News

Porch Light Plans hopes to bring durable, affordable home design to the masses

By Tommy Felts / July 23, 2018

Modern homes should be durable and well-designed enough to last hundreds of years, said Katie Hoke. Lawrence-based Porch Light Plans combines sleek aesthetics with thicker insulation and fewer windows to achieve a contemporary housing option with the potential to slash utility bills in half, said Hoke co-founder of the boutique architectural design firm. “If every…

WYCO sunglasses customizes KC cool for a brightly-colored nationwide vision

By Tommy Felts / July 23, 2018

Kasey Skala frames WYCO as a Kansas City brand ready to look beyond county or state boundaries, he said. “I think it’s great that we started here in the Midwest. We’re proud of being a Midwest brand, growing it here and taking [advantage of] what Kansas City has to offer,” said Skala, WYCO chief marketing…

Now in new Crossroads space, Rightfully Sewn prepares to welcome male sewists (Photos)

By Tommy Felts / July 20, 2018

The secret to any startup venture is to move forward one stitch at a time, said Rightfully Sewn founder Jennifer Lapka. “Start small, struggle, have success, then scale,” she said, quoting one of her many mentors. Freshly moved into a 2,200-square-foot atelier, or design studio, at 1800 Wyandotte St. in the Crossroads, Rightfully Sewn is…

CommunityAmerica teen-led innovation effort lauded for developing college cost calculator

By Tommy Felts / July 20, 2018

College degrees come with two price tags: the sticker price and the net price. A new free tool from the CommunityAmerica teen advisory board is being celebrated for helping students solve the complicated equation that separates the two — as well as determine which college options are financially realistic. “[With] some of the more elite schools,…

Fishing Caddy inventor pours family business into new product: Anywhere Cup Holder

By Tommy Felts / July 19, 2018

Joe Pippins’ latest invention — the Anywhere Cup Holder — can support as much as 50 pounds in a single cup, he said. It’s a solution that serves the needs of everyone from mechanics and fishing enthusiasts to gardeners and people who entertain in their homes, said Pippins, founder of Live Holdings, which produces the…