Brew Lab

Brew Lab is a taproom and kitchen in downtown Overland Park that operated as the city’s longest-running brewery from 2013 until March 2026, when owners Clay Johnston and Kevin Combs made the difficult decision to stop brewing their own beer and pivot to a community taproom model serving guest KC craft beers.¹

Description

Brew Lab opened in 2013 at 7925 Marty St in downtown Overland Park as a “brew on premise” facility — a hybrid model where staff guided customers through the beer-making process on-site, offering classes and selling brewing supplies alongside a taproom.² Over time the concept evolved into a full-scale production brewery: by 2017 Brew Lab had expanded into a larger space combining a three-barrel brewery, an 18-tap taproom, a full kitchen, and a retail homebrew store.² It held the distinction of being Overland Park’s longest continuously operating brewery.

On January 22, 2026, Brew Lab announced it had brewed its final batch and was selling its brewing equipment.¹ The decision came after a sustained period of hardship: construction of the Overland Park Farmers Market pavilion had walled off Marty Street, collapsing foot traffic in front of the venue. “When your foot traffic — and general traffic — decreases by about 100%, people have to really want to find you,” owner Clay Johnston told the Johnson County Post.¹ The craft beer industry’s broader decline following the post-COVID hangover compounded the pressure.

The taproom did not close. Brew Lab continues to operate on Marty Street, now serving guest taps from established KC craft brewers including Free State Brewing Co., Strange Days Brewing Co., and KC Bier Co.¹ The owners have announced a “glow up” of the taproom space, a refreshed food menu, and a push toward family-friendly community programming timed to align with the Overland Park Farmers Market’s summer 2026 season reopening — the same construction project that curtailed foot traffic is now expected to become a driver of it.¹

Ownership and history

Ownership

Period	Owner / Operator	Notes
2013 → present	Clay Johnston and Kevin Combs	Co-founders; Johnston is primary public spokesperson1

Founding and evolution

Brew Lab was founded in 2013 by Clay Johnston, Kevin Combs, Justin Waters, and Matthew Hornung as a brew-on-premise homebrew supply shop and experiential brewing facility.² The original model — letting customers brew their own beer with in-house equipment and guidance — made it a gathering space for engagements, weddings, baby showers, and the KC homebrewing community. “A lot of the breweries around town had some of their early days with us,” Johnston noted.¹

After COVID changed consumer habits and home brewing interest faded, Brew Lab adapted: it moved away from the brew-on-premise model and leaned into its production brewery and taproom. In 2017 the business relocated into a larger Marty Street space with a full three-barrel system, a 100-seat taproom with 18 taps, and a kitchen.²

The brewing shutdown in early 2026 marked the close of a thirteen-year brewing chapter. Johnston acknowledged the significance: “Brewing beer was at the heart of everything we’d done from the beginning.”¹ The taproom-only pivot preserves the community space while shedding the operational burden of production brewing in a difficult market.

The brewing shutdown (March 2026)

Brew Lab announced on January 22, 2026, that it had stopped brewing its own beer and was selling its production equipment.¹ Primary causes:

1. Marty Street construction — the Overland Park Farmers Market pavilion project effectively closed the street in front of Brew Lab for an extended period, eliminating walk-in foot traffic.
2. Craft beer market decline — Johnston cited a sector-wide contraction in craft beer consumption post-COVID, with changing drinking preferences across the region.
3. COVID aftermath — the business “made it through COVID by the skin of our teeth” before construction compounded the pressure.¹

The taproom remains open. Brew Lab now serves guest taps from Kansas City-area craft breweries and is pursuing a community-focused rebrand aligned with the Farmers Market reopening.¹

Menu

Last verified: 2026-07-24 · Source: Official website (Tallboyz Garage — food menu + drink menu pages) · URL(s): https://tallboyz.com/food-menu · https://tallboyz.com/drink-menu · Confidence: High for food (full official capture); Medium for drinks (tap roster not published online) — hence partial

