Business
KC Wellness Club Brings New Age Healing to Downtown
By Kevin Collison Heath Wessling didn’t exactly take the path you’d predict for someone who considers his Kansas City Wellness Club the center for New Age healing in downtown. A native of rural Iowa, Wessling was all business when Cerner, the giant healthcare tech firm, hired him in 2001 to work in management information systems…
Fresh Karma Going Big on Midtown Marijuana Dispensary
By Kevin Collison A long-neglected property at 240 E. Linwood across from Costco and Home Depot is slated to be the home of one of the city’s larger medical marijuana dispensaries. Construction is underway for a 5,500 square-foot dispensary operated by Fresh Karma. It’s one of three dispensaries the firm is planning. The others are…
Waddell & Reed Sold, Future of Downtown HQ Plans Uncertain
By Kevin Collison Waddell & Reed has been sold to an Australian global financial firm, casting a big shadow over its plans to relocate its headquarters to a $148 million downtown tower under construction that was approved for tax incentives only a year ago. The Overland Park-based firm announced late Wednesday it has entered into…
Owner of Closing Star Press Pavilion Wants to Play Ball with New Users
(Updated Feb. 24, Kessinger Hunter has listed the 344,000 square-foot soon-to-be vacated Star Press Building as available for lease) By Kevin Collison The Star may be exiting its big green-glass press pavilion at 16th and McGee next year, but the newspaper’s landlord said the two-block long structure won’t be going anywhere–unless the Royals might like…
One Less Egg in Downtown’s Breakfast Basket, Denny’s Closes
(Editor’s note: After this article was posted, breakfast lovers responded via social media about other downtown options including the Town Topic, Spokes Café|Cyclery, Banksia, the Opera House and hotel restaurants.) By Kevin Collison The Denny’s restaurant at 16th and Broadway has closed, leaving a breakfast-starved downtown with fewer options, but clearing the table for a…
Developer Snaps Up Buildings on Main Near Planned Streetcar Stops
By Kevin Collison Exact Partners is continuing to snap up properties along the planned streetcar extension on Main Street, purchasing two office buildings at corners near where stops will be located at 31st and 39th streets. The firm, which includes Caleb Buland of Exact Architects and his partner Ilan Salzberg of Denver, is investing $10…
Halls Dropping Dishes to Focus on Fashion
By Kevin Collison Halls, downtown’s largest retail store, is revamping its operation at Crown Center, adding more luxury goods, dropping its cosmetics and home décor merchandise, and shrinking its size by about 22 percent. The changes to the store, which opened at its current site four years ago, are in response to the changing tastes…
Midtown Market Opening Soon Near Planned Streetcar Stop
By Kevin Collison Main Street in Midtown is getting its first new grocery store in years, and proprietor Sheraz “Shawn” Choudry believes its location in a relative food desert near a future streetcar stop should make it a success. “We’ll try to bring in all kinds of food from all over the world,” he said. “The…
Made in KC Opens River Market Café in Vintage Streetcar
By Kevin Collison After months of bureaucratic delays, Made in Kansas City’s River Market location is on track for opening this Friday, serving a variety of coffee drinks from a vintage streetcar permanently parked at Fifth and Delaware. News of a potential River Market location first surfaced almost two years ago, and Keith Bradley, co-owner…
Elegant Hotel Kansas City Opens in Historic KC Club Building
By Kevin Collison The new Hotel Kansas City opened Thursday, and the beautifully restored building retains the signature features of the historic Kansas City Club accented with a sophisticated blend of modern flourishes. “We are the most luxurious hotel in the market, there’s no other comparisons,” said Sarah Beck, director of sales and marketing. “Our…