East Side Story: Phil’s Coffee Shoppe and Grill

I’ve been wondering about the new business, Phil’s Coffee Shoppe and Grill, that’s taken over the old Max’s Auto Diner space in the groovy, totally “mod” 1960s A-shaped building at 634 E. 63rd Street. So I finally stopped in to see what was up.

Built as one of the first drive-through banks in Kansas City, the peaked space at 634 still boasts the original terrazzo floors, light fixtures — even the safes! About a decade ago, the venue was used as a hair salon by actor-dancer-and-hair stylist Mark Alan. Alan, who owns the building, moved his salon into his other building, immediately to the west (which was, in the 1990s, occupied by his performing arts space, the Alanz Theatre) and leased the swinging ’60s bank to the Max’s Auto Diner owners for seven years.

Imagine my surprise, stepping into Phil’s, to see the official cook, barista and milkshake-maker in this six-week-old venture to be former actor-dancer-hairstylist Mark Alan! He’s retired from hairstyling and is now flipping burgers and cooking hot dogs at Phil’s, his own little diner and snack shop — named after Phil, his father.

“It’s not as lucrative as the beauty business,” Mark told me, “but less headaches.”

The former bank lobby is now outfitted with booths (and movie posters) and in the back, where the bank executives used to make loans for Impalas and Corvettes in the LBJ era, Mak Alan now grills burgers — from fresh beef — and fries up onion rings, french fries and sweet potato fries. The menu also includes a veggie burger, an eggplant sandwich, chicken salad sandwiches, a BLT and chicken finger baskets.

Alan opens the place at 7 a.m. to serve cappuccino, mochas, lattes and espresso.