Kansas City small businesses

HerCafe, a matcha business founded by a University of Missouri-Kansas City student and her friend, has found success with its weekend popups around the metro area. Customers line up at mosques, wellness events and outside clothing stores for a taste of their specialty drinks.

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.

More than a dozen bars that promise to air women's sports on TV have popped up across the country over the last few years. After more than a year of renovations and setup, The Dub is ready to bring the movement to downtown Kansas City.

Health insurance premiums are expected to jump in 2026, and many Kansas City businesses say they’ll be forced to pass some of the increase on to employees.

Silvia Miguel started Pan Caliente in 2012, making alfajores, empanadas and other baked goods from her native Patagonia. After leaving her teaching job to focus on the business full-tmie, she now sells at cafes across the Kansas City metro.

At Dozer, kids put down the screens to play in the sand. A Children’s Mercy pediatrician says it is one way to restore family connection amid "technoference."

Small business owners want Kansas Citians to know they don't want to raise prices, but President Donald Trump's turbulent tariff policy has put them in a tough spot. Businesses say the situation is "unsettling."

Buying a new trumpet or trombone could get a lot more expensive, as Kansas City music store owners are getting hit hard by President Trump's on-again, off-again tariffs. Plus: A prominent Kansas abortion clinic has a new leader with plans to expand access.

Missouri Rep. Mark Alford said the U.S. Small Business Administration should relocate its regional office to Columbia. While Kansas City is not actually a "sanctuary city," Mayor Quinton Lucas has expressed support for the city's growing population of immigrants and refugees.

It was an all-hands-on-deck effort after the AFC Championship as team members from Sandlot Goods and Made in KC unloaded box after box of newly produced Super Bowl-ready apparel. They're among the businesses across Kansas City that are trying to savor — and capitalize on — this unusual moment.

The shopping season between Thanksgiving and Christmas can be a big boost to local businesses. In a year marred by a rash of property crimes against small shops, cafes, and restaurants, Kansas City business owners have extra cause to hope shoppers spend their money in town.

The Kansas City region is something of a vinyl lover’s paradise. Whether you're just getting started with record collecting, or a seasoned crate-digger, here are the top shops for both new and used albums.