The Royal Deluxe
By Anastasia Harwood
Feature Story:
The Royal Deluxe Cocktail Lounge Gives Weston a New Twist: Owners and Bartenders talk about what the lounge means to them and what makes it special
Introduction
The Royal Deluxe Cocktail Lounge, located in the heart of Weston, Missouri, takes customers away from the troubles of everyday life and transports them to a place where all you have to do is pick a drink.
What started as an idea to have a speakeasy-style bar behind an existing winery, the Lux (as locals call it) is a luxurious environment that serves classic cocktails but also some with their own twist.
Where did the Idea come from
Owned by William McQueen and Hannah Magee as an addition to their businesses, there was a need in the town for something classic. Other businesses of theirs include Weston Wine Company, Weston Stagecoach and a trucking company.
“When I started my trucking company 18 years ago, I could not wait until it took off enough so that I could start something new,” McQueen stated. “I finally have my trucking company to where it runs smoothly without me going. I missed being part of the cocktail industry.”
The idea came because there is no other place in Weston to experience the taste of a classic drink.
“It’s really frustrating to have a nice day at work and want to go have a really really awesome classic cocktail,” McQueen said. “Nothing in this town was there for it. So we originally were going to do it in the background at the winery. We’re going to turn this into 14 seats, like a speakeasy-type thing.”
After some persuasion and help from the owners of another local restaurant in town, the Lux finally took its own location of an old pizza shop below the St. George Hotel.
Twist on a Classic
Head bartender, Eugene Kim, has only ever worked as a bartender at the Lux. Kim works on his own to create new drinks for the lounge. But first, he had to take time to learn all of the classics.
“I think the basis is knowing classic cocktails,” Kim stated. “Without the knowledge of classic cocktails, you don’t really know where to build from. So, knowing your classics is really important from there you can decide what kind of twist you want, which can be from inspiration, it could be from personal preferences, it could be from what you liked, as a child.”
Since McQueen and Magee own multiple businesses in town, their employees will often work at both. Erin Goodsmith is the manager of Weston Wine Company and is now learning how to create cocktails down at the Lux as well.
“My favorite customers are when I get a couple and when they see me up here, and we get all connected, and then I send them down to the Luxe,” Goodsmith said. “Then I come in and I’m working my shift and they’re like, ‘Whoa, is this a whole new person?’ and I was like, yeah, it’s my twin. Then we joke and then we have a great time and then I talked to them about, what their day was like in Weston. So my favorite opportunity is to see them in both places, but also see them in different environments.”
Working at the Lux is also a learning experience. Most people, like Goodsmith, do not come with prior experience bartending or mixing drinks. Customers often do not have an idea on what they want either, so they get to learn together.
“My other kind of favorites are couples that come in and they don’t know what they like,” Goldsmith said. “They really don’t because I was in that part where I have no clue what a cocktail is, and you want me to serve a cocktail like an imposter? I don’t even order cocktails. So I tell them that like I started out not knowing a cocktail, but tonight you’re gonna figure out what you like tonight.”
From the classic posters of vintage alcohol brands and furniture collected from historic Weston, people come from all over to try a drink such as the Weston Old Fashioned or French 75. Customers often do not have an idea of what they want either, so they get to learn together.
“I always ask them what their favorite liquor is,” Goodsmith said. “Then there’s usually like vodka or tequila and it’s like, okay, great. Then we go into what else do you kind of drink on your daily basis. After all that, I’ll go get them a drink. I love seeing their faces. That’s my biggest thing, is to see their faces light up and be like, ‘I will order that again’ and then they order three rounds and I know that it’s spectacular for them.”
Small Town Charm
Kansas City is filled with bars and lounges of every variety. The Lux is special because of the space, town and whole environment that makes it a one-of-a-kind experience. Co-owner Hannah Magee has worked to make sure both of their businesses do not make any of their customers feel dumb for not knowing about wine or cocktails.
“We have like Midwestern hospitality out the wazoo,” Magee stated. “So, people love coming to work because it feels like a different time; a slower, slower way of living. This type of service we strive to give is not a volume Kansas City bar that’s trying to get drinks out. We’re crafting drinks and getting to know you and celebrating your experiences with you wanting to be part of your beverage. Not just how do we get out fast. It is a classic cocktail lounge but most places pre-batch all of their stuff. And I think what we do is we make cocktails approachable, not pretentious. So like we’re never gonna make you feel stupid.”
With a great location, great bartenders, great workers and great customers to create the ideal environment for enjoying classic cocktails with a new twist, the Royal Deluxe is the perfect way to start, or end, your date night in Weston. Less than an hour from Kansas City, this snow globe of a town, is the perfect small town to get away from the busy city life and unwind.
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