Boots and Coates Pan Fried Chicken in Kansas City

Hello All,

I'm new to this site and I think it's awesome. I came across the Kansas City fried chicken topic and noticed there were a few folks who mentioned Boots and Coates as a place in KC that did fried chicken up right.

Oddly enough, my uncle was Boots brother and I used to go in there quite a lot as a kid. Any time I would fake being sick as a kid, my Aunt would come pick me ups since my folks worked and take me on her errands for the day which typically included a bowling league at Ward Parkway Lanes and a follow up trip to see family at the Boots and Coates.

Anyway, I talked to my Aunt today and "Chicken Betty" (the head chef who originally came from Strouds) has passed away. My Aunt wasn't sure what she did immediately after B&C closed but that my unlce's brother was fortunate enough to get the recipe before she passed.......that said, my Aunt doesn't know it although I asked her to check.

B&C decided to close its doors when they were offered a lot of money for the land. I guess the purchaser of the land was the guy who owned Van Chevrolet, hence the reason for all the car lots there now.

Boots is 87 now and still lives in south KC.

I'm not sure that this post deserved it's own topic but I thought since there were a few folks asking about it I would start one so the reply wouldn't be buried.

My Aunt was pleased to hear that people still mention it and was going to call Boots to let him know.

Cheers to everyone!

Daren

Bootes % Coates was one of the best joints around KC, an Chicken Betty Lucas was the reason why. You could go into a joint that she had worked in three years prior, and still identify her unique twist in the subject. If there is a cooking hall of fame, Betty Lucas deserves to be enshrined.

quote:

Originally posted by Poverty Pete

Bootes % Coates was one of the best joints around KC, an Chicken Betty Lucas was the reason why. You could go into a joint that she had worked in three years prior, and still identify her unique twist in the subject. If there is a cooking hall of fame, Betty Lucas deserves to be enshrined.

I will be passing posts like this along to my Aunt to pass on to Boots. She told me he really missed being there day to day but they were given an offer that he couldn't refuse.....not in a Godfather kind of way of course.

When I was a kid almost every Friday night was spent at Boots and Coats. My folks would meet up with all of their friends and I would be given handfuls of change for the jukebox. Between Mr. Boots and Mr. Coats, I ended up on sugar highs from Shirley Temples like no others! One of my favorite nights was meeting Len Dawson and getting to sit on his lap at the bar. Somehow I am pretty sure that would never happen today! If memory serves, Mr. Boots also belonged to Hillcrest County Club along with my folks and their friends. It was such a sad day to hear of Chicken Betty's passing. 

sitting here drooling remembering Boots & Coats, what a great place, not enough family places like that around any more, thanks for the memories...

i think Betty went to RC's in martin city for awhile. they still claim thier chiken as chiken bettys reciepe. And i also remember b&c very well. grew up very close to there. old thread here but nice to get it going again.

Yeah chicken at there is so testy. Some of new recipes I have also even tried. Last week my friend made a chicken roll and she has uploaded its pics at her LiveLike.it account. 

I'd be testy, too, if someone was going to cut me up and fry me...
 
Brad