By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Any new business is a gamble. It helps when that new business serves a need. Dustin Chambers and his wife, Stephanie, got tired of driving to Hutchinson or Wichita to dance to live music. When a property opened up on Main Street in downtown Great Bend, the couple pounced. Rhythm & Brews, 1210 Main Street, opened on Jan. 16.
“My wife and I used to go out and dance,” Dustin said. “We were tired of driving an hour, two hours away. We wanted to bring something to be able to do here in town without having to drive away for it.”
In under two months of business, Rhythm & Brews is already growing. Open Tuesday through Sunday, from 11 a.m. through at least the dinner hour, then plan is to provide entertainment four nights a week.
“We are a full-menu restaurant with a full liquor license,” said Chambers. “We built a stage to be able to have live music every Saturday. When everything gets to where we need it to be, we’ll be doing open-mic nights on Wednesdays, karaoke on Thursdays, a DJ on Friday, and live bands every Saturday.”
Some new businesses have had to shutter their doors before gaining a foothold. Chambers said that has not been the case with Rhythm & Brews.
“The response from the public has been more than we could have ever hoped for,” he said. “The bands, before we opened, I was not able to find very many. Now, they’re actually contacting us, wanting to book off the videos I’ve put on our Facebook page. The word is getting out that we’re a live-music venue in Great Bend.”
Chambers believes being a good business also means giving back to the community. He plans to hold fundraisers and toy drives, and his venue also gives aspiring artists a chance to perform. Gavynn Maddox, a junior at Great Bend High School, recently had that opportunity with a two-hour show.
The Fallis/Stockham Syndrome, a classic-rock duo, is set to perform this Saturday. Most Saturday shows will begin at 8 p.m. and go until midnight, though some acts will close shop at 11 p.m. The business’s early success has also led to the booking of two nationally known comedians. Dustin Sims and Jesse Peyton will host up to three shows at Rhythm & Brews in mid-May based on ticket sales.