This profile is in active compilation — some details are awaiting a cited source.

A homebrew club turned corner taproom on Independence Square, named for the three overland trails — Santa Fe, Oregon, and California — that once departed from Independence.

  • Name: 3 Trails Brewing
  • Type: Brewery / taproom
  • Owner: Chris Riggins (current owner) — a longtime Kansas City hospitality operator (worked in and owned corporate restaurants; owner of Brewer’s Kitchen & Corner, sold to fund the 3 Trails purchase). Originally founded February 2019 by Kyle Weinand with Matt Medley and Brian Clark.[^jack]12
  • Established: February 2019 3
  • Address: 111 N. Main St., Independence, MO 64050 (corner of E. Maple Ave. and N. Main St.) 3
  • Signature: Trail Dragger Russian imperial stout; Norbert dry-hopped dragon-fruit sour 3
  • Status: Taproom appears temporarily closed as of mid-2026 (Google “temporarily closed”; official site shows closed) — per the brewery’s Instagram, closing for the winter to focus on distribution, with beer available at area retailers (e.g., Hy-Vee). Current day-to-day status unconfirmed pending direct contact. ◐ [^jack]4
  • Tier: 1 ◐

Description

3 Trails Brewing occupies a corner of the historic Independence courthouse square, its taproom built around a live-edge wood counter with window seating that looks out onto the Independence Municipal Court building. 3 The room is casual and family-friendly, with flat-screen televisions and natural light. The house lineup runs the range from a 9.9% ABV imperial stout to fruited sours. 3 The brewery’s name nods to Independence’s history as a jumping-off point for the Santa Fe, Oregon, and California trails. 2

Ownership and history

3 Trails began as a homebrewing group formed in 2015 before its owners took the operation commercial. 2 Brewery president and founder Kyle Weinand, together with co-owners Matt Medley and Brian Clark, opened the taproom on the Square in February 2019, making it one of two breweries to open in Independence within roughly a year. 23 The exact founding-team roles beyond those named are.

Around 2020 a kitchen was added to the roughly 9,000-square-foot space, and by 2024 Chris Riggins (Brewer’s Kitchen & Corner) and Joseph Robinson began operating the food program under the Brewer’s Wraphouse brand, renting the kitchen from the brewery. 5 In a May 2025 report, Riggins was described as purchasing 3 Trails Brewing outright from then co-owners Jesse Rose, Brian Clark, and Matt Medley, with plans to keep the “3 Trails” name, fold in the full Brewer’s Kitchen menu, and briefly close for renovations. 1

That purchase has since gone through: Chris Riggins is the current owner, having sold Brewer’s Kitchen & Corner in order to buy the brewery. Riggins is a longtime Kansas City hospitality operator with a background working in and owning corporate restaurants before running Brewer’s Kitchen. [^jack] Under Riggins the operation has leaned into distribution — 3 Trails beer can be found at area grocery retailers (e.g., Hy-Vee), and the brewery’s Instagram has signaled closing the taproom over the winter to concentrate on getting its beer into stores. [^jack] Whether the taproom is currently operating on any regular schedule is not confirmed and would need a direct call to the brewery. [^jack]

Last verified: 2026-07-24 · Source: official website (3trailsbrewing.com — no menu published; taproom hours still “*Closed*”); brewery Untappd profile (beer-catalog names) · URL(s): https://www.3trailsbrewing.com/ · https://www.3trailsbrewing.com/about-us · https://untappd.com/3TrailsBrewing · Confidence: Medium

No current menu is published. Re-checked 2026-07-24: the relaunched official site carries no tap list or beer menu, and its “Taproom Hours” section still reads “*Closed*” — 3 Trails is operating as a distribution brewery (“expanding distribution… across Missouri and beyond,” per the official About page, which also confirms “Under new ownership in 2025”). No food menu (the closed taproom historically partnered with neighboring Square restaurants for delivery to the bar). 3

Documented house beers — press + the brewery’s Untappd beer catalog; which of these are in current retail distribution:

  • Trail Dragger — Russian imperial stout, ~9.9% ABV, caramel/roast finish 3
  • Norbert — dry-hopped sour with dragon fruit 3
  • Global Disturbance — New England IPA (Untappd catalog)
  • Square Lite — American light lager (Untappd catalog)
  • Pilzz — pilsner (Untappd catalog)
  • Bine Bender — IPA (Untappd catalog)
  • Patchwork Quilt — IPA (Untappd catalog)

Retail prices not published.

Sources

Footnotes

  1. Yahoo News / Kansas City Star syndication — “Restaurant will leave popular Kansas City spot — but it’s not ending for good” (reported May 2025). https://www.yahoo.com/news/restaurant-leave-popular-kansas-city-185733684.html — accessed 2026-07-16. asserts: Chris Riggins purchasing 3 Trails Brewing from co-owners Jesse Rose, Brian Clark, and Matt Medley; Brewer’s Kitchen & Corner to move out of 3107 Gillham Road into the 3 Trails space at 111 N. Main St.; brewery to keep the “3 Trails” name with full Brewer’s Kitchen offerings; brief closure planned for renovations; Riggins had partnered with 3 Trails for the prior year as Brewer’s Wraphouse. ↩ ↩2

  2. Flatland KC, “Tap List | 3 Trails Brewing Destined for Independence.” https://flatlandkc.org/eats-drinks/tap-list-3-trails-brewing-destined-independence/ — asserts: founders Kyle Weinand, Matt Medley, Brian Clark; origin as a 2015 homebrew group; name references the three trails. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  3. Flatland KC, “Tap List | 3 Trails Brewing Co. Debuts on Independence Square.” https://flatlandkc.org/eats-drinks/tap-list-3-trails-brewing-debuts-independence-square/ — asserts: opening February 2019; address 111 N. Main St.; signature beers Trail Dragger and Norbert; taproom description; food-delivery partnerships. Asserts: Chris Riggins is the current owner, having sold Brewer’s Kitchen & Corner to buy 3 Trails; Riggins is a longtime KC hospitality operator (corporate-restaurant background); the taproom appears temporarily closed (Google “temporarily closed”; official site shows closed); per the brewery’s Instagram, closing over the winter to focus on distribution; 3 Trails beer is available at area retailers such as Hy-Vee; current taproom schedule unconfirmed and would require a direct call. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9

  4. Yelp — “3 Trails Brewing,” 111 N Main St, Independence MO (listing “Updated July 2026”). https://www.yelp.com/biz/3-trails-brewing-independence — accessed 2026-07-16 (surfaced via search; not directly fetched). asserts: listing carries a CLOSED flag as of July 2026 — conflicts with other active 2026 listings; treated here as a status-uncertainty signal, not a confirmed permanent closure. ↩

  5. Kansas City Magazine — “Brewer’s Kitchen & Corner partners with 3 Trails in Independence.” https://kansascitymag.com/brewers-kitchen-corner-partners-with-3-trails-in-independence/ — accessed 2026-07-16. asserts: Matt Medley opened 3 Trails in early 2019 with two minority partners; kitchen added ~2020; Chris Riggins (Brewer’s Kitchen & Corner) and Joseph Robinson operated the food program (Brewer’s Wraphouse) renting the kitchen from Medley; Flying Horse Flatbreads was a prior food tenant (~3 years). ↩

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On the record — ks.city/registry/3-trails-brewing · record updated 2026-07-24