Latest Stories
Best new spot for your Super Bowl selfie? Sike Style, Tom’s Town run it back for fan-friendly Chiefs mural
A wall of red painted in the shadow of downtown is expected to serve as more than a backdrop for Kansas City Chiefs-inspired selfies, as the world champion football team heads back to the Super Bowl. “We hope that rallying around the Chiefs becomes a little point of pride for everybody and motivation to get…
Tees for touchdowns: 21+ ways to wear your Kansas City Chiefs pride while shopping local
The Kansas City Chiefs are headed back to the Super Bowl — seeking to replicate last year’s post-season success at the Feb. 7 big game in Tampa, Florida. And while an ongoing pandemic will limit the number of fans who can travel to the championship matchup, hometown brands and retailers are working to make sure the Chiefs…
‘You can’t fake that’: Bold flavors, artisan style keep Savory Addictions smoking through times of economic uncertainty
When raises dried up at work a decade ago, Craig Jones needed a new way to make up lost income. “It kind of happened by accident. It was never on purpose,” Jones said of the hobby he turned into a side hustle in 2011 and ways it’s since grown into a booming business — Savory Addictions…
Startup Road Trip: Transplants to Kansas see future of prosthetics in eco-friendly textile hemp
Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro. This series is possible thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which leads a collaborative, nationwide effort to identify and remove large and small barriers to new business creation. WICHITA…
Jack pot: Native Hemp Co. opens storefront in Lee’s Summit, surviving potent hits
An empty space with an open-minded building owner in downtown Lee’s Summit became the perfect spot to fulfill Native Hemp Co.’s potential, said Rich Dunfield. “God always has a plan,” he said. “This [location] is better for my life. I live out here; my family’s out here. I like how we’re brand new, and I…
Body of artwork: Birdies’ Peregrine Honig sketches business artistry from Crossroads lingerie shop
A global pandemic has far from caged artist-turned-entrepreneur Peregrine Honig. Her creativity helped perch the Crossroads lingerie shop she founded within a market the ongoing economic downturn couldn’t cover. “Liquor and lingerie do great when people are freaked out,” said Honig, who co-owns Birdies with Alexis Burggrabe. “People at home still want to entertain even…
Hot cocoa, mocha, donuts and aloha: KC’s new tiki hideaway pours the unexpected — 1,600+ miles from the beach
Snowy skies and frosted windshields outside, beach vibes within. A new tiki-inspired cafe — tucked away in the East Crossroads — offers a warm, inviting atmosphere and tropical transformations of classic treats and sips. The concept: Blend the flavors of surf and sunsets with perennial staples like coffee, donuts and ice cream. “It’s an all-inclusive…
Worker wearables startup Kenzen earns $1M capital injection from Fenaroli-led Overland Park investor
Kansas City-worn Kenzen is rolling into 2021 with new funding and partnerships pushing the wearables startup into overdrive. The company announced a $1 million injection of funding from Overland Park-based Examinetics — a portfolio company of New York-based Freedom 3 Capital — Wednesday. “The Kenzen solution is gaining momentum. This alliance with Examinetics will broaden the team…
A maker reality TV series is transforming Travis Kelce’s gift to KC into a ‘fan experience’ on Troost
While the Kansas City Chiefs run it back on the field — the impact of superstar tight end Travis Kelce continues to be felt through a new partnership with Make48. Kelce’s ongoing work with Operation Breakthrough will see the non-profit realize it’s Ignition Lab later this year, but it won’t open its doors without some…
Tasty, healthy treats in a microwaveable cup: Omega Power Creamer founders launch Upside Down Bakery
Guilty pleasure treats — like brownies, muffins and pancakes — no longer require “guilt” as an ingredient, Greg Blome said. “Upside Down Bakery is flipping baking on its head,” said Blome, who co-founded Upside Down Bakery with Nick Wehrle. “As in, we are making traditional high-sugar, high-carb products that taste good, and taking away the…
