“On Aire Ep. 16 w/ Matt Moore – The Art of Industrial Real Estate Podcast” featuring Matt Moore from Martin City Brewing Company
🍺 Crafting Community: One Pint at a Time with Matt Moore of Martin City Brewing Company 🎙️ Episode 16 of On Air with Team Jensen
In this milestone sixteenth episode of On Air with Team Jensen: The Art of Industrial Real Estate, the team celebrates its inaugural sponsorship episode alongside Matt Moore, co-founder and majority owner of Kansas City staple Martin City Brewing Company. Spanning from backyard homebrewing on Lake Jacomo to operating a multi-unit restaurant and distribution network, Matt delivers a refreshing look into the grit, collaboration, and localized focus driving KC’s craft beverage boom.
⛵ From Jacomo Sailors to Local Mainstays
The origins of Martin City Brewing date back to 2009 when Matt and his original partner, Chance, bonded over competitive sailing and basic homebrewing kits. Recognizing an opportunity in a vacant commercial building owned by his family, they opened a scratch kitchen pub in 2011. Though state liquor control originally halted their plans to give away un-licensed homebrew, they quickly doubled down, contracting a dedicated 15-barrel brewhouse right next door in 2014 to build what is now a local culinary empire.
🍕 The Local Blueprint: Pizza, Pubs, and the State Line
Today, Martin City operations span seven distinct footprints, including six high-volume Pizza & Tap Rooms, the original Coast to Coast Pub, an airport outpost, and a massive stadium integration with the KC Current at CPKC Stadium. Rather than racing to expand across state lines nationally, Matt’s real estate and business strategy is fiercely hyper-local—focusing on general partnerships to scale carefully down the State Line corridor into North Kansas City and Lenexa.
🪓 Sticking to the Specialty: “Hardway” IPA
While the beverage industry has been disrupted by seltzers and ready-to-drink cocktails, Matt believes in mastering a targeted niche rather than over-saturating the portfolio. Their flagship brew, “Hardway” IPA, acts as the core “freight train” of the company, commanding over 50% of total product sales. By pulling back wide distribution to ensure freshness, the brewery guarantees that every pint poured in the metro area tastes exactly as intended.
🤝 The Collaborative Midwestern Spirit
Reflecting on his growth, Matt highlights the immense mentorship he received from regional industry icons, including the late Mike Derby (Coaches), Steve Holle (KC Bier Co), and early support from the independent team at Boulevard Brewing. This culture of open-source advice is a cornerstone of the Kansas City entrepreneurial scene—and something Matt actively pays forward through programs like HEMP and Vistage.
“Everybody’s time is the most valuable asset. If someone calls, I give them all the time I can… Kansas City is good about that. People look you in the eyes and talk to you.”
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