Note: Brew Lab rebranded to Tallboyz Garage (“live large. Drink tall.”) — see flag in Verification. The menu below is the current Tallboyz Garage menu at the same 7925 Marty St address: creative American + Tex-Mex kitchen with a breakfast slate. Taproom-only since March 2026 — guest taps, no house beer.¹³

Shareables

• Shrimp Ceviche — citrus-marinated diced shrimp, pico de gallo, cilantro, guacamole, tortilla chips — $12³
• Bavarian Pretzel Bites — soft pretzel bites, house beer mustard, espinaca con queso — $10³
• Pickle Bombs — garlic dill pickles, cream cheese, breaded, ranch — $9³
• Garlic Cheese Curds — house ranch and chipotle ketchup — $9³
• Mini Corn Dogs — scratch-made beer mustard — $8³
• Chips & Dips — house tortilla chips with salsa, espinaca con queso, or guacamole — uno $10 / dos $12 / tres $14³
• Loaded Nachos — espinaca con queso, black beans, pico, pickled jalapenos, avocado crema; add protein +$2 — $13³
• Chicken Tenders — three hand-cut, hand-breaded tenders, tossed or naked, choice of sauce — $12³
• Southwest Egg Rolls — chicken, black beans, corn, pepper jack, avocado crema — $10³
• Bang Bang Shrimp — crispy shrimp, sweet chili sriracha, scallions, jalapeno slaw — $11³
• Crab Cakes — two crab cakes on jalapeno slaw — $12³
• Wingz — 6 wings; buffalo, BBQ, parmesan garlic, Asian BBQ, or honey sriracha; ranch or bleu cheese — $11³
• Quesadilla — steak, chicken, or al pastor pork, sauteed peppers & onions, blended cheese — $12³
• Philly Steak Fries or Tots — sliced steak, grilled onions, peppers, jack cheese over fries — $12³
• House Sampler — choice of three shareables — $16³

Tacos

• Street Tacos — three tacos, pico, queso fresco, lettuce, avocado crema, salsa verde; shells: soft corn / soft flour / crispy corn; proteins: ground beef, steak, chicken, grilled or crispy shrimp — $10³
• Al Pastor Tacos — braised pork shoulder, pineapple pico, cilantro, onion, salsa verde — $12³
• Blackened Sweet Potato Tacos — Southwest-seasoned sweet potato, pickled red onion, cilantro, avocado crema — $12³

Burgers

Served with standard side; premium side +$2; Impossible patty +$2. Cheeses: American, smoked cheddar, gruyere, pepper jack, gouda, bleu.³

• Smash Burgers — choice of cheese, shredded lettuce, grilled tomato, diced dill pickle — single $8 / double $10 / triple $12 / “Home Run” $14³
• Smash Melt — two smash patties, sauerkraut, gruyere, 1000 Island — $12³

Sandwiches

Served with standard side; premium side +$2.³

• The Garage Dog — jumbo all-beef dog, toasted brioche bun, kettle chips — $5³
• The Hot Chick Sandwich — Nashville-hot crispy chicken, pepper jack, jalapeno cole slaw, avocado ranch — $14³
• The Buff Chick Sandwich — buffalo crispy chicken, blue cheese crumbles, pico, avocado ranch — $14³
• The Proper Chick Sandwich — lightly breaded crispy chicken, smoked cheddar, pickles, mayo — $13³
• The Huck Fin — crispy fried catfish hoagie, smoked cheddar, jalapeno slaw, malt vinegar, hush puppies + fries — $14³
• The Rye Catcher — corned beef, gruyere, sauerkraut, Thousand Island on marbled rye — $13³
• The Quad Club — ham, turkey, roast beef, bacon, aged gouda on sourdough — $14³
• The Pocket Philly — thin-sliced sirloin, grilled peppers and onions, espinaca con queso on pita or hoagie — $14³
• The Vegi-ish Wrap — black beans, pico, lettuce, avocado, cucumber, avocado ranch — $12³

