Joyce Smith
ContributorFlatland contributor Joyce Smith has covered retail and restaurants for nearly 40 years with The Kansas City Star. Click here to follow her on Bluesky, here for X, here for Facebook, here for Instagram, and by following #joyceinkc on Threads.
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Justin Easterwood is building out a 5,400-square-foot Chef J BBQ location in North Kansas City after years inside The Beast haunted house in the West Bottoms — which will stay open as well. The new space will let patrons get up close to the smokers and pitmasters. -
The owners of Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que plan to launch Joe’s Next Door in May just across Mission Road from its original gas station restaurant. -
Watts had a long stint serving up treats with her sisters under Big Momma’s Bakery-Cafe and then as a home-based business. This past May, she opened her own brick and mortar on E. 12th Street. -
Tap Ins at the Greenhouse debuted to the public Tuesday, with a 19-hole mini golf course dotted with palm trees and cacti. It also includes a sports bar, restaurant, ice cream shop and private event spaces. -
First opened in 2018, the Kansas City cocktail bar will shut its doors at the end of January. The new landlord plans to convert the space into a new lounge concept — to the dismay of many longtime customers. But Afterword's leaders are hunting for a new home. -
The Littlest Library, which opened on Independence Square last week, offers romance and fantasy genres and books in Spanish. It also features a hidden event space. -
Located in the former Starbucks building, the Current Shop will feature kits and branded scarves, plus a customization station where fans can personalize their gear. It also will be a site for player autograph signings and other team programming. -
André’s Confiserie Suisse, a family-run chocolatier for 70 years, helped redefine accessible luxury in the Midwest. While the Overland Park location is set to close at the end of the year, the brand has no plans to slow production. -
Pop star Taylor Swift was spotted during the Kansas City Chiefs’ AFC Championship run in 2024 wearing an EB and Co. piece. The exposure helped the Kansas City brand rapidly expand. -
After surviving cancer, Kansas City restauranteur Shawn McClenny is opening Lilico's Taverna in the former home of The Pairing. The Spanish-inspired cafe will specialize in sangria, charcuterie boards, caviar, and an array of imported tins of seafood.
