The Crossroads building that sits at 1924 Main St. has housed some of the most notable restaurants in KC’s dining scene – most recently the Rieger Hotel (which closed during the pandemic) and has been vacant until now. This month, a new restaurant is bringing it back to life – a neighborhood Italian joint called The Wise Guy. “We wanted it to be the type of Italian tavern you might see in New York or Chicago — a place that kind of takes you back to a different time,” The Wise Guy co-owner Zach Marten told The KC Star. With its dimly lit interior, large bar and seven wall TVs, The Wise Guy come ..read more

The Clay County Economic Development Council recently held its annual State of the Cities Luncheon at Harrah’s North Kansas City on April 19. The conference brought together local developers, business leaders and municipalities to discuss several upcoming projects that aim to provide significant economic growth in Clay County. City officials from the county had the opportunity to share updates on public and private developments happening in their communities.  “Every community in Clay County has a lot of exciting projects going on right now”, says North Kansas City Mayor Bryant DeLong. Th ..read more

Here are nine great things to do in Kansas City this weekend, April 25-28, including: Simply the Best: The Music of Tina Turner, Alvvays and The Simon & Garfunkel Story. Stranger Sings This Parody Musical is a hilarious ‘upside down’ take on the hit Netflix series amplifying its campy 1980s costuming and themes in Stranger Sings. From the company that brought Kansas City Evil Dead The MusicaL & The Rocky Horror Show, take a trip back to Hawkins, Indiana in 1983 in a time where things were simpler, hair was bigger and unsupervised children were getting snatched by interdimensional creat ..read more

An avalanche of orders for a KC made baseball cap came in as soon as Taylor Swift was spotted wearing it at the Coachella music festival. After Swift was seen wearing a green baseball cap emblazoned with the words New Heights, the name of Travis and Jason Kelce’s podcast, at Coachella, Sandlot the hat’s exclusive maker has now been tasked with making thousands of baseball caps by hand over the next few weeks. Sandlots makes them for Homage, the official merchandise partner of the New Heights Podcast (based in Columbus, Ohio). “The Taylor Swift effect is undeniable,” says Garret Prather, the vi ..read more

Chef Robin Krause’s health-focused spot Billie’s Grocery (billiesgrocery.com) was a breath of fresh air when it opened in June of 2020. With a raw dessert bar, cold-pressed juices and a colorful, organic-heavy menu, the wide-open Midtown space, naturally lit by massive windows, feels like a spot you’d stumble upon in a bigger city like Chicago or Los Angeles. That’s because Krause spent time traveling during her years as a health coach, certified herbalist and yoga teacher. At Billie’s, it’s not a diet Krause is serving but a lifestyle—one where there’s something delicious and healthy for ever ..read more

Meat Mitch’s Master Dinner Series is picking back up next month and starting off with a bang. The first dinner Barbacoa on May 8 is a collaboration between not one, but two local Mexican restaurants. The result will be a six-course fiery fusion between traditional Mexican flavors and classic KC ‘cue. The dinner features Barbacoa (one of our Best New Restaurants of 2023) and Taco Naco, which made our Top 40 KC Restaurants in 2022. Taco Naco recently opened a second location in Westport to cater to their ever-growing audience.  According to Chef Roman of Barbacoa, the pairing of M ..read more

Andrea Marie Boswell-Burns knows what you crave while shopping – retro-themed pastries and craft cocktails. At her new pop-up vintage boutique, Hula Hoop, you can indulge in both these things for an “immersive” shopping experience. “I love to shop, I love a fancy cocktail and I love a party,” states Boswell-Burns in a press release. “Hula Hoop combines all three and creates a real shopping “experience.”” Hula Hoop (given its name because fashion always comes back around) is a “vintage-inspired, Insta-worthy space” that features a curated collection of vintage and modern fashion, merchandise an ..read more

Here are thirteen great things to do in KC this weekend, April 18-21, including: AJR, Waxahatchee and The Floozies. Stranger Sings This Parody Musical is a hilarious ‘upside down’ take on the hit Netflix series amplifying its campy 1980s costuming and themes in Stranger Sings. From the company that brought Kansas City Evil Dead The Musical & The Rocky Horror Show, take a trip back to Hawkins, Indiana in 1983 in a time where things were simpler, hair was bigger and unsupervised children were getting snatched by inter-dimensional creatures.  April 5-28. Times vary. The Black Box. View ..read more

Mexican baked goods are prominent in KCK and north of the river but you’d be hard pressed to find them further south. Professional bakers and husband and wife duo Javier and Kerianne Nuñez are looking to change that with their Overland Park Mexican-inspired cafe and bakery expected to open next month.  Aurora Cafe and Bakery, located on the first floor of the BOK Financial building on College Blvd. and Metcalf (7101 College Blvd, Suite 101, OPKS), will bake Mexican breads like pan dulce, teleras and bolillo rolls from scratch daily. The couple doesn’t want to put themselves in a box, howe ..read more

An annual business and pitch competition for student entrepreneurs with start-up ideas recently doled out over $80,000 in award money at UMKC. The Regnier Venture Creation Challenge (RVCC) is an annual awards ceremony hosted each Spring at UMKC’s Henry W. Bloch School of Management. RVCC is a business plan and pitch competition for degree-seeking students located in Missouri and its bordering states, as well as any student who completes the Entrepreneurship Scholars Program in the Bloch management school. The money serves as an equity-free prize to help entrepreneurs launch and grow their busi ..read more