At least 9 storefronts hit in overnight crime spree; entrepreneurs want to shatter idea it’s a Troost-only problem
August 9, 2024 | Taylor Wilmore
Break-ins point to challenge beyond Kansas City’s east side, say small business owners
A recent mini crime wave — stretching from the Crossroads Arts District to Troost Avenue and Brookside — mirrors a series of break-ins and vandalism incidents at the Country Club Plaza and beyond, business owners said, reflecting a citywide danger that demands a city response.
Anchor Island Coffee, 4101 Troost Ave., Kansas City, Missouri; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
“When this many businesses get targeted in one night, it’s out of hand,” said Armando Vasquez, co-owner of Anchor Island Coffee, 4101 Troost Ave., which was among six local businesses targeted overnight Aug. 5 in a string of smash and grabs.
Ruby Jean’s Juicery, Buffalo State Pizza Co., PH Coffee, Teocali Mexican Restaurant, Torn Label Brewing Co., The Westside Local, The Mixx, and Nothing Bundt Cakes also were hit.
“We don’t have the resources to handle this alone,” said Vasquez, who lost about $1,000 worth of equipment because of the break-in, adding to mounting frustrations for him and his staff. It’s the third such incident since the business opened in 2020. (The coffee shop along Troost also was damaged in 2022 when a pickup collided with its front entrance and the driver abandoned the vehicle.)
“This time, it’s not just the financial loss, though that’s hard enough,” Vasquez said. “It’s the mental toll it takes on all of us here. We’re just trying to run a business, and each time this happens, it feels like a step backward.”
Ruby Jean’s Kitchen & Juicery, 3000 Troost Ave., experienced its seventh break-in attempt amid the spree, said founder and owner Chris Goode.
It’s typically easy for observers to marginalize Kansas City’s east side by saying high crime is just a Troost problem, Goode said, noting it’s more difficult to push the community and city to collectively address the issue.
“This time, it was so much different, all these businesses were impacted the same night,” he said. “It forces our hand as a city to come together, because now we’re not isolated. Now, people are not able to lean into the stigma that, ‘Oh, it’s just Troost.’ It forces us to have dialogue.”
Isaac Collins, Yogurtini; Photo courtesy of Amber Baudler and Jamsine Baudler at Stellar Image Studios
One of the contributors is obviously economics, said Isaac Collins, whose Yogurtini shop was among several businesses similarly hit in October 2023 south of the Country Club Plaza, which is known to have its own crime and infrastructure challenges.
“I think people are hurting nowadays,” said Collins, a serial entrepreneur with businesses across the metro. He links economic struggles, like inflation, high gas prices and a growing homeless population as core drivers behind the rise in theft at his 4853 Main St. location on the South Plaza.
Collins also wants to end misconceptions that tie race — and particularly young Black men — to crime on Kansas City east side or anywhere else in the community, he said.
He’s witnessed several incidents of theft from a diverse cast of teenagers, including those from local schools who don’t look like him, Collins noted.
“People being troublemakers isn’t always related to the demographic or social class that people may think,” said Collins. “I just want to make sure we’re not thinking it is little Black kids that are doing it, because sometimes it is, but also sometimes it isn’t.”
Unheard frustrations
While Vasquez has considered hiring private security, he thinks responsibility for addressing crime ultimately lies with city government, he said.
“The community can only do so much,” Vasquez said. “The city needs to step up. It’s not just about security — it’s about having the funds and support to get back in business after something like this.”
Although he has considered relocating Anchor Island away from Troost, other business owners like Goode plan to remain — but are calling for stronger collaboration between the city and its entrepreneurial community.
“We have a decay in the safety of our city, period,” Goode said. “That should force leadership’s hand to pay attention and say, ‘Oh, we have to come to the table on this if we care about our small business community and this entrepreneurial ecosystem that we celebrate.’”
Dontavious Young works on a customer’s drink order at Equal Minded Cafe; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
Earlier this summer, Equal Minded Cafe — another locally-owned business at 4327 Troost Ave. — was hit with two men stealing the register, phones, and a panini press in the July 9 incident. Owner Dontavious Young faulted a lack of action by the city after what he said was clearly an ongoing problem in his neighborhood and surrounding parts of the community.
“I’m always on attack mode with city officials,” Young said. “They haven’t followed through on their promises. It feels like they’ve forgotten about our area.”
Young criticizes the city’s resource allocation, arguing that despite more funding for police, results are lacking. He believes investment should focus on education and mental health instead of a system and solutions that have shown little improvement.
“We need to restructure how things are handled,” he said. “If we want to see real change, we need accountability and better management of our resources.”
Strength in numbers
Despite the setback, Young emphasized direct community action, which has been uplifting.
“It feels good to see people coming in and supporting us after the break-in,” he said. “Especially the online support, with people sharing their positive experiences and memories of our space.”
In response to growing concerns, Goode has engaged in early, non-committal conversations with the city and other small business owners to explore potential solutions, he said.
One idea Goode floated: creation of a “We’re in This Together Fund,” which would be set aside for unexpected encumbrances that small businesses might face, or setting up a local patrol for Troost Avenue.
Chris Goode, Ruby Jean’s Juicery; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
Goode remains hopeful for Ruby Jean’s and other small businesses, he said.
“You gotta give God glory as soon as bad stuff happens. The community has rallied around us. People have been showing up and giving donations, and I’ve been doing that for other businesses,” Good continued. “We gotta keep marching, regardless.”
Community response at Anchor Island Coffee also has been overwhelmingly positive since the recent break-in, said Vasquez.
“People have been reaching out, sending messages, coming in to buy coffee — just to show they’re here for us, ” he said. “It’s a reminder that people care, and that support means everything.”
Taking the next step — actually improving conditions to prevent and combat crime impacting businesses — requires the city to get more involved, Vasquez emphasized.
“We have a community here that’s willing to fight, but we need the city to join us in that fight,” he said. “If we keep trying to handle this on our own, it’s a battle we’re not going to win.”
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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.
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