Minority-Led

Brookside restaurant spot shifts from Irish to Mexican flavors as two families expand their dream

By Tommy Felts / June 5, 2025

Two longtime friends and their daughters — all seasoned restaurant workers — are joining together in a new East Brookside restaurant they can call their own. Muy Caliente Grill & Cantina is scheduled to open later this month at 751 E. 63rd St., Suite 110, in the former Brady & Fox restaurant. Owners Fredy Rivera…

Read More >

Just-launched retail hub gets first tenant, battling ‘blight of the heart’ on Troost corner

By Tommy Felts / June 3, 2025

‘We are each other’s bootstraps’ Transforming a long-vacant building along Troost into a space for neighborhood small businesses is about empowering the entrepreneurs already living and working in the east side community, said Father Justin Mathews. The newly unveiled RS Impact Exchange — built within the renovated, 1920-built Baker Shoe Building at 3108-3116 Troost Ave.…

Read More >

You can’t plan for this: ‘Mr K’ finalists wary of another ‘wrench into the face’ from Washington

By Tommy Felts / May 30, 2025

An upended national political and economic climate has rippled down to Main Street, acknowledged leaders of this year’s Top 10 Small Businesses, bringing concerns about racism, DEI backlash, tariffs, and supply chain disruptions to Kansas City’s front door.  “We’ve had people come into the shop and harass our employees, our customers,” explained Dulcinea Herrera —…

Read More >

Topeka recruited dozens of Filipino teachers for local classrooms; at year’s end, the district hopes they’ll stay

By Tommy Felts / May 29, 2025

Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro.  [divide] TOPEKA — Although international educators are not new to the state’s capital city, Topeka welcomed about 50 teachers from the Philippines this past school year to address shortages within…

Read More >

KC’s pro pickleball team getting new $6.5M home near Arrowhead, Kauffman Stadium

By Tommy Felts / May 29, 2025

A long-awaited redevelopment project in Kansas City’s stadium corridor is transforming the former CoCo Key Water resort into a vibrant destination pickleball facility with eight indoor courts, a full-service bar and restaurant, a coffee shop, and event spaces. It also will be home to the Kansas City Stingers, a professional team in the National Pickleball…

Read More >
[adinserter block="4"]