ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — We've seen Chiefs fans gearing up to attend training camp. If you're one of them, I explored St. Joseph, Missouri, to find places you can keep having fun after camp.
Fan Larry Cunning said he watches more games in his amazing Chiefs-themed garage in St. Joseph with family and friends than at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
The garage walls and shelves are covered with team décor, including an autographed helmet.
“My wife got this for our anniversary this year. It’s got Travis Kelce’s signature on it,” he said.
Cunning has traveled as far as Germany to watch the Chiefs but loves that training camp is just a few miles down the road from home.
“Yeah, it’s a blast," he said. "I have interactions from Isaiah Pacheco, Travis Kelce [and] Coach Spags."
But if the road to training camp and St. Joseph seems a little longer of a trip for you, just know local business owners are ready to roll out a red carpet around town.
“Probably five minutes at the very most,” Jennifer Geheb, owner of local gift shop Narrative, said of the shop's proximity to training camp.
You can find Narrative at 2702 Ashland Ave., Saint Joseph, Missouri, 64506.
“We have all the Chiefs things, all the Taylor things and we have lots of products you won’t see anywhere else," Geheb said. "Everybody’s looking for that unique Chiefs item. We’ve got it.”
Parkway Distillery just opened this summer in downtown St. Joe with a beautiful tasting room.
Lute Atieh, with Parkway, said the distillery is ready to welcome Chiefs fans from training camp.
“Training camp is exciting. It’s a big deal," Atieh said.
But you’ll find more than drinks. Parkway has pickleball courts, too.
“We’ve got pickleball courts out back, we’ve got a wonderful patio where families can hang out,” Atieh said.
Another plus, the distillery is close to a brewery, restaurants and the location of the Red Rally, where St. Joseph will welcome Chiefs Kingdom on Saturday, July 27.
And for anyone looking to test their competitive edge, Cool Crest, a decades-long staple in the town, may be the place for you.
“We have a lot of people that come that are my age and came here on their first date,” said owner Rick Gilmore.
He said the business has already seen visitors in town for training camp.
“This would be a great place to come, you’d enjoy it and if Patrick is looking for something to do at 2:30 in the morning, we’ll open for him," Gilmore joked.
Reportedly, the root beer floats are not to be missed either.
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