News Stories

Justin and Melody Woo, Popculture Gourmet Popcorn and Ice Cream

No sugarcoating it: Popculture pops amid sputtering KC snack scene with ‘say yes’ mentality

Tucked away in the basement of their new Overland Park gourmet popcorn and ice cream shop, Justin and Melody Woo are already tasting the bold flavors of resiliency — and success — amid an ongoing pandemic that has ravaged small businesses. “I don’t want to sugarcoat it; it’s been rough,” said Melody, reflecting on the tumultuous…

Music no, murals a go: Your fall events calendar won’t look the same as festivals grapple with COVID reality

With summer winding to an anticlimactic end amid COVID-19 restrictions, outdoor festivals aren’t immune to the pandemic’s impact, organizers said, noting high-profile changes and cancelations for Kansas City’s annual fall events lineup. Among the 2020 festivals going silent: the original PorchFestKC. “I dragged my feet saying it out loud just because I hated that it…

GEW KC planning scaled-back, 3-day virtual summit; content likely geared toward starting a business in a recession

Powered by KCSourceLink community surveys, the 2020 Global Entrepreneurship Week is forging ahead with plans for virtual content catered to specific, mid-pandemic, said Jenny Miller.  “We’re still in the process of working with our committee to get all of that figured out and see what exactly GEW is going to consist of this year, but…

Crossroads Arts District, Kansas City, Missouri, August 2020

M25 ranking: KC gains traction against Midwest peers, but startups need more state support

Kansas City remains the “undisputed hub of startup activity in the area,” according to a new ranking by M25 — putting the City of Fountains in an enviable position as tech and startup leaders in high-priced coastal areas look for new homes in the COVID-19 era of remote work. “Zoom may be the bane of…

Photo by Tim Mossholder

100 requests in two hours: $100K resiliency fund closes applications for minority biz relief grants

Editor’s note: The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a financial sponsor of Startland News. This report was produced independently by Startland News’ nonprofit newsroom. Overwhelming response to a new resiliency grant fund for minority-owned businesses hit by COVID-19 exposes a humbling reality, said Sarah Mote. Applications for the grants — funded by the Ewing Marion…