News Stories

Unruh Furniture at Made in KC Marketplace on the Country Club Plaza

After historic church’s collapse, Unruh Furniture builds new showroom in one of the Plaza’s busiest hubs 

The demolition of Westminster Congregational Church not only puts an end to its one-of-a-kind architecture, but also the century-long memories that come with the building, said Sam Unruh. “When I first stumbled across the old church, it had been vacant for seven or eight years and was in really bad shape,” recalled the founder of…

Made in KC Midtown

First look: Made in KC opens Martini Corner shop with The Black Pantry, limited-run attractions

Made in KC’s new flagship shop on the revitalized Martini Corner in Midtown — a storefront shared with The Black Pantry — is a place of discovery, said Keith Bradley, emphasizing the eclectic blend of Kansas City products alongside home goods, specialty foods, and daily necessities from Black-owned companies. The 1,300-square-foot Made in KC retail space…

Serendipity Labs, Overland Park

Disrupting the work-home loop: Serendipity Labs brings luxe concierge coworking to Overland Park

One of the metro’s newest coworking spaces prides itself on hospitality — but happy hour comes as a bonus.  “When people order DoorDash or GrubHub — we’re bringing that to your office with extra plates and napkins. ‘What kind of soda do you want? What kind of snacks do you want?’” said Dawniel Richards, general manager of…

Obe, Inc., Plug and Play Topeka

New accelerator aims to capitalize on pet health, agtech hub with international cohort

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. This series is possible thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which leads a collaborative, nationwide effort to identify and remove large and small barriers to new business creation. TOPEKA…

Amanda McIntyre, Classy Canines

No-shame salon: How a dog grooming business helped its owner overcome life’s bites

Dogs don’t judge, said Amanda McIntyre as she sat in the grooming shop she built from scratch with a thrifty $5,000 and the experience of a life-changing business program. “I’ve been judged my whole life,” shared McIntyre, who founded Classy Canines after overcoming a turbulent battle with addiction. “But, when it comes to dogs, they…