RAYTOWN, Mo. — You don't have to go far to have some fun for Memorial Day weekend. Raytown's Crane Brewing is opening a pop-up bar to immerse you in the world of "Ted Lasso." They call it: "A.F.C. Raytown," a take on the show's team, A.F.C. Richmond.
"Especially in the last 48 hours of the buzz really happening, we’re expecting a lot of people," said Mackenzie Magwire, the events and marketing manager for the brewery. "Our bartenders are really excited, and we’re honestly like, 'OK we might need to do double our liquor order next week, and double our orders.'"
The spot is filled with hidden details from the show. Arthur Bryant's bottles on every table (a nod to Ted's favorite restaurant), the "Believe" signs above the doors (how Ted encourages his team) and the shortbread cookies in the pink boxes (how he was able to woo the soccer club's owner, Rebecca).
For the brewery, an event like this puts them on the map, especially with the national attention they've received.
"People know who we are, some people don’t, but also just to share the space that we have," Magwire said. "A lot of people don’t know we have this space back here, a lot of people don’t realize we are more than sour. And, so to be able to share that message, to share it with the community is what we’re really excited about."
And for Raytown, it bring more people in, and hopefully back.
"Businesses… feed off of what others are doing," said Vicki Turnbow, the president of Raytown's Chamber of Commerce. "Hopefully they are noticing that people are going to be in town and then maybe they’ll come back, and they’ll got to the restaurants, or the other stores."
Turnbow said they consider Raytown in the backyard of the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals stadiums. With some World Cup matches coming to the area in 2026, it's even more of a chance to show how much Raytown loves soccer.
"I think it’s just one of those things that is just a start to that snowball to grow and of course get the momentum going on," Turnbow said.
And in a time when pop-ups are so popular, like the Plaza's famous Christmas-themed "Miracle" bar, Raytown is excited to show off what is has to offer, and bring people into a different neighborhood and explore.
"A.F.C. Raytown" is open for one week, starting Saturday.
Its hours are:
• Saturday, May 27: 5-10 p.m.
• Sunday, May 28: 12-6 p.m.
• Monday, May 29: 5-9 p.m. (Trivia at 7 p.m.)
• Tuesday, May 30: 5-9 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 31: 5-10 p.m. (Free Arthur Bryant's from 6 p.m., season finale showing at 7 p.m.)
• Thursday, June 1: 5-10 p.m.
• Friday, June 2: 5-10 p.m.
