The history of Stanford & Sons is a long and winding road…
A road that stretches from its original home in Westport, to Overland Park’s Hooters Plaza, to the Legends in KCK and now Rosana Square in OP – and that’s just the KC Stanford’s.
It all began in April 1975 in Midtown when my dad decided to compete with the Plaza’ s “see and be seen” crowd that hung out at Houlihan’s. Both were cutting edge restaurants at the time with fun, food, drink and plenty of ladies.
Over the years Stanford’s graced the pages of the Kansas City Star and numerous national magazines from Sports Illustrated with George Brett to Smart Money with the story of my dad’s lame lawsuit against me and my brothers.
Stanford’s has been a Kansas City staple for four decades.
We’ve been on TV shows ranging from the Tonight Show, Entertainment Tonight the Today Show – on and on. We’ve even been mentioned on shows like Louie CK and Dave Attell‘s Insomniac.
And weve been in the news on everything from Stan Glazer‘s run for KC mayor to my run-in with the law. It never ends. It’s been a real- life, decades-long reality show – some of it good, some not so good.
Most importantly, Stanford’s started big time comedy here back in 1980 with local comic David Naster.
Later Stanford’s would become a launching pad to stardom for countless young comics and actors. First timers on our stage include Louie Anderson, Sinbad( our former doorman), Eddie Griffin(our former waiter/busboy), Nikki Glaser (an open mic-er) and even Rob Riggle (our former doorman) – to name a few.
Many big name stars got started early on in their careers at Stanford’s – everybody from Sam Kinison, Jerry Seinfeld, Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Hicks and Ellen Degeneres – all were no-names in the 80’s. In the 90’s. we had comics like Lewis Black and Daniel Tosh along with Katt Williams and Kevin Hart. None of them were making over a thousand a week back then. In more recent years Stanford’s helped launch Jim Jefferies, Lisa Lampanelli and Nikki Glaser. Oh, and another dude you might have heard of in the late 90’s, Larry the Cable Guy.
It’s been a long and fun road.
And this week Stanford’s invited comedy great Carlos Mencia to celebrate our 41st.
Great guy. with more than 20 appearances at all the Stanford’s clubs over the years, Mencia is best known for his hit show “Mind of Mencia.”
Catch him this weekend.
Customers last night told me, he’s the best comic they’d ever seen.
And he may well may be.
Happy birthday to Stanford’s and our thousands of former employees living in Kansas City and around the nation.
Stutter much?
So thats all you got out of it dude? A typo by Hearne not me. Not a biggie. All that interesting information and ‘stutter much’ figures. That explains the internet and blogging right there.
You just aren’t easy to root for Glaze. Own it.
I know but you are, fake name guy. Thanks as always for your support.
When you don’t have kind words to say…
rehash of the same b.s. we’ve read before. You can have your life.
I wouldn’t trade my life for yours for a trillion dollars.
Sorry…just with my family and many friends I wouldn’t give
a dime to have lived like you have.
Nothing personal. to each their own. Nice pic. Glad you’re not as bigoted as
your buddy trump.
Harley
Well Harley I don’t know where or when I asked you to trade your life for mine. This story was about 41 years in KC, nothing more. Just a man its been a long ride and lots of fun for thousands sometimes even me.
If those walls in the offices could talk, wow, we’d all be in trouble.
Yuck. I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.
Congrats CG! It certainly has been a long and interesting run. I really enjoy hearing the stories from the 80’s and 90’s
Thank you Nellie, kind words are rare on these blogs.
Stanford’s Westport, early to mid-80s, one of my favorite places, along with Blayney’s. Stanford’s was the first place I saw bartender’s flipping glasses and bottles like some juggling act on Ed Sullivan. fun times and flower pot bread.
Those were the days Mike. It’s a blur now, but lots of stories for many of us who lived those days in KC and Westport. Fun times.
Thank you guys and KC for making this week so nice. Mencia packed the place and everyone had a great time.
Good.
Chuck as always you are a good guy. I wish more people would comment about the story or opinions on the story instead of the usual attacks. You have always been great about that. Thank you. There were a couple others who also did that.
Hey everybody, look at me!
Look at you why? For what?
Congrats on 40 years. I think the reason people are giving you shit on this one is because you’ve written nearly this exact same article countless times.
A KC institution, for sure.
Thank you. Yes true. We appreciate your thoughts.
Isn’t Carlos the guy who stole jokes and got famously called out on it?
Gawd what a creepy photo.