The Sentinel Room honors journalistic history (with stiff drinks) in heart of Independence

Bree and Travis Gensler // Photo by Zach Gunter

On the west side of Independence Square lies The Sentinel Room—a new cocktail bar that honors the history of journalism in the area.

Opened by Bree and Travis Gensler on March 9, 2024, the bar remembers a man known as The Sentinel. He was the editor-in-chief for The Independence Sentinel in the early 1900s. His love for whiskeys, bourbons specifically, was well known across the town. 

Travis—similar to The Sentinel—is known for having excellent taste in whiskeys. In fact, the bar’s website has a glossary explaining the differences between whiskeys, as well as different terms used for any dark liquor connoisseurs.

“One of the big pieces of what we wanted to do here was help people that were whiskey-curious,” Travis says. “We did the glossary because a lot of people were asking questions about whiskeys.”

One of Travis’ goals is to grow the website into a reference point, because he believes it will help people feel better about exploring whiskey and give them a reference to ask further questions.

The Sentinel Room Exterior // Photo by Zach Gunter

The dawn of Travis’ passion for whiskey is what led to the lounge design of The Sentinel Room. He and his brother do what they call a “brother’s night,” where they just hang out and reconnect over a new bottle of whiskey.

“Our goal is to help people reconnect,” Travis says. “We want people to feel comfortable just hanging out and having a conversation.”

“We really wanted it to be a place where you could come and have a great conversation with your friends, family members, or significant other over a nice glass of whiskey or a nice cocktail in a comfortable setting,” Bree says.

She continued by saying, “We wanted to keep the historic feel of the place. So, we’ve got the original 1900s windows in place, we’ve got a collection of old decanters that are scattered throughout, and that’s why we went with the rabbits as a logo.”

As both mentioned, the atmosphere of the bar is that of a 1930s speakeasy. It’s a small, comfortable setting, and the history comes through in every item—The menu is printed like a newspaper, the couches and chairs look to be 1930s vintage, making it quits clear that Bree and Travis cared about the history of the location.

The Sentinel Room menu front page // Photo by Zach Gunter

Their gift shop next door, The Marinello, is named after a 1930s business that formerly occupied the space. The same goes for next door—The Independence Sentinel was in the exact location The Sentinel Room is now.

Both said the most popular drink served is “The Don,” named after Travis’ uncle, as the drink is his original recipe. It’s an old fashioned that includes Woodford Reserve Bourbon, citrus, walnut, and cherry bitters, light agave syrup, walnut smoke, and cherry.

There is a plan for a whiskey tasting room to be opened at some point in the not-too-distant future, with the hope being to increase nightlife on the Independence Square.

“We’re creating three unique spaces that are all tied together,” Travis says. “Really focused on Kansas City local stuff, but at the same time expanding people’s horizons on different spirits.”

The Sentinel Room offers monthly events, as well as a membership program for access to private tasting events and other perks, with the membership costing $150 annually. Located at 208 W Lexington Ave, The Sentinel Room lies in the heart of Independence, offering a quaint space for good conversation and even better refreshments.