About Us

Our Philosophy

We strive to offer the very best food, drinks and entertainment to our guests everyday. Side Pockets started as a dream for a couple of good friends who simply wanted a neighborhood hangout that had everything they could never fit in their own homes--and more than they could find at any other sports bar. That's still our goal: to provide a place for families and friends to hang out, have a good time and never feel like leaving.

Our Story

Keith Robinson and Richard Hawkins at Side Pockets #1, Lenexa, KS

"Our partnership was 'a good marriage' from the start."

-Keith Robinson, Co-Founder and President

The Partnership That Started It All

In the fall of 1993, Keith Robinson, Co-Founder and President of Side Pockets, Inc. , had sold his Overland Park, KS bar & grill and was looking for a new venture. He felt the time was right to open a combination restaurant, sports bar and billiards parlor that would offer more indoor entertainment value to the community.

Keith's vision for the sports bar and restaurant was a much more ambitious endeavor than his previous venture. He decided to investigate the possibility of a collaboration with his good friend and fellow pool player, Richard Hawkins--and a partnership was formed.

The partners' individual experience and knowledge enhanced the strengths of the other. Keith knew the bar business and was very adept at the kitchen and food side of the business. Richard had the computer expertise to design the layout and the contacts to bring the design to life.

The Franchise

Side Pockets Restaurant, Sports Bar & Billiards Parlor, opened in May of 1994.

Located in the Westchester Square Shopping Center at the corner of 87th Street and Pflumm in Lenexa, Kansas and boasting 10,000 square feet of dining and entertainment including more than a dozen pool tables, dart machines, and a full bar and food menu, Side Pockets Lenexa quickly became the “in” place in the Kansas City Metropolitan area. Especially popular with pool enthusiasts, Side Pockets was named as “One of the Top New Billiards Destinations in America” in the October 1994 issue of Billiards Digest Magazine.

With the success of the 10,000 square foot Lenexa location, Keith and Richard decided to begin a new venture and in early 1997 formed Side Pockets Franchise Systems, Inc; by fall of that year, their first franchisee-owned location opened in Kansas City North.

At 15,000 square feet, Side Pockets Kansas City North was significantly larger than Side Pockets Lenexa and boasted more pool tables as well as a larger bar and dining areas. The partners were confident that Kansas City North, with it's larger footprint and expanded entertainment offerings would just as successful as the Lenexa store and they were quickly proved right as customers and pool leagues flocked to the new location.

By January of 2001 Keith and Richard guided another franchisee through the opening of the third Side Pockets location in Wichita, KS. Less than a year later, the second Missouri franchise, Side Pockets Lee's Summit, opened for business -- followed in 2005 with the successful launch of the fifth Side Pockets, located in Blue Springs, MO.