Kansas City business growth ahead of 2026 World Cup

Kansas City’s new business development shows entrepreneurs, developers, and the city government each taking steps to boost the local economy. Many work to open food and beverage spots, build affordable housing, or fill empty storefronts before the 2026 World Cup.

One new fried chicken and seafood restaurant opened near Rockhurst University. Arrow Dart Club set up a modern dart bar in the Crossroads, offering arcade-style games and a special bar menu. A real estate developer plans to build 25 new affordable homes on vacant lots in Kansas City, Kansas. The city started a program to subsidize rent and costs for businesses moving into empty spaces ahead of the World Cup. Gambino’s Pizza from Wichita is preparing to open a new location downtown. Woodyard Bar-B-Que returned to family management and introduced classic menu elements and a new brewery.

Frankie Schloegel, from left, his father, Frank Schloegel III, and Oscar Scott, grandson, at Woodyard Bar-B-Que, 3001 Merriam Lane, in Kansas City, Kansas, on Tuesday, October 14, 2025. The family-owned business is back under the family's management and is making some improvements to the restaurant. Scott will be the general manager. By Tammy Ljungblad

NO. 1: LONG-RUNNING KANSAS CITY BARBECUE RESTAURANT IS BACK ‘UNDER OLD MANAGEMENT’

Woodyard Bar-B-Que has gone downhill. | Published October 15, 2025 | Read Full Story by David Hudnall

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KC Fry Bros is a new restaurant serving chicken and seafood.

NO. 2: NEW KANSAS CITY FRIED CHICKEN AND SEAFOOD RESTAURANT HAS OPENED

Fried chicken wings, fried shrimp, fried catfish, fried tilapia. | Published October 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jenna Thompson

Kansas City hopes to fill empty storefronts with businesses during the World Cup through a program that would subsidize their rent and offer grants of up to $10,000. By Eric Adler

NO. 3: KC TO PAY FOR BUSINESSES TO OCCUPY EMPTY STOREFRONTS AS WORLD CUP PROGRAM BEGINS

Are you an artist, maybe a chef, or small business looking for a place to put your wares before what is expected to be Kansas City’s thousands of World Cup visitors? | Published October 15, 2025 | Read Full Story by Eric Adler

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Gambino’s Pizza is coming to Wichita. By Courtesy

NO. 4: WICHITA-BASED PIZZA RESTAURANT ‘EXCITED’ TO OPEN FIRST KANSAS CITY SPOT DOWNTOWN

Wichita-based Gambino’s Pizza will open a downtown Kansas City location early next year. | Published October 16, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jenna Thompson

Arrow Dart Club offers 10 high-tech dart lanes. By Jenna Thompson

NO. 5: LOOKING FOR A DARTS BAR? NEW CROSSROADS SPOT PROMISES ‘NOT YOUR GRANDPA’S DARTS’

When customers reserve a dart lane at Kansas City’s newest entertainment bar, they’ll likely find it’s not quite the same game they once played in their basements. | Published October 17, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jenna Thompson

Fran Sutton, a real estate broker-turned-developer in Kansas City, Kansas, on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. Sutton is trying to address a local housing shortage by tapping into some of the more than 4,300 vacant and abandoned lots that KCK has in its land bank. By Dominick Williams

NO. 6: SHE’S BUILDING 25 HOMES ON KCK VACANT LOTS THAT PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY AFFORD. HOW?

When Fran Sutton stands at 21st Street and Quindaro Boulevard in Kansas City, Kansas, she doesn’t see abandoned land. | Published October 18, 2025 | Read Full Story by Sofi Zeman

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.