Drum Room

It was the year 1941, the cost of a postage stamp was three cents, the President of the United States was Franklin D Roosevelt, and Pearl Harbor was attacked on the pre-dawn hours of December 7th. The hotel President which opened in 1927 opened the Drum Room. Imagine looking across the room and seeing such entertainers as Frank Sinatra, Count Basie and Benny Goodman. You may have even seen people such as Charles Lindberg, Ben Siegel or Meyer Lansky. The Drum Room included a bar in the shape of a drum, and a full service restaurant which featured some of the countries hottest touring musicians. It was the age of Cuban cool, a strong influence of Cuban society was sweeping its way across the country, it was Kansas City's place to see and be seen. According to a guest who visited the Drum Room in 1948 'it was just an exciting place to visit, it was the coolest place in town and everyone knew it'. The Drum Room, now an upscale cosmopolitan restaurant & lounge, has re-opened.