Local Liquid was born from an act of kindness during COVID’s darkest days. When Bier Station, a beloved Kansas City craft beer bar, was struggling to survive, regular customer Mike Richardson stepped forward. A web developer by trade, Mike offered his skills to help keep the business alive, working countless hours for little more than the occasional free beer.

Within weeks, Mike and Bier Station owner John Couture built an online store that helped the bar and its staff survive until reopening. More importantly, they forged a friendship that would spark a new vision for Kansas City’s beverage scene.

After Bier Station’s eventual sale to City Barrel Brewing, John approached Mike with a fresh concept: Local Liquid. The idea? Create Kansas City’s first online beverage marketplace to exclusively feature local producers – from craft brewers to coffee roasters, distillers to juice makers.

“If there’s one thing KC loves, it’s KC,” John often says. “You can always spot the gate for a KC flight – just look for everyone wearing KC heart shirts.”

But Local Liquid aims to be more than just another marketplace. Built on principles of fair compensation and mutual support, we encourage our partner companies to price their products to sustain their staff and businesses. In turn, we structure our pricing to provide living wages and quality workplace conditions for our team.

Our mission is simple: offer an exciting, ever-changing selection of local beverages while championing the KC businesses who craft them. Think of us as a love letter to Kansas City, delivered one drink at a time.