Cafe Cà Phê

Fresh Factory KC, India Wells-Carter; Cafe Cà Phê, Jackie Nguyen; Heart and Seoul, Rachel Cayetano; Peak Roofing - Mechanical, Jade Teixeira

Meet 10 finalists for AltCap Your Biz pitch payout; competition returns during GEW KC

A diverse group of nearly a dozen small businesses are advancing to the next round of the annual AltCap Your Biz: Pitch Competition with finalists ranging from a mobile vegan soul food service to a Northland selfie experience. The “Closing the Deal” live pitch event showcases the 10 best concepts from a pool of 43…

The Patron Saint of Firebrand, Firebrand Collective

New look, renewed outlook: Women-powered Firebrand Collective bringing coworking back to West Bottoms

A revamped Firebrand Collective is relaunching Oct. 1 in the West Bottoms after two months of extensive upgrades and renovations at the woman-focused coworking location, its owner announced Thursday. The hiatus allowed time to transform Firebrand from a coworking “space” to a coworking “community,” emphasized Megan Adams, founder and head of community at Firebrand Collective….

Jackie Nguyen, Cafe Cà Phê

Why Jackie Nguyen is planning a permanent stop, safe space for Cafe Cà Phê in Columbus Park

After a year of serving culture in coffee, Jackie Nguyen has found a permanent home for her mobile Vietnamese cafe in the Columbus Park neighborhood, she said, but the actress-turned-activist plans to take an unconventional route to opening the storefront.  “I want to create a different path and show that minority, first-generation women can start…

Brit Estes, Jhy Coulter, and Jones Goldman, Devoured

Devoured chef designs oven-baked backyard pizza concept for pop-ups and beyond

An unexpected medley of events helped Jhy Coulter realize her career as a designer needed to end for her creativity to truly shine — through food, the emerging Kansas City chef shared. “Designing for others with all these limitations was just not fulfilling for me,” said Coulter, founder of Devoured — a pop-up pizzeria known…

Jahna Riley, Aya Coffee + Books pop-up at Blip Roasters

Black and bookish: Founder hopes to turn pop-up page, eyeing coffee and book shop on KC’s east side

Jahna Riley loves the atmosphere of coffee shops. Connecting with others over coffee and a good book is a personal joy, she said, noting one glaring exception in most shops: inclusivity.   “Kansas City has an amazing coffee scene, but it’s not necessarily one where I see my culture reflected in it,” Riley shared. “I want…