Shopify-linked e-commerce platform adds $5M KCMO investment to its cart, delivering 46 new jobs to region
December 11, 2024 | Startland News Staff
A 113,000-square-foot fulfillment center in Kansas City is expected to help Miami-based OpenStore provide faster and more efficient service to its growing portfolio of e-commerce brands — and bring $2 million in payroll to the region in the next five years.
Opening in March 2025, the project is expected to ultimately create 46 new jobs in Kansas City.
OpenStore is the largest operator of businesses on Shopify, with more than 100,000 SKUs and a customer base exceeding 2 million. The e-commerce company is committed to scaling its portfolio through investments in technology and innovation, improving customer support with its AI-powered tool, OpenDesk, and optimizing logistics with its new fulfillment center, OpenStore said in a press release.
“We’re a city of innovators and we’re proud to welcome an innovative company like OpenStore to Kansas City,” said Steven Anthony, vice president of the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City (EDCKC), which was among core organizations leading the effort to bring OpenStore to Kansas City.
A top destination for e-commerce and distribution companies, Kansas City has attracted $2.2 billion in investments and 6,000 jobs to the industry over the past five years.
“No matter the industry, Missouri delivers what innovative businesses like OpenStore need to invest, grow, and thrive,” said Gov. Mike Parson, R-Missouri. “It’s always exciting to see cutting-edge companies choosing the Show-Me State due to our strategic location, superior infrastructure and talented workforce. We welcome OpenStore to Kansas City and look forward to its contributions to the area’s growing distribution sector.”
The announcement marks OpenStore’s first-ever fulfillment center in the region, noted David Reifschneider, head of supply chain at OpenStore, who said the move marks a major milestone that underscores the company’s growth and commitment to delivering world-class service to our customers.
“This expansion not only enhances our operational capabilities but also positions us to better serve our customers while implementing technology-driven fulfillment solutions,” Reifschneider said. “The future is bright and we’re excited to embark on this next chapter of growth and opportunity with the significant talent resources in the Kansas City region.”
As a North American industrial hub, Kansas City’s central location and robust transportation infrastructure enable distributors to reach 90 percent of the contiguous U.S. in two days or less by truck, according to the Kansas City Area Development Council (KCADC). Companies also enjoy access to a strong talent pipeline of 190,000-plus logistics and manufacturing employees.
“Kansas City continues to be a key player in industrial growth and innovation, attracting 70 million square feet of development in the past decade,” said Josie Calkins, director at KC SmartPort, a strategic affiliate of the KCADC. “The region’s unmatched location and logistics advantages are highly attractive to technologically-innovative companies like OpenStore looking to optimize their operations and expand their reach.”
Career opportunities for the Kansas City facility are now available at OpenStore’s job openings page, with additional opportunities coming in 2025.
Featured Business

2024 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Cali tech firm AutoAlert to create 300 Kansas City jobs
AutoAlert, an Irvine, Calif. Based tech firm, announced Friday that it’s planning to relocate its headquarters to Kansas City. The firm — which will receive a Missouri Works grant of as much as $9.2 million if it meets its job creation projection — offers automotive software communications using data mining and trade-cycle management tools. With plans…
Virgin Mobile takes to downtown skyline for HQ, plans to hire 100
About six months after announcing its move to Kansas City, Virgin Mobile has selected the site of its new headquarters. Virgin Mobile announced Wednesday that the firm signed a lease at One Kansas City Place at 1200 Main St. in downtown Kansas City. Virgin selected Kansas City as the location for its new headquarters…
‘Nerds’ want to retool Kansas City nonprofits’ websites
‘Tis the season to help your fellow man — and their website. That seems to be the driving force behind a volunteer-led program to improve the digital presence of several Kansas City nonprofits. The Nerdery and its foundation will host the Overnight Website Challenge, which over the years has tapped hundreds of volunteers to complete…
Why and how is Dairy Farmers of America working with startups?
When it comes to operations driving innovation, dairy farms probably don’t come to mind. But that’s precisely what Kansas City’s largest private employer — Dairy Farmers of America — is doing with its move to partner with the revamped Sprint Accelerator in 2017. DFA is among four corporations syncing up with the program in…
