Recent Stories by Joyce Smith
This lobster roll’s journey to KC began with a chef who wasn’t satisfied wearing the short apron
"Everyone’s head is down making sure we are knocking it out of the park," said chef Brandon West, fresh from opening Frankie Pickle’s in Prairie Village. "I’m all about growth.”
Pedaling a dream: Concierge bike shop street tests whether repairs alone can keep business torqued
“They say you can’t raise a family, you can’t buy a house on a mechanic’s salary,” Aaron Apel said. “It’s just one of those industries where we haven’t been able to professionalize the mechanic side of things.”
Charlie Hustle preps Oak Park Mall store as new owners evolve brand to fit Houston, St. Louis markets (and the world)
Kansas City’s iconic clothing brand Charlie Hustle has a new World Heart Collection in the works for FIFA World Cup 2026 — debuting the collection in June at its new Johnson County pop-up store.
It’s open season on fresh eats at Iron District: See what’s new from North KC’s container cuisine hub
“We are getting away from the incubator concept but we would still like to help people grow,” said Phillip Jones, food service director at the Iron District.
No late risers: KC’s hottest line leads to a sell-out doughnut; owners balance appetite with days-long production
At 4:45 a.m. on a rainy Saturday morning, Susan Worrel of Overland Park was first in line at the new Slow Rise doughnut shop by her subdivision. She had tried the week before, arriving an hour before the doors opened, only to find a line of hungry would-be diners stretching down the shopping center. The…
Iconic KC BBQ spot opening ‘Joe’s Next Door’ in former Taco Republic across the street
A beloved Kansas City barbecue is set to debut a new neighborhood restaurant concept — its first new location in nearly a decade — open every day of the week. The owners of Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que plan to launch Joe’s Next Door in May, in the former Taco Republic complex — just across Mission…
Chef J planning Northland BBQ experience: His training was Italian, his passion fire
After six years as a mostly weekend only, lunch-to-sellout barbecue operation in the West Bottoms, Chef J BBQ is ready to give the metro its first traditional outdoor smokehouse restaurant. The new North Kansas City venue will feature live fire, offset smokers set up next to a large outdoor patio where customers can get an…
Kitchen grit caramelizes into smooth storefront opportunity for soon-to-open candy shop
The secret ingredient in Brandi Robertson’s signature sweet — a handcrafted take on her Grandmother Betty’s caramel dessert topping — isn’t found in the pantry or recipe box. Perseverance itself is the perfection within her confection, she said. “If you are going to waste calories, it better be good,” said Robertson, who spent nearly a…
How two, decades-apart military pairings landed a 130-year-old Greek liqueur brand in KC stores
Just one sip of this cinnamon clove-infused Greek liqueur and Glen Shilland was won over. But he wasn’t just enjoying Zamoura; he was immediately envisioning an import business so others in the U.S. could enjoy it too. Produced in Patras, Greece, since 1895, Zamoura is made with a secret family recipe and all-natural ingredients. “It…
Stockyards Brewing ferments opening day for its new suburban Overland Park taproom
Johnson County craft beer fans have been eagerly awaiting this day for four long years — a delay caused, in part, by one founder’s refusal to compromise on his vision for his latest brewhouse. But now Stockyards Brewing Co.’s Overland Park taproom has set a Jan. 30 opening at 10310 Mastin St. — the site…