommended for the safety of the animals as well as the humans. Emporia Zoo also has an education building and fun events such as kidzoocation, Zoom-A-Zoo and Boo in the Zoo. Follow them on Facebook for the latest information and photos.

Local gems

Are you a Humpday Cupcake fan? And when I say fan, I mean fanatic! The folks at The Sweet Granada aren’t just making cupcakes, they’re creating works of art. Seriously! For instance, recently, they didn’t just make a banana cupcake and swirl on some frosting. No, their offering was called Chunky Monkey, a chocolate and banana cake swirled together with banana chocolate chip frosting, drizzled with ganache and topped with a sweet crunchy banana chip. Seriously! my personal favorite was a chocolate – peanut butter tower of goodness. It started with a chocolate cupcake stuffed with a peanut butter ball, frosted with peanut butter icing, layered with thick chocolate ganache, and topped with a peanut butter ball. OMG! Follow them on Facebook and see what dazzling delight they come up with next. With all the creativity it’s no wonder Sweet Granada was named 2020 Kansas Small Business Development Center Small Business of the Year – Existing.

I saved the best for last because, come on, who doesn’t love cheese and homemade bread! Our community is so lucky to have Vault Meats & Cheeses. And Vault is lucky to have the very talented Chad the bread man! Support them both by shopping at Vault Meats and Cheeses in beautiful downtown Emporia. Vault is a locally-owned and operated charcuterie offering a wide variety of meats and cheeses as well as crackers, spreads, jarred olives and vegetables and about anything you need to complement your snack or meal. Follow Vault on Facebook and see what Becky is creating.

These are just a few things you can do to get out and about and support Emporia businesses. There are more places to go and things to do, so get out and explore! Mask up, stay safe and have FUN!

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Visit Emporia

Visit Emporia welcomes travelers and meeting planners, and serves as the visitor information center for Emporia, Kansas and surrounding area.

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