Joe Hammers on the closing of the Pistol Social Club

Joe Hammers, of the recently closed Pistol Social Club in the West Bottoms, was kind enough to take some time over the past few days to speak with us via Facebook chat. We talked about the Pistol, the plan for the club, and why it closed.

This seems like it was a really sudden thing.

The announcement was sudden. Pow. We reached the end of our five-year plan and achieved what the Pistol attempted, I believe.

What was that?

The Pistol established itself as a viable alternative space for likeminded contemporary performers. It was my interest to introduce Kansas City to national tours and vice versa…A certain kind of act thrives in this environment, makes a happening. It’s something ephemeral that happened there.