Nikki Overfelt Chifalu
Reporter, Startland News
Nikki brings to Startland News both community journalism and entrepreneurship experience and she loves being able to tell the inspiring stories of fellow creatives and risk-takers.
Before joining Startland News, she worked for over 10 years writing and editing for daily newspapers in Lawrence, Topeka, Duluth, Minnesota, and Park Hills, Missouri. She took a short hiatus from journalism to pursue her dream of becoming a pastry chef and starting her own baking business.
Recent Articles by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu
MVP in his field: Royals groundskeeper earns his own bobblehead for keeping The K green amid ups and downs
For the club’s first-ever Ag Night, the Kansas City Royals are celebrating — and bestowing the honor of a bobblehead — on their very own farmer. That’s what Trevor Vance — who has been keeping the field at Kauffman Stadium perfectly manicured for nearly 40 years — considers himself and other groundskeepers, he shared. “We’re…
‘Neon Alley’ turning on 40 historic KC signs at Pennway Point, lighting the way to new entertainment district
The planned Pennway Point entertainment district near the Crossroads and Union Station soon will be awash in the glow of neon history, said Nick Vedros. “What’s more Kansas City than to have all these great signs that were once part of our city’s historical fabric all in one spot?” said Vedros, teasing the future Lumi…
Don’t sleep on ‘Barbie’, KC theater owner warns as Barbenheimer blockbuster arrives
‘Barbenheimer’ could bring best movie-going weekend in nearly a decade; How KC theaters are getting dolled up for the blockbuster Local theaters are expecting a blockbuster weekend, thanks to a highly anticipated and unlikely double feature opening Thursday. Dubbed “Barbenheimer,” the high-profile films “Barbie” — a fictionalized focus on the doll-turned-fashion icon — and “Oppenheimer”…
Full circle: Coffee shop and cocktail bar serve hometown hangout vibes thirsty locals won’t want to leave
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 percolating day-night hotspot might not feel like it belongs in Topeka, owners say, but the uncompromising space is what the neighborhood deserves TOPEKA — Capitol City natives David Vincent…
Made in KC’s trolley cafe gets a new driver: Iconic Kansas City brand set to reopen space in August
The Made In KC Trolley in River Market — a full service cafe within a vintage, refurbished Kansas City streetcar — is winding down its run this weekend; next aboard the repurposed artifact of local history: Donutology. After being approached by Made In KC about the opportunity, Donutology will take over the trolley cafe July…
It started as a T-shirt company (now it’s a popular cheesecake destination); meet the nonprofit that helped this Kansas biz pivot
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 Entrepreneurial Growth Ventures (EGV), a business unit of NetWork Kansas supporting innovative, high-growth entrepreneurs in the State of Kansas. WICHITA — Side hustles don’t…
Cafe Cà Phê returns to the West Bottoms with second location for KC’s popular Vietnamese coffee shop
A Cafe Cà Phê satellite location inside 12th Street Post in the West Bottoms is the perfect step for continuing the mission of Kansas City’s only Vietnamese coffee shop, shared founder Jackie Nguyen. Just shy of the one year anniversary of its Columbus Park space, Cafe Cà Phê celebrated the grand opening of its new…
She wanted to bring her favorite foodie magazine to KC; her mother’s sudden death put this publisher’s plans on the back burner
Lauren Cook’s passion for Edible Communities magazine drove her appetite to revive it in Kansas City, she shared, but an unexpected life change has her hoping to hand the publisher’s apron to someone else. Cook purchased the license to publish the city-specific food magazine — each independently run by publishers in metros across the country…
Her red sauce is dynamite but Ragazza’s owner gives the chef title to her Italian heritage
Family is baked into the core of Laura Norris’ restaurants, she shared, from the Italian recipes served at Ragazza in Westport to the brother-sister duo running the new Enzo Wine Bar and Bistro together in the River Market. She opened Ragazza, which now sits at the corner of 43rd and Main streets, in 2013 and…
Corridor of support: Plug and Play credits interconnected region for global accelerator’s Topeka wins
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. TOPEKA — Collaboration is the catalyst behind Topeka’s swelling entrepreneurial ecosystem, shared Lindsay Lebahn, and it’s attracting innovation from across the globe. “Plug and Play Topeka sees a lot of…