Latest Stories
Trendsetting Crossroads brewer taps another first: KC’s only locally-owned non-alcoholic beer
A star on the Kansas City craft beer is setting a new baseline for inclusivity on the local brewing scene, said Eric Martens, introducing the metro’s first hometown non-alcoholic beer — a product of months dedication and innovation, he added. Border Brewing Co. on Friday announced its new Baseline brew — a canned offering crafted…
Malisa Monyakula wants to welcome you home for the holidays; she already has an igloo waiting
Adding pop-up holiday experiences at her popular Kansas City businesses is a way for Malisa Monyakula to bring back nostalgic memories of her childhood in Thailand, the restaurateur behind Lulu’s Thai Noodle Shop said. “Christmas is everywhere in Thailand,” she said, noting the classic American holiday celebrations are vibrant despite the country’s predominantly Buddhist population….
‘The people demand mustard’: This stained glass artist dipped into corn dogs (and hungry shoppers ate it up)
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. LAWRENCE — Selling holiday shoppers on stained glass corn dogs was unexpectedly easy, said Darleen Schillaci; adding mustard and keeping up with buyers’ appetite, however, proved the meatiest challenge. The…
Skip shopping and shipping: Your guide to last-minute, KC-made gifts you can still get in stores
Forget naughty and nice: one Kansas City-pieced business has a puzzling present for each person on Santa’s “weird and mellow” list. Locals can still find them on KC-area store shelves — while they last. Birdie — a sister company to Stefanie and Tim Ekeren’s popular Kansas City Puzzle Company — packs each eye-catching box with…
One issue cuts across all political lines: How it could be the antidote to a divided America
Entrepreneurship is a way to unify the United States at a time with great political division, said Victor Hwang. “It’s an issue that cuts across party lines,” explained the founder and CEO of Right to Start. “And it’s something Americans really care about.” Hwang, previously an executive at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, recently published…
Small biz makers worry Trump tariffs could be ‘recipe for recession’; Economists, farmers share concerns about trade war
An enthusiastic smile spreads across Katie Mabry Van Dieren’s face as three small groups of new customers flow into her Brookside Plaza shop — a space filled as high as the Shop Local KC owner can reach with colorful, off-beat, and functional goods and gifts from Kansas City makers. “We smelled something wonderful from outside…
Five ways to (finally) kickstart your financial plan
Editor’s note: The perspectives expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. The following is a paid thought leadership piece from Chris Malmgren, The Ferguson Smith Cohen Group at Morgan Stanley. For many people, the idea of long-term financial planning may seem like that dentist visit or home repair project you keep putting off: You…
Sustainable data center near downtown KCMO to help power capacity with $143M investment
Kansas City is building on its reputation as a hub for partners looking to tap into a region rich with infrastructure built for the future, said Steven Anthony, announcing the grand opening of another major, sustainable data center in KCMO. Edged — a vertically integrated global platform of on-demand data centers with operations designed to…
Potato Potatas grows the business of comfort food from the ground up (and in a pot pie)
Two years ago, Trine’ce Brown took note of restaurant chains like Chipotle and Qdoba, and wondered why there wasn’t already a fast-casual potato bar concept. She decided to start her own — but taking small steps, first working out of a Northland kitchen commissary, the Culinary Center at the Mid-Continent Public Library, starting in May….
KC2026 team hires cybersecurity, explosives expert for key World Cup ops-planning role
In its latest high-profile move, the team behind Kansas City’s 2026 World Cup planning has tapped a former U.S. Secret Service special agent — notably the veteran of a years-long United Nations General Assembly assignment — to lead KC2026’s safety and security efforts. Kyle Postell already has led critical infrastructure protection efforts, conducted comprehensive vulnerability…
