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#BlackHistoryMonth Ollie Walter Gates was born in Kansas City, Missouri to George Gates and Arzelia June Smith Gates in 1931. George worked in a variety of jobs until he opened Gates Ol’ Kentucky Bar-B-Q at 19th and Vine in 1946. Ollie had two older sisters, Winnifred and Gwendolyn. He attended Lincoln High School while also working in the restaurant. After graduating with a degree in Engineering from Lincoln University in Jefferson City, where he participated in ROTC, he went into the Army for two years. He came back to Kansas City and went into the family business. After his father died in 1960, he opened a jazz club named OG’s on 31st Street and a Gates Bar-B-Q restaurant nearby. OG’s was a popular jazz club; he sold it in 1970 to focus on the business of barbecue. He opened a Gates & Sons restaurant at 47th and The Paseo in 1970. By then, he was married with five children.Mr. Gates continued to expand the business and emphasize a quality product, serving the food in a pleasant atmosphere and closely supervising the details of how the Gates & Sons restaurants should be run.Mr. Gates is very involved community activities and has been recognized many times for business accomplishments, volunteering for special jobs and services, and philanthropy. Upon the death of Bruce R. Watkins in September 1980, Mr. Gates was appointed to the Board of KC Parks and Recreation. Mr. Watkins and Mr. Gates were very close friends and Mr. Gates served as campaign manager for Mr. Watkins in his run for Mayor of Kansas City 1979. Mr. Gates served on the Board for eighteen years (1980-1998), serving as President of the Board from 1991 until 1998.Of particular importance to him is the Enshriners’ organization. The group has given their support to several projects to benefit Kansas City – the Spirit of Freedom Fountain, the Satchel Paige Stadium, the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center, the John “Buck” O’Neil Research and Education Center at 18th and the Paseo, the Black Veterans Memorial, among others with Mr. Gates playing a leading role. #KCParks #FromTheArchives

#BlackHistoryMonth Ollie Walter Gates was born in Kansas City, Missouri to George Gates and Arzelia June Smith Gates in 1931. George worked in a variety of jobs until he opened Gates Ol’ Kentucky Bar-B-Q at 19th and Vine in 1946. Ollie had two older sisters, Winnifred and Gwendolyn. He attended Lincoln High School while also working in the restaurant. After graduating with a degree in Engineering from Lincoln University in Jefferson City, where he participated in ROTC, he went into the Army for two years. He came back to Kansas City and went into the family business. After his father died in 1960, he opened a jazz club named OG’s on 31st Street and a Gates Bar-B-Q restaurant nearby. OG’s was a popular jazz club; he sold it in 1970 to focus on the business of barbecue. He opened a Gates & Sons restaurant at 47th and The Paseo in 1970. By then, he was married with five children.Mr. Gates continued to expand the business and emphasize a quality product, serving the food in a pleasant atmosphere and closely supervising the details of how the Gates & Sons restaurants should be run.Mr. Gates is very involved community activities and has been recognized many times for business accomplishments, volunteering for special jobs and services, and philanthropy. Upon the death of Bruce R. Watkins in September 1980, Mr. Gates was appointed to the Board of KC Parks and Recreation. Mr. Watkins and Mr. Gates were very close friends and Mr. Gates served as campaign manager for Mr. Watkins in his run for Mayor of Kansas City 1979. Mr. Gates served on the Board for eighteen years (1980-1998), serving as President of the Board from 1991 until 1998.Of particular importance to him is the Enshriners’ organization. The group has given their support to several projects to benefit Kansas City – the Spirit of Freedom Fountain, the Satchel Paige Stadium, the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center, the John “Buck” O’Neil Research and Education Center at 18th and the Paseo, the Black Veterans Memorial, among others with Mr. Gates playing a leading role. #KCParks #FromTheArchives
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February 20, 2019 / 0 comments