Shopify-linked e-commerce platform adds $5M KCMO investment to its cart, delivering 46 new jobs to region

December 11, 2024  |  Startland News Staff

OpenStore's new Kansas City fulfillment center at the Executive Park Logistics Center, 3 2100 North Corrington Ave., Kansas City; courtesy photo

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.

startland-tip-jar

TIP JAR

Did you enjoy this post? Show your support by becoming a member or buying us a coffee.

2024 Startups to Watch

    stats here

    Related Posts on Startland News

    KC-area startup nets $20K Kansas pitch tournament win with game-changing edtech

    By Tommy Felts | March 22, 2025

    WICHITA — The team at VU Scholarships left it all on the stage Friday, walking away as champions in the Gamechangers & Champions bracket bash — a high-intensity pitch competition running parallel to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament in Wichita. By outlasting 31 other Sunflower State companies, the Roeland Park-based edtech startup earned $20,000 in…

    Kauffman adds comms leader to boost transparency, clarity as Foundation moves into new era of engagement

    By Tommy Felts | March 20, 2025

    During a time of change and transition, a clear voice is more critical than ever, leaders of the Kauffman Foundation said Thursday, announcing Amy Unruh as the influential philanthropic organization’s new communications director. “We’re in a really exciting chapter for the Foundation,” said Dr. Susan Klusmeier, chief of staff for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.…

    So you think you’re CEO material? UMKC’s ‘CEO Academy’ puts that ambition to the test

    By Tommy Felts | March 19, 2025

    Aspiring executives with an eye on the C-suite need to be ready well before the opportunity arises, said Dan Hesse, leaning on his years of past experience as president and CEO of Sprint. It’s not about just being the boss, he emphasized. “Of all the roles, that of the CEO is so different than any…

    Still in the game: 16 startups advance in Kansas pitch tournament; courting a new style of seed funding

    By Tommy Felts | March 17, 2025

    WICHITA — And then there were 16. Monday’s pitch competition announcement served up sweet news for more than a dozen Kansas startups as local founders learned they’re advancing in the Gamechangers & Champions “Bracket Bash for Innovators and Angels” — a tournament-style event set to end with a $20,000 grand prize. The just-released list of…