Just funded: KCMO unveils $200K in grants for nearly two dozen restaurants, bars, coffee shops
December 3, 2024 | Taylor Wilmore
Kansas City has an “enormous appetite” for outdoor dining, said Wes Rogers, highlighting the growing need for city leaders to be responsive to evolving industry and small business trends — and championing KCMO’s new outdoor dining grants program.
Officials on Tuesday announced 20 inaugural recipients of the Outdoor Dining Enhancement Grant. It’s an initiative — developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath — meant to elevate small businesses by providing funding to upgrade dining spaces for year-round use — especially outdoors.
Wes Rogers, a KCMO council member and chair of the city’s Small Business Task Force, speaks during an event announcing winners of KCMO’s new Outdoor Dining Enhancement Grant; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
“We saw the appetite during the pandemic, and we’ll see even more during the World Cup next year,” said Rogers, a KCMO council member and chair of the city’s Small Business Task Force. “I think this is just the beginning.”
With an allocation of $200,000 total, the program is set to fund dining projects at more than 20 local restaurants, including Cupini’s, which hosted an announcement event at its space near Stateline Road and 43rd Street. Awardees will use the grants to implement improvements such as canopies, outdoor heaters, fire pits, and lighting. Projects funded by the grants are expected to be completed by the summer of 2025.
Among the recipients are 20 local restaurants, bars, and coffee shops, such as The Combine, Oddly Correct Coffee, Nico Nino’s Pub, and Lulu’s Thai Noodle Shop.
Each project was reviewed to ensure safety and feasibility, with a focus on supporting restaurants that have previously collaborated with the city’s Public Works Department on outdoor dining initiatives.
“Whether it’s adding more seating, weatherizing outdoor spaces, or creating year-round options, our goal is to fund projects that not only help businesses but also show our appreciation for their resilience,” said Quinton Lucas, mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, during the announcement event.
“This program allows restaurants to upgrade their dining spaces to attract more business and continue growing our vibrant dining scene in Kansas City,” he added.
From the archives: KCMO wants more outdoor dining; new grants program pays for restaurant upgrades
The grants, funded through general revenue dollars, are part of a broader effort to support small businesses. Rogers suggested that the city also could explore reducing permit fees and streamlining processes for outdoor dining in the future, reflecting the growing demand from both businesses and patrons.
Eddie Cupini, owner of Cupini’s, speaks during an event announcing winners of KCMO’s new Outdoor Dining Enhancement Grant; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
Restaurants contribute significantly to the city’s tax base, including tourism taxes, Lucas noted, emphasizing that the just-announced funding is a way to give back.
“The $200,000 makes a big difference for these businesses,” he said. “It’s the least we can do to ensure they continue to thrive.”
At the event, Eddie Cupini, owner of Cupini’s, expressed gratitude for the grant, planning to upgrade his patio with heat, fans and fire pits, and also to host live music and special events.
“We’re blessed to be here in Kansas City and to receive this support,” he said.
The full list of grant winners includes:
- Blip Roasters
- The Brick
- Browne’s Irish Marketplace
- Buffalo State Pizza Co.
- Cafe Ollama
- The Combine
- Cupini’s
- Double Tap KC
- Grinders
- Grand Street Café
- Kobi Q
- Lulu’s Thai Noodle Shop
- Nick and Nino’s Pub
- Novel Restaurant
- Oddly Correct LLC
- OurHouseKC
- PH Coffee
- Tacos El Gallo
- Urban on Armour & Troost
- Vye Cocktail Lounge
Featured Business
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.
2024 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Cerner ‘call for innovation’ hopes to bring brand to life alongside KC startups
One of Kansas City’s largest employers is looking for help from the smaller firms in its backyard. Health IT giant Cerner Corp. is looking to collaborate with startups and entrepreneurs to feature their innovative custom furniture, properties or experiential design elements for a coming conference. If selected, each startup’s work would be featured in front…
Heartshaped Clothing: A love story fashioned into a Dad-hat
Corey Reed’s wife opened his heart to true love, he said. Love of God, community, creativity and family. The revelation didn’t just inspire Reed’s Heartshaped Clothing line, it allowed him to recognize and appreciate the gifts and sacrifices of his faith and those around him, like his parents, who adopted him at birth, he said.…
Kritiq fashion show MADE for Kansas City designers
Designers don’t need to go to the east or west coasts to pursue their dreams, Mark Launiu said. “There’s so much passion and grind here in Kansas City. And a lot of people on the outside don’t know that,” said Launiu, co-founder at MADE Urban Apparel. “We’re always overlooked because they think of just our…
Random origins, but no fluke: MADE grinds to grand expansion
The MADE Mobb is getting used to risk taking. “We know what it’s like to walk into something blind,” laughed Mark Launiu, co-founder at MADE Urban Apparel. Launiu, along with co-founders Vu Radley and Jonathan “JP” Platz, launched MADE in 2012 with the streetwear apparel line selling in just a few pop-up shops. Early partnerships…