Local

Explore a snapshot of Kansas City's local business landscape

Stories by Kansas City Star journalists, with AI summarization

The curated articles describe Kansas City's local business landscape, highlighting the resilience and challenges faced by various entities. Stories reveal how local businesses and nonprofits adapt to economic pressures and unexpected setbacks. In one instance, a salon owner rebuilds her beauty business after a car accident disrupts operations. Screenland Armour plans to bring traditional film formats to their cinema, funded through a community-backed initiative.

The Upper Cut KC engages customers with unique meat offerings and showcases farm-to-table practices. Meanwhile, FosterAdopt Connect faces funding cuts, threatening services for vulnerable children and families. These stories collectively illustrate the ongoing struggles and communal efforts in Kansas City's business and nonprofit sectors.

Terry Herron, a butcher at The Upper Cut, handles a quarter of a cow in the back of the butcher shop and restaurant on Thursday, July 24, 2025 in Liberty. The butcher shop and restaurant raises, ages, and cuts their own in-house beef. By Dominick Williams

NO. 1: ‘CAN YOU TACKLE MEAT MOUNTAIN?’ VIRAL KC AREA SHOP ISN’T YOUR AVERAGE BUTCHER

The 10-patty burger challenge has five buns, garlic butter caramelized onions, smoked jalapeños and more. Here’s what else sets the Northland business apart. | Published August 5, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jenna Thompson

Bianca Russell opened Prestige Beauty Salon at 7515 Troost Avenue just before the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and has been open for five years. One car accident closed her business indefinitely.

NO. 2: WALDO SALON OWNER REBUILDS BUSINESS AFTER CAR SMASHES KC SALON: ‘TRYING TO LIVE’

Bianca Russell opened her /Kansas City/ beauty salon just before the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, enduring and went through one of the roughest times in recent history for businesses unscathed, she said. | Published August 5, 2025 | Read Full Story by PJ Green

Financial cuts in Kansas and Missouri have one local child welfare agency, which helps kids in foster care and those who have been adopted, trying to shoulder the impact. By Neil Nakahodo

NO. 3: KC-AREA FOSTER CARE NONPROFIT REELING AFTER $1.3M IN CUTS: ‘MOST DEVASTATING YEAR’

Financial cuts in Kansas and Missouri have one local child welfare agency, which helps kids in foster care and those who have been adopted, struggling to shoulder the impact. | Published August 6, 2025 | Read Full Story by Laura Bauer, Kacen Bayless

The Panic Film Fest will present movies at the Screenland Armour in North Kansas City as well as online.

NO. 4: SCREENLAND ARMOUR WILL BRING RARE FILM FORMAT TO KC. BUT IT’LL NEED HELP

Screenland Armour, one of a few locally -owned movie theaters in Kansas City, is bringing in a new film projectors to show new and old movies the way directors intended. | Published August 5, 2025 | Read Full Story by Joseph Hernandez

A view of Kansas City’s famed Country Club Plaza in 2024. Office vacancy rates on the Plaza remained relatively stable following COVID. By Tammy Ljungblad

NO. 5: THIS KANSAS CITY HOTEL NEAR WESTPORT AND THE PLAZA IS CLOSING IN THE FALL

A Hilton spokesperson confirmed that the 266-room hotel will close on September 15 and will no longer be part of the Hilton portfolio after that date. | Published August 5, 2025 | Read Full Story by Chris Higgins

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.