Profile: Seven Swans Crêperie
Originally a food truck, Seven Swans Crêperie is officially open on the corner of Washington and West 18th.
All photos by Anna Petrow
Tucked away between Washington and West 18th Street is Seven Swans Crêperie. With exposed brick, open windows, and blue and green trim, there’s something so charming about this space. Immediately when you step into the crêperie you are welcomed with natural light pouring in from the tall windows, an abundance of greenery, and kitschy elements like gold swans and Russian matryoshkas.
Originally a Wisconsin native, crêpes were always a staple in owner Kate Bryan’s family. Her eyes brighten as she talks about crêpes. “They’re just so fun you can do anything. They’re comfort food, you can get creative, the possibilities are limitless. It’s like delicious food wrapped inside of a cozy blanket.” Besides growing up with crêpes, Bryan has always had an affinity for them. There’s a sense of belonging that she has found at crêperies. She always seeks them out wherever she travels, like her two favorite places in Portland, Le Happy and Chez Machin.
Before moving to Kansas City, Bryan studied art, literature, and Russian during her time in Portland. Much of the inspiration for Seven Swans came from Bryan’s experience studying abroad in Russia. “A lot of the visual inspiration comes from Russian culture,” Bryan said. Bryan frequently ran into the swan motif in St. Petersberg. “There’s something about the Russian folktale aesthetic that resonates with me deeply.” Beyond her time in Russia, Bryan loves swans. “I just like them. They’re graceful. I love the ugly duckling story. To me, it symbolizes kind of a sense of belonging which is what I want for a business.” The number seven Bryan chose initially because it sounded nice. However, one day her mother was recounting a story of how she saw seven swans swim in a row down Lake Michigan. Bryan’s mother had never seen a swan in 20 years of living there. That’s when Bryan knew she’d found her name.
Bryan worked in retail management before creating Seven Swans Crêperie, but always had an entrepreneurial spirit. She had a small business where she made handbags, t-shirts, and onesies. Nevertheless, Bryan was always an avid cooker and baker. "The crêperie was always something in the back of my head," Bryan said. Moving to Kansas City was somewhat of a fluke for Bryan. While visiting a friend something clicked with her. “It felt like home and I was ready for an adventure, and here we are– it’s home,” Bryan said.
Those who are longtime Seven Swans fans remember the beautiful navy blue and wood-paneled Seven Swans camper, which has become a cornerstone in Kansas City. Whether it be parked at pop-ups, or weddings, the Seven Swans camper has served a delightful and authentic mobile crêpe experience for Kansas City that has cultivated a following. Bryan strived to differentiate herself from the food truck scene with a hospitable, cute, and fun. camper. “It was the single most impulsive thing I’ve done in my life,” Bryan said. Within 24 hours of the idea, she bought a camper off Craigslist. A year and a half later the camper was built from scratch. Bryan credits much of her following from her camper– a following which helped ensure the success of her brick & mortar location come opening time. “This wouldn’t be what it was without that camper. I had so much to learn, and it created a lot of space for me to do that.”
Bryan used a startup funding platform called I Fund Women to raise capital for Seven Swans Crêperie. I asked Kate about how it felt to put herself and her story out on a crowdfunding platform. She responds, “It was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done. It was very vulnerable and you are unsure about the response, but I loved my business enough to give it that chance and I’m so glad I did because I wanted it to be a community thing. Something different happens when you invite people into the story like that (crowdfunding).”
Bryan finds inspiration from cookbooks, looking at flavor combinations, and cooking at home. She’s always observing menus and trying new things. “It comes from everywhere.” A celebrity chef that Bryan draws inspiration from is Christina Tosi.
Seven Swans Crêperie is truly a hidden gem in Kansas City with rotating sweet, savory and vegan crêpes there’s an option for everyone. Visit the space at 1746 Washington St Kansas City, MO 64108. To stay on top of their current operating hours, as well as specials, you can follow them on Instagram and Facebook. Be sure to go check it out– happy customers are flocking to this corner!
