Beloved Westport Dive Bar Closes After 70 Years

On Valentine’s Day, the last call at Dave’s Stagecoach Inn was truly the last call: The beloved, family-owned KC dive bar in Wesport shuttered its doors after more than 70 years in business. 

Along with countless customers, owners Joyce and Jim Hess share fond memories of the bar that Joyce’s father opened in 1952. The Hess family took ownership of Dave’s in the ‘80s. 

“It was a real community,” Joyce Hess told KCUR. “That’s the bittersweet part of having to announce our retirement and walk away from it all. There were so many memories and so much community was built there.”

A hotspot for the locals, Dave’s catered to the late-night crowd with pool tables and live music at his KC dive bar and his loyal clientele are devastated by its closing. Joyce Hess says longtime customers have asked if she is interested in selling.

“We would love it if somebody would love to carry on Dave’s tradition,” Hess told KCUR. “It just can’t be us anymore.”

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