Anchor Island pours into coffee shop’s potential with unique investment round
December 19, 2023 | Taylor Wilmore
A crowd-funded investment opportunity through HoneyComb Credit would allow customers to help a Troost Avenue coffee shop enhance its kitchen equipment and expand the Anchor Island Coffee brand’s popular menu. Franchising and a liquor license could also be on the horizon.
Armando Vasquez, Anchor Island Coffee; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
“We need support for the vision that we have, the product we serve, and how unique of a business we are,” said Armando Vasquez, who founded and owns the tropical-themed space with his husband, Mike Hastings.
Anchor Island Coffee launched in March 2020 just before the pandemic, ultimately rebounding before encountering another setback in 2022 when a truck damaged the front entrance.
The spot remains a busy gathering place along the Troost corridor, with a menu that ranges from tamales to French toast.
“We were open during COVID, we survived, we made it work, and we’ve only grown,” said Vasquez.
Click here to check out Anchor Island Coffee.
Funds raised from the investment round through HoneyComb Credit are expected to be used for crucial upgrades, including an HVAC system, kitchen remodel, and relocating certain equipment to boost the kitchen’s efficiency, Vasquez said.
“Anyone can invest, from $100 to $1,000, or more. It’s not a GoFundMe; it’s an investment in our brand,” he continued.
Click here to learn more about how the investments work.
The investment round runs through Jan. 18.
Clean concept
Vasquez takes pride in Anchor Island’s efforts to prevent food waste through careful planning, he said.
Mike Hastings and Armando Vasquez, Anchor Island Coffee
“Opening a week before COVID, we were forced to create a very lean menu,” Vasquez said. “This not only allowed us to introduce and continuously grow our food production through COVID and beyond, but it also created a system with very little waste.”
Click here to read more about the origins of Anchor Island.
Serving fresh food is also a priority at Anchor Island, he said. The coffee shop’s staff makes everything on the menu from scratch, and also provides dietary options like gluten-free and dairy-free items.
“To keep the quality, we need more expensive ingredients,” said Vasquez. “What I like about our concept is we try to make the food as clean as possible. No MSG, as little preservatives as possible, and no soy.”
Vasquez revealed plans for an evening menu and the potential addition of a liquor license.
“We are in talks with local chefs and considering partnering with the KC Restaurant Association,” he said.
Gaining a liquor license in 2024 would align with Vasquez’s vision of offering a full bar and evening services, transforming Anchor Island into a multifaceted establishment and drawing in more people.
“Getting my license will definitely bring the crowd that we are not getting currently,” said Vasquez. “We will be in a more functional place in the market.”
“We are trying to do a coffee and breakfast vibe in the morning with maybe some mimosas,” he continued. “In the evening we would like more of a full bar and service with servers and hostesses.”
Anchor Island Coffee; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
Plans to expand
Anchor Island Coffee; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
In response to customer demand, Vasquez aims to expand Anchor Island Coffee through franchising, focusing on locations with strong personal connections and community support.
“Our aspiration is getting big, and growing, and to grow into a place where we franchise to a few states slowly, like Hawaiian Bros.,” said Vasquez.
Reflecting on Anchor Island Coffee’s resilience amid the pandemic, Vasquez shared the significance of expanding his and Hastings’ homegrown brand, feeling that it will spotlight their growth despite adversity.
“Being open during COVID, a time when people sometimes didn’t have a lot of faith, and then being able to grow into more locations would be just such a big success story by itself, and people will see that,” he said.
Taylor Wilmore
Taylor Wilmore, hailing from Lee’s Summit, is a dedicated reporter and a recent graduate of the University of Missouri, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Journalism. Taylor channels her deep-seated passion for writing and storytelling to create compelling narratives that shed light on the diverse residents of Kansas City.
Prior to her role at Startland News, Taylor made valuable contributions as a reporter for the Columbia Missourian newspaper, where she covered a wide range of community news and higher education stories.
2023 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
I-70 wage gap? Kansas City lags St. Louis on tech pay, snapshot analysis says
St. Louis might be the gateway to higher tech pay — but not by much, according to a new nationwide snapshot analysis of tech industry jobs. The Kansas City metro logged an average tech wage of $90,940 in 2017, falling slightly behind the St. Louis metro at $96,370, based on data released in the Cyberstates…
Roller Warriors skate over 1970s-era stereotypes with message of empowerment
Kansas City Roller Warriors are in the business of self-expression, strengthening team bonds and legitimizing their sport, skaters say. The player-owned roller derby league operates as a limited liability company, but essentially functions as a non-profit, organizers said. Having grown from grassroots origins in 2004 to now a member of the Women’s Flat Track Derby…
Prairie Village company’s Firefly lends serenity, tech to backyard fireworks
Prairie Village-based Winco Fireworks is officially launching Firefly, a remote firework firing system, introducing a tech blend to the formerly traditional firework industry and backyard Fourth of July celebrations. “It’s a really neat invention,” said Michael Collar, president of Winco Fireworks, which focuses on consumer fireworks. “There’s a lot of commercial firework companies that do…
We Create KC report: Startup investment soared to $540M in 2017
A startling statistic for those who think capital merely flies over the Midwest: Kansas City saw a 69 percent increase in startup investment from 2016 to 2017, according to KCSourceLink’s We Create KC report. All told, early-stage businesses classified by KCSourceLink as startups — typically defined as those with 20 or fewer employees — nabbed…