KC wine store of 4 years to close: ‘Sick of fighting small business problems’
Marco Polo Selections, a Kansas City wine store of four years, is closing down its Waldo location soon.
Nate Riley, owner of the business, said the 336 W. 75th St. spot’s closing date is still up in the air.
His inventory is being sold quickly, so he expects its last day to be sometime next week.
Meanwhile, the Olathe location at 106 S. Cherry St. will remain open under new ownership. Riley did not disclose the new owners’ names.
“They are residents of Johnson County, and they live not too far from the store, and they wanted it to stay open,” he said. “Everybody out there is very excited to keep it open.”
He hopes the growth in the downtown Olathe area will help Marco Polo Selections excel there.
Riley said he’s leaving the small business life altogether and entering the corporate world. While he’ll miss the people, he won’t miss the difficulties of entrepreneurship.
“I’m just kinda sick of fighting the small business problems every day,” he said. “It’s been fun, it’s been wonderful. … Small businesses are really, really hard, and right now they’re exceptionally hard.”
He said construction in the Waldo area is especially hurting his business.
Riley made the announcement on social media Tuesday and received overwhelming response from longtime customers in the neighborhood.
“Yesterday was emotional. There were tears shed yesterday, which caught me off guard,” he said. “The people were the main reason we kept it going as long as we did.”
Marco Polo aims to provide a laid-back shopping experience for consumers, offering wines from around the world. Many are at a lower price point.
Its Olathe spot opened in 2023.