‘Let’s help them rebuild’: Community raises funds for KC coffee shop damaged in crash
Owners of a local Kansas City coffee shop are asking for help keeping their employees paid after a pickup truck crashed into their business on Tuesday, causing the business to close temporarily.
Anchor Island Coffee, located at 4101 S. Troost Ave., was hit by the truck around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday with enough force to send bricks to the back of the shop, co-owner Mike Hastings told The Star by phone on Tuesday night.
A GoFundMe was created by a customer to help keep up paychecks as well as to help fund repairs and cleanup at Anchor Island, which opened its doors in March 2020. As of the Thursday afternoon, the online fundraiser was nearing $12,000 of its $20,000 goal.
Hastings who owns the shop with his husband, said they were grateful no one was seriously hurt and that community members were eager to help.
“Armando and Mike are truly passionate and caring, plus they serve great coffee and food,” the GoFundMe reads. “Let’s help them rebuild and take care of their employees.”
The night of the crash, the shop’s door frame appeared severely damaged, and broken glass and debris were scattered across the floor.
“Right now we’re just kind of all in shock,” said Hastings, 33, of Kansas City, adding that he was told the driver of the pickup truck had left the scene on foot. Hastings said the business was closed when the crash happened, and no employees were hurt.
By the next day, in a Facebook post, the owners said their main concern was paying their employees until the business was able to reopen. As of Wednesday afternoon, the business said it was still trying to figure out the insurance coverage for the damage.
The Star’s Bill Lukitsch contributed.
