2018 Startups to Watch: Made in KC hometown goods hub expands
January 16, 2018 | Traci Angel
Editor’s note: Startland News selected the top Kansas City firms to spotlight for its annual Startups to Watch list. The following is one of 2018’s companies. To view the full, ranked list of Startups to Watch, click here.
Made in KC Cafe wants customers to sip a Kansas City brew, then peruse what local artisans have to offer.
The coffee-and-browse experience awaits at the latest venture from Made in KC. The one-stop shop debuted its 1114 Baltimore Ave. hybrid store in December, introducing a concept of fresh-brewed, inviting java and locally produced wares.
1) Plexpod
2) PayIt
3) Bardavon
4) Rx Savings Solutions
5) Swell Spark
6) Mycroft
7) Super Dispatch
8) Made in KC
9) RFP365
10) Ruby Jean’s Juicery (tie)
10) Cambrian (tie)
The company also launched the online Made in Kansas City Marketplace, expanding the availability of items already found in Made in KC shops and partner Hallmark stores, as well as including other vendors not previously stocked in brick-and-mortar locations.
“It’s a resource and it’s like Etsy, only with Kansas City products,” said Tyler Enders, Made in KC co-founder.
Outreach also comes in the form of Made in KC Explore, a component of the company’s website that offers lists and featured attractions from throughout the metro. Postings include “Menu of the Month” and “Drinking Coffee in Kansas City,” as well as the popular feature “Living in Cinn,” which spotlights the quest for cinnamon rolls across town.
“It’s another way to serve our clientele,” Enders said of the online venture, which began in spring 2017. “We added two or three articles a week last year.”
Still, Made in KC Cafe was the year’s biggest attention-grabber, he said.
“We got an amazing reception and hadn’t done any advertising,” Enders said.
Ten Kansas City-based roasters will be on a rotation at the shop to provide customers with a taste of local coffee blends, including varieties like cold brew and nitro cold brew. The cafe is slated to open a bar in the back this spring that will offer local beer on tap.
“We have laid our groundwork for the year,” Enders said, adding that among other changes, Made in KC has added administrative space in the Crossroads to accommodate its growth. He is keeping quiet, however, on a few of concepts he said will be announced later this year.
Featured Business
2018 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Advisors, role models and the importance of ‘champions’
“What types of support relationships do you find beneficial as a startup founder?” I asked a group of six women founders this question as part of a whiteboard conversation conducted last year by WhiteSpace Consulting and Startland News. Their answers reveal a broad range of support relationships, including one that is a must-have for every…
Crowdfunding law has changed, here’s what you need to know
Editors note: This piece was originally published Jan. 7, 2016. The Securities and Exchange Commission’s expanded rules for equity crowdfunding went into effect May 16. This past October, the SEC unveiled its final equity crowdfunding regulations set to take effect May 16. For the first time in the U.S., entrepreneurs will be able to…
Events Preview: Second Fridays, weekend coding events
There are a boatload of entrepreneurial events hosted in Kansas City on a weekly basis. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, supporter or curious Kansas Citian, we’d recommend these upcoming events for you. WEEKLY EVENT PREVIEW Second Fridays When: Friday, January 8 @ 4:30 pm – 7:30 pm Where: Village Square Coworking Studio Second Fridays is simply a…
Top 10 Kansas City startups to watch in 2016
Kansas City is home to countless startups. But what early-stage ventures are the most promising and worth a closer look? As we entered 2016, Startland News evaluated the area’s top startups based on the strength of their team, current traction, disruptiveness and job growth potential. Below is a list of the top 10 area enterprises we’ve…