Pub plates

• Blackened Mac & Cheese — espinaca con queso, bacon crumbles, pico, queso fresco — $12³
• Chicken & Waffles — hand-breaded tenders, Belgian waffles, mornay sauce, jalapeno maple syrup — $13³
• Poutine — fries, cheese curds, brown ale beef gravy — $11³
• Down Home Fish & Chips — crispy catfish, jalapeno hush puppies, fries, house tartar — $13³

Chopped salads

• Caesar Salad — romaine, parmesan flakes, croutons — $10³
• House Salad — romaine, boiled egg, cheese, bacon, cucumber, tomato, red onion — $10³
• Taco Salad — crispy flour shell, ground beef, black beans, pico, avocado crema, salsa verde — $13³

Soup and sides

• Home Made Chili / Soup of the Day — cup $6 / bowl $7 / bread bowl $8³
• Standard sides (fries, tater tots, cottage cheese, chips & salsa) — $4; premium sides (parmesan truffle fries, sweet potato fries, onion rings, mac & cheese, jalapeno cole slaw, hush puppies, soup, side salad) — $6³
• Sauces & dressings — $0.50 each (BBQ, ranch, bleu cheese, honey mustard, beer mustard, avocado ranch, avocado crema, chipotle crema, Thai sweet chili aioli, honey sriracha, chipotle ketchup, green chili dijon aioli, tartar, Italian, balsamic)³

Breakfast — “House Favorites”

• Breakfast Sandwich — buttermilk biscuit, egg, smoked cheddar, sausage/bacon/ham, honey sriracha, tater kegs — $12³
• Breakfast Tacos — three flour tortillas, scrambled eggs, jack cheese, sausage or chorizo, breakfast potatoes — $10³
• Big Boyz Breakfast — biscuit with sausage gravy, two eggs, choice of meat, breakfast potatoes, toast — $15³
• Crabby Patty — crab cake, fried egg, smoked cheddar, chipotle mayo on croissant bun, tater kegs — $13³
• Garage Breakfast Burger — two smash patties, fried egg, smoked gouda, bacon, sausage gravy, tater kegs — $14³
• French Toast — thick-cut sourdough, sausage or bacon, maple syrup — $9³
• Chicken & Waffles (breakfast) — $12³
• Biscuits & Gravy — half $6 / full $12³
• Small Fry Breakfast — $8³
• A la carte: breakfast potatoes $2, sausage patties $3.50, bacon $3, ham steak $5, eggs $3, sausage gravy $2, tater kegs $4, toast $2, biscuit $2, single breakfast taco $4³

Sweets

• Sweet & Salty Pretzel Bites — $6; Churro Cake with Ice Cream — $6; Ice Cream Scoop — $2³

Kidz menu — $5 (with fries)

Chicken Bites · Slider with Cheese · Mac n’ Cheeze · Kidz Quesadilla · Fish or Shrimp Bites · Grilled Cheese · Corn Dogs³

$10 quick lunch

Double Smash Burger · Quad Club · Proper Chick Sandwich · Rye Catcher — each with a standard side — $10³

Catering trays also published (taco/nacho bars $12–$17 per person; shareable trays $35–$75).³

Drinks and taps

• Guest taps: 18 rotating taps from KC-area craft brewers (Free State, Strange Days, KC Bier Co. confirmed); current tap roster is not published on the official site —¹⁴
• Happy hour (2–6pm Mon–Fri + all day Sunday): domestic drafts (Miller Lite, Coors Light, Michelob Ultra, Busch Light, Yuengling) — $3.50; house wines (cabernet, pinot noir, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, moscato) — $5; well drinks — $3.50; select cocktails (Pink Panther, Black Cherry Limeade, Capri Sun) — $5; $6 happy-hour small plates (pretzel bites, half nachos, 2 street tacos, dos chips & dips, egg rolls, truffle fries, pickle bombs)³
• Soft drinks — Coke products, Dr. Pepper, root beer, lemonade, cranberry juice, club soda, iced tea — $3⁴
• Full cocktail/wine/beer lists beyond the above not rendered on the drink-menu page —⁴

