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

the in-house coffee program (Sway Coffee Roasters) of the Hirleman-Lothman family’s McLain’s Bakery + Markets. Siblings Jeff Hirleman and Mollie Lothman (with their parents) acquired the historic McLain’s Bakery (Waldo, est. 1945) in 2014 and founded Sway in 2019 to roast their own coffee. Tier 1 (family-owned; deep KC roots).

Description

Sway Coffee Roasters — often referenced as “McLain’s Sway” — is the in-house roasting brand that powers the coffee program across the McLain’s Bakery + Markets, the Hirleman-Lothman family’s bakery-market-café business rooted in the historic McLain’s Bakery (a Waldo, KC MO institution since 1945).123 The combination pairs generational bakery knowledge with modern specialty-coffee roasting.

Siblings Jeff Hirleman and Mollie Lothman, together with their parents, acquired McLain’s in 2014 (the family learned of the opportunity in late December 2013; the purchase closed March 2014).143 In 2019 they founded Sway Coffee Roasters to roast their own coffee for greater quality control, and in September 2022 opened Sway’s flagship roasting space and café at 2700 W 43rd Ave in Kansas City, KS.2 Sway supplies all McLain’s locations and runs a wholesale program.15

Ownership and history

Ownership

PeriodOwner / OperatorNotes
1945 → 2014McLain’s family (original)McLain’s Bakery founded 1945 in Waldo.13
2014 → presentHirleman-Lothman family (Jeff Hirleman + Mollie Lothman, siblings, + parents)Acquired McLain’s 2014; founded Sway Coffee Roasters 2019.432

McLain’s current locations (5)

#LocationAddress
1McLain’s Bakery — Waldo201 E Gregory Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64114
2McLain’s Market — Overland Park10695 Roe Ave, Overland Park, KS
3McLain’s Market — Shawnee5833 Nieman Rd, Shawnee, KS
4McLain’s Market — Stanley15102 Travis St, Overland Park, KS
5McLain’s Market — North Kansas City1720 Swift St, North Kansas City, MO (opened Sep 30, 2024)

Source: official McLain’s locations page.6 (Former Lawrence locations — KU campus + 2412 Iowa St — are closed and excluded.)

Sources

Disputes

(None active.)

Footnotes

  1. McLain’s — “Story.” https://mclainskc.com/story — asserts: “Local Bakery since 1945”; family learned of the acquisition late Dec 2013, purchase completed March 2014, signed “The Hirlemans”; built coffee brand Sway Coffee Roasters serving all locations + wholesale. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  2. Sway Coffee Roasters — “Story.” https://www.swaycoffeeroasters.com/story — asserts: founded 2019 by the people behind McLain’s Bakery + Markets; flagship roasting space + café opened Sept 2022 at 2700 W 43rd Ave, Kansas City, KS. ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  3. AOL / Kansas City Star — “‘Very excited’: 79-year-old Kansas City bakery…” (Sep 30, 2024). https://www.aol.com/very-excited-79-old-kansas-220943115.html — asserts: McLain’s founded 1945; Mollie Lothman + her parents took over in 2014; North KC location opening Sep 30, 2024. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  4. Feast Magazine — “How Jeff Hirleman and Mollie Lothman Are Taking McLain’s Market in a New Direction.” https://www.feastmagazine.com/travel/kansas-city/how-jeff-hirleman-and-mollie-lothman-are-taking-mclains-market-in-a-new-direction/article_454c9052-c6f0-11e6-8c58-b733444402dc.html — asserts: “brother-and-sister team Jeff Hirleman and Mollie Lothman”; acquired the historic Waldo institution McLain’s Bakery. ↩ ↩2

  5. Sway Coffee Roasters — wholesale. https://www.swaycoffeeroasters.com/wholesale — asserts: wholesale program to cafés, restaurants, churches, workspaces. ↩

  6. McLain’s — locations / order page. https://www.mclainskc.com/order — asserts: 5 active locations (Waldo MO; Overland Park, Shawnee, Stanley KS; North KC MO). ↩

See also

Categories
  • Locally owned
  • Coffee
  • Bakery