The Fuel House is any car enthusiasts dream. This premier automotive country club is located in the historic Olde Mill Properties building, which owner Hunter Saulsbury says he found with his father, Wylie, by mistake.
“Wylie, my father, Jerry, my grandfather, and I were on a motorcycle ride and we missed our turn in downtown Bonner Springs. We followed the 32 Highway truck route and bam! There was the building,” says Saulsbury.
The building was formerly Tiblow Mill, a nearly forgotten 100-year-old building named after the city of Tiblow, now known today as Bonner Springs. They immediately saw the potential of this structure that others for decades couldn’t.
“Wylie has been in construction for a long time—when he saw the building, he knew this would be his next project if he could get it for the right price. The building had been vacant for quite some time, and there wasn't a single toilet, light or HVAC unit that worked. It has taken a lot of work to open.”
Much like restoring a classic car, Tiblow Mill was brought back to life better than before.
“The original vision and inspiration was Wylie’s—he wanted an intimate place to host business meetings, entertain clients and just hang out with like-minded professionals. While that is still the basic premise of the Fuel House, we have worked to continue adding amenities to improve the experience, such as an in-house mechanic, detailer, restaurant, brewery, golf simulator and hobby shop. We want to have something for everyone.”
Located in the same building and open to the public is an outdoor activities space with lawn games, Ten and Two coffee bar, Quentin's BBQ and Sides, Olde Mill Ice Cream, Outfield Beer Company and Grip'n'rip KC, all separate businesses that work very closely with each other and add to the experience.
There’s a fully private side to the Fuel House with an automotive event space, gallery and co-op work space where members can not only work on cars, but relax, watch the game and enjoy a drink inside their fully stocked private lounge that’s open 24/7. Members are of all ages and different backgrounds, but all are united by their passion for cars.
“Having access to the members lounge, indoor car wash, members work area, cigar lounge and pool table are fantastic perks of membership, however, the network is a great perk as well—the members here are just great people. We also do a lot of fun member events such as wine tastings, go-kart track rentals, member track days and private movie premieres. We try to do a lot of unique things that appeal to the members.
“The Fuel House is hard to describe—it’s more of an experience! There are always projects going on, so people seem to never get bored. It’s a classy yet industrial space where nothing is perfect, but that is what makes it great.”
Their Cars and Coffee event takes place the second Saturday of each month through October, with an open house to explore the venue from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. For more information, visit thefuelhouse.com.
