News

Outta The Blue, Park Place

Made in KC opens beachy JoCo café Outta The Blue — complete with indoor palm trees and tropical drinks

By Tommy Felts / June 10, 2021

In an era of online ordering, curbside delivery and quick departures, Made in KC’s latest concept — a breezy beach café in Leawood — envisions an oasis where Kansas Citians swing by, but stay, for local coffee, natural wines, hard-to-find tropical cocktails, and vegan sandwiches from Mattie’s. “We’re not quite a full-on restaurant experience with this…

Read More >
Fanny Ruiz de Chavez, Sabor Latino

‘I have to make it’: Fanny Ruiz de Chavez refused service to failure; 16 months later, she’s still cooking

By Tommy Felts / June 10, 2021

 Story and photos by Channa Steinmetz, Startland News | Video by Catherine Hoffman, Flatland Sitting in fear was quickly off the menu for Fanny Ruiz de Chavez — told less than two months after her Lee’s Summit restaurant’s 2020 grand opening that she’d need to close down because of COVID-19 restrictions, she recalled.  “I…

Read More >
Bo Fishback, Airtasker

How Zaarly’s ‘gruesome’ shutdown led to a $2.6M task for Bo Fishback (Hint: It began with a mysterious overseas email)

By Tommy Felts / June 8, 2021

Two months after announcing “the final chapter” of Zaarly, the Kansas City startup’s founder and 12-member team have joined a fast-growing international tech company — bringing the overseas brand to the U.S. via Zaarly’s existing footprint and expertise. “There’s no other company in the world with more shared origin DNA to Zaarly,” Bo Fishback, founder…

Read More >

Five KC startups find home, validation in Techstars 2021 class; Up next: new markets

By Tommy Felts / June 8, 2021

Joining the latest class of Techstars Kansas City is expected to help startups like afloat scale what’s worked in Kansas City into other markets, said Sarah-Allen Preston, founder of a KC gift-sending app that connects users’ social circles, communities, and businesses. “Being selected for Techstars is a great validation for afloat’s momentum after a year…

Read More >
Maxfield Kaniger Kanbe's Markets; photo courtesy of Kanbe's Markets

Max Kaniger, Kanbe’s Markets named ‘changemaker’ by Triscuit, earning $50K grant

By Tommy Felts / June 8, 2021

A Kansas City nonprofit leader is among the inaugural “changemakers” selected for a $50,000 grant as part of Triscuit’s $1 million commitment to its Missing Ingredients Project. Maxfield Kaniger, CEO and founder of Kanbe’s Markets, was announced for the honor Tuesday with funds expected to support Kanbe’s unique and innovative community-based micro market program, which…

Read More >