LEFT: Tax photo from 1940 of the Fric & Frac building, then a drugstore
Fric & Frac 1700 W. 39th St., Kansas City, MO 64111 Hours: Sun.-Thurs., 11 a.m. – 12 a.m. Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m. – 1:30 a.m. fricandfrac.net | 816-753-6102
especially when the weather is temperate. “Outside seating has been a real asset to us,” Martin says. He adds that the sidewalk space also appeals to smokers. But sidewalk dining isn’t for everyone. Some find the experience noisy and intrusive, physically uncomfortable without air-conditioning, and the appearance of insects annoying. Jackson County Legislative Aide, Beth Ann Brubaker, says she needs “to be in the mood to people watch” when she chooses side- walk dining. “For me, that’s when I’m drinking not dining. And if I’m enjoying a nice meal, I don’t want to take the chance of getting bugs in it.” She also prefers to eat inside during KC’s humid, summer months. “Eating outdoors is called al fresco dining. It should be fresh-feeling not steamy and stale,” she says. Owned and operated by the Rudy Ross family since 1976 (no rela- tion to the author), Fric & Frac is a family-friendly place that offers inexpensive pub fare. Weekday lunch specials start at $8 and daily evening specials offer deals such as two for one burgers on Mondays and chicken fried steak and a pile of mashed potatoes drowning in white gravy on Sundays. Eiker’s favorite special is Taco Saturday (three tacos for $2.95). Eiker insists the neighborhood tavern has maintained its shabby- chic charm throughout the years, inside and outside. “The audacious tablecloths are the only thing that’s changed in 20 years,” she says, laughing. She points to a plastic, Hawaiian-print cover adorning a table. For a while longer, Eiker and I bask in the sun, chit-chat, and watch strangers, acquaintances, and occasional friends stroll the sidewalks leading to, and from, somewhere in the city. ^ Rhiannon Ross is an avid people watcher and dog lover. Fitzgerald, the flirtatious pit bull, stole her heart and a couple of her fries.
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