George + Arzelia Gates

George + Arzelia Gates were the African American couple who purchased Ol’ Kentuck Bar-B-Q at 19th and Vine in 1946 + transformed it into Gates Bar-B-Q — what would become one of Kansas City’s most-iconic barbecue institutions. With Arthur Pinkard (Perry’s apprentice) continuing as pitmaster + their three children involved in the operation, they built the foundation for a multi-generation Black-owned family business that continues today.

Biography

George Gates

Specific biographical details on George Gates are partially documented. He was an African American Kansas City entrepreneur who, with his wife Arzelia, purchased Ol’ Kentuck Bar-B-Q in 1946 + ran it until his death in 1960.¹

Arzelia Gates

Specific biographical details on Arzelia Gates are similarly partially documented. She was an active partner in the business throughout its early years + into the multi-generation era.

Purchase of Ol’ Kentuck Bar-B-Q (1946)

In 1946, George + Arzelia Gates purchased Ol’ Kentuck Bar-B-Q — a restaurant at 19th and Vine in Kansas City. The previous owner had operated the restaurant for some years with Arthur Pinkard (arthur-pinkard) as pitmaster. Pinkard was a former apprentice of Henry Perry (henry-perry) + carried forward the Perry barbecue tradition through his work.

The Gateses renamed the restaurant Gates Ol’ Kentucky + began operating it as a family business with their three children + Pinkard continuing as pitmaster.

Early operations (1946-1956)

Through the late 1940s + early 1950s, the Gates family operated the restaurant + built it into a substantial KC barbecue presence. Arthur Pinkard continued as pitmaster — the direct Perry-lineage human bridge — through the early Gates years. Pinkard later retired + relocated to St. Louis, where he died in 1963.

In 1956, the business was renamed Gates & Son’s Bar-B-Q as son Ollie Gates took an active operational role.

George’s death (1960) + Ollie’s leadership

George Gates died in 1960. His son Ollie Gates (ollie-gates) assumed leadership of the operation. Arzelia Gates remained involved in family-business affairs.

Ollie’s leadership era (1960-present) has been the longest era of the operation. Under Ollie + the broader Gates family:

• 1970 — second location opens at 1411 Swope Parkway
• 1972 — third location opens in Leawood, Kansas
• 1975 — fourth location opens in Kansas City, Kansas
• 1979 — fifth location opens in Independence, Missouri
• Multi-generation Gates family operates each location
• The Gates family’s broader business interests via OG Investment
• 2021 — Ollie Gates inducted into the Kansas City Barbecue Society Hall of Fame

Defining contributions to Kansas City

1. Purchased + built Gates Bar-B-Q into one of the most-iconic KC barbecue institutions.
2. Maintained the Henry Perry → Arthur Pinkard → Gates lineage. Through their early-years retention of Pinkard as pitmaster, the Perry tradition entered the Gates family.
3. Founded a multi-generation Black-owned family business that has now spanned four+ generations in continuous family ownership.
4. Established the Gates family’s broader civic + economic role in KC’s African American community, particularly along the 18th & Vine + Swope Parkway corridors.

Cultural legacy

George + Arzelia Gates established the foundation of one of Kansas City’s most-significant Black-owned family businesses. The family operation has now spanned four+ generations + multiple metro locations.

A photograph of Arthur Pinkard hangs in every Gates location today — a deliberate institutional act of memory honoring the man who connected the Gates family to Henry Perry’s tradition.

The Henry Perry Heritage Recognition Y1 honoree program (Heritage-Award-Henry-Perry-Framework) explicitly recognizes Gates Bar-B-Q in the Direct Lineage category — via Pinkard.

Sources

Footnotes

1. Wikipedia — “Gates Bar-B-Q” entry. ↩