New Made in Kansas City Cafe Serves Culture and Collaboration with Coffee

By Kevin Collison

If the founders of the new Made in Kansas City Cafe at 1114 Baltimore achieve their goals, it will brew some revolutionary ideas and fresh culture along with its coffee.

“It’s important to think of the function of coffee shops throughout history in the Western world,” said Ozzie Mendoza Diaz, beverage director. “They were the birthplaces of social and political revolutions.”

This is not just the latest coffee shop in downtown, although it does feature products from 10 local roasters.

The new space on the first floor of the historic Hotel Bray building features a coffee bar, merchandise from 300 local vendors and a place for up to 150 people to sit, converse and maybe hatch a few ideas to elevate Kansas City culture.

Made in Kansas City Cafe offers merchandise from local vendors and a welcoming place to collaborate.

And beginning sometime this spring, a tap room featuring local beers is planned for the back room.

“We do it for the culture of Kansas City, much of it is unrecognized although it’s becoming more recognized and we like to feel we’re part of it,” said Mendoza Diaz.

This is the fourth Made in Kansas City in the metro, with others located in Briarcliff in the Northland, Prairiefire in Overland Park and Corinth Square in Prairie Village. The founders are Tyler Enders, Thomas McIntyre and Keith Bradley.

Mendoza Diaz said the developer of the nine-story building, which is being converted to apartments, solicited Made in Kansas City to open on the ground floor.

Hours are from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Mendoza Diaz said there are four or five coffee shops within a block of Made in Kansas City, but there’s is the only locally owned one. Baked goods including Rosemary shortbread, Pop Tarts and ham and cheese croissants are among the offerings prepared by Heirloom.

“As people who are celebrating the culture of Kansas City, it’s a natural extension of our brand to approach it as a cafe, with products and space for people to work and collaborate,” he said.

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The new Made in Kansas City Cafe occupies the first floor of the historic Hotel Bray building, which is being renovated as apartments.