Made in KC Artisan Cooperative Pulling Into the River Market

By Kevin Collison

Made in Kansas City is pulling into the River Market, occupying the vintage streetcar permanently parked at the corner of Fifth and Delaware.

The new outlet, the cooperative’s third downtown location, is expected to open in January and include the eclectic mix of locally-made products that has made the venture a success around the metro since it first started in 2015.

“Made in KC is a tremendous new addition on Delaware,” said Craig Slawson. “The location inside the vintage streetcar will make for a truly unique shopping experience which is exactly what we are building on the street.”

Keith Bradley, co-owner of Made in KC, said the new outlet will be similar to the cafe it opened last year at 1114 Baltimore.

“What we plan to do is a 300 square-foot version of that (cafe) inside a trolley,” he said. “It’s not nearly as big as our (Country Club) Plaza location. It’ll be a cafe with walk-up windows.”

Slawson has been transforming a historic stretch on the west side of Delaware between Third Street and Independence Avenue with new shops and restaurants. The Denver developer purchased the properties last year.

He obtained the old streetcar a year ago and originally planned to reuse it as an ice cream parlor. It once served Kansas City between 1947 and 1957, and later was used in Toronto and San Francisco before going into storage in 1979.

The ice cream concept evolved however, into the new Betty Rae’s Ice Cream shop that opened next to the old streetcar last summer at 412 Delaware.

Slawson said the new Made in KC outlet will provide “grab-and-go” food and beverage items as well as unique products with a Kansas City flair. He also said Made in KC will be applying for a liquor license for its streetcar outlet.

“Made in KC will offering fun, branded goods for people visiting Kansas City and the River Market,” he said.

Bradley said the streetcar location will serve beer, wine and coffee drinks and also feature local craft merchandise including Charlie Hustle, Sandlot Goods and Lake Candles. There will be inside seating as well as outdoors.

“Part of it is the excitement of the old trolley coming to life,” he said. “It’s right on the streetcar line and it’s a merging of new and old worlds.”

This will be Made in KC’s sixth overall location in the metro. Made in KC curates and offers unique products made by local artisans and makers.

“Made in KC is excited to be a part of the historic and bustling River Market district,” Bradley said. “This neighborhood is one of the many examples of what makes Kansas City such a great city.”

Made in KC also has a shop in the Crossroads at 509 E. 19th St.

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