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Links

• Official website: brewlabkc.com
• Facebook: Brew Lab Brewery + Kitchen

Sources

• Status verified active 2026-06-23 via Visit Overland Park — Tallboyz Garage (formerly Brew Lab) (accessed 2026-06-23). Business is operating at 7925 Marty St, Overland Park, KS 66204. NOTE: Brew Lab has REBRANDED to “Tallboyz Garage” — the official domain brewlabkc.com now resolves to “Tallboyz Garage” and the new site is tallboyz.com (accessed 2026-06-23). Same ownership, same address; 18 rotating taps, full kitchen, family-friendly community pivot following the Marty St farmers-market construction. See flag below re: page rename/slug.

**** Brew Lab has rebranded to Tallboyz Garage at the same address (7925 Marty St, Overland Park, KS 66204), continuing the taproom-only pivot documented above. Business is active — this is a rename, not a closure. Page identity (title, slug brew-lab, business_id RST-BREW-LAB, infobox name) left UNTOUCHED pending Strategist decision on whether to rename the page to “Tallboyz Garage” or keep “Brew Lab” with a successor note. Sources: tallboyz.com, Visit OP (accessed 2026-06-23).

Disputes

None at this time. The transition from brewery to taproom-only is well-documented.

Footnotes

1. https://johnsoncountypost.com/2026/03/11/brew-lab-stopped-brewing-281526/ — Johnson County Post, March 11, 2026. Asserts: Brewing stopped Jan 22, 2026; owners Clay Johnston and Kevin Combs; reasons (Marty St construction, craft decline, COVID); taproom remains open; guest taps from Free State, Strange Days, KC Bier Co.; taproom rebrand/glow-up planned for summer 2026. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³

2. https://www.feastmagazine.com/travel/kansas-city/brew-labs-new-overland-park-space-combines-a-full-brewery-kitchen-and-taproom/article_480e409c-709b-11e7-999a-d736c9c8d005.html — Feast Magazine, 2017. Asserts: Founded 2013; co-founders Clay Johnston, Kevin Combs, Justin Waters, Matthew Hornung; brew-on-premise original model; 2017 expansion to full brewery + 100-seat taproom + kitchen. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

3. Tallboyz Garage — official food menu. https://tallboyz.com/food-menu — accessed 2026-07-24. Asserts: full food menu with items, descriptions, and prices (shareables, tacos, smash burgers, sandwiches, pub plates, salads, soups/sides, breakfast “House Favorites,” sweets, kidz menu, $10 quick lunch, catering, happy hour food + drink specials). Homepage (tallboyz.com) lists hours Mon–Thu 11am–11pm, Fri 11am–12am, Sat 10am–12am, Sun 10am–11pm; phone (913) 400-2343; email still info@brewlabkc.com. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²² ↩²³ ↩²⁴ ↩²⁵ ↩²⁶ ↩²⁷ ↩²⁸ ↩²⁹ ↩³⁰ ↩³¹ ↩³² ↩³³ ↩³⁴ ↩³⁵ ↩³⁶ ↩³⁷ ↩³⁸ ↩³⁹ ↩⁴⁰ ↩⁴¹ ↩⁴² ↩⁴³ ↩⁴⁴ ↩⁴⁵ ↩⁴⁶ ↩⁴⁷ ↩⁴⁸ ↩⁴⁹ ↩⁵⁰ ↩⁵¹ ↩⁵² ↩⁵³ ↩⁵⁴ ↩⁵⁵ ↩⁵⁶ ↩⁵⁷

4. Tallboyz Garage — official drink menu. https://tallboyz.com/drink-menu — accessed 2026-07-24. Asserts: soft drinks ($3). Page renders only the soft-drink section; tap/cocktail/wine rosters not published there (happy-hour drink pricing appears on the food-menu page instead). ↩ ↩² ↩³