Amenities missing from downtown

[mister816]

I just came back from Chicago and there is literally a Starbucks on nearlty every block. some blocks had two. Where are our Starbucks? They could literally make so much money by the river market. I know that small boxes are what we're all about in KC but I like Starbucks and have a gold card. I'm at the market every Sunday and some Saturday and there are THOUSANDS of people walking around.

If there were some by the streetcar stops, I would personally get off and get a cup somewhere in the crossroads.

They would clean up.

[earthling]

^You chain lover you. Wouldn't you rather have a Roasterie, Oddly, Parisi, Bway Cafe, Filling Station and/or other locals spread more about? Starbucks is OK but tastes burnt to me. But either way, KC doesn't have anywhere near the density that Chicago has. Downtown doesn't seem to be lacking with coffee joints for its population density.

[flyingember]

I'm expecting A LOT of chains and independent owners locations are watching if the numbers keep up along the streetcar line. three months isn't enough to determine a trend.

If winter stays anywhere in the 2000-4000 range and spring-summer explodes again then I expect 2017 will see a lot of new retail openings downtown

[kboish]

I just came back from Chicago and there is literally a Starbucks on nearlty every block. some blocks had two. Where are our Starbucks? They could literally make so much money by the river market. I know that small boxes are what we're all about in KC but I like Starbucks and have a gold card. I'm at the market every Sunday and some Saturday and there are THOUSANDS of people walking around.

If there were some by the streetcar stops, I would personally get off and get a cup somewhere in the crossroads.

They would clean up.

I count about 17 coffee shops between downtown and crossroads. I think its a good sign that only one of them is a starbucks. I'm actually surprised Crossroads doesn't have more. I probably missed some.

River Market Coffee Shops:
- Quay Coffee- 412 Delaware
- Kaldis- 110 E. 5
- Opera House- 500 Walnut
- City Market Coffee- 305 Main St
- Market 3- 114 w. 3rd
- (Farmhouse, maybe..)

Downtown Loop
- Starbucks-1100 main
- Scooter (x2)- 929 Walnut, 1111 main
- Espresso Ah La Carte - 1000 Walnut
- Kaldis- 1201 main
- Mildreds- 920 Main
- Scratch Bakery- 310 w. 8th
- TeaDrops- HR Block building

Crossroads
- Mildreds- 1821 Wyandotte
- Thou mayest- 419 E. 18th
- PTs- 310 Southwest Blvd
- Parisi- Union Station
- YJs- 128 w. 18th

[mister816]

I just came back from Chicago and there is literally a Starbucks on nearlty every block. some blocks had two. Where are our Starbucks? They could literally make so much money by the river market. I know that small boxes are what we're all about in KC but I like Starbucks and have a gold card. I'm at the market every Sunday and some Saturday and there are THOUSANDS of people walking around.

If there were some by the streetcar stops, I would personally get off and get a cup somewhere in the crossroads.

They would clean up.

I count about 17 coffee shops between downtown and crossroads. I think its a good sign that only one of them is a starbucks. I'm actually surprised Crossroads doesn't have more. I probably missed some.

River Market Coffee Shops:
- Quay Coffee- 412 Delaware
- Kaldis- 110 E. 5
- Opera House- 500 Walnut
- City Market Coffee- 305 Main St
- Market 3- 114 w. 3rd
- (Farmhouse, maybe..)

Downtown Loop
- Starbucks-1100 main
- Scooter (x2)- 929 Walnut, 1111 main
- Espresso Ah La Carte - 1000 Walnut
- Kaldis- 1201 main
- Mildreds- 920 Main
- Scratch Bakery- 310 w. 8th
- TeaDrops- HR Block building

Crossroads
- Mildreds- 1821 Wyandotte
- Thou mayest- 419 E. 18th
- PTs- 310 Southwest Blvd
- Parisi- Union Station
- YJs- 128 w. 18th

I know about most of those Coffee Shops, and I know i sound like a suburban minivan driving soccer mom but I want my Starbucks. There are many people like me whom have a points card and a specific drink we like. I'm just saying that there is like a bank vault that is open and only Starbucks can enter and they are just sitting there letting the money go to waste.

[earthling]

^That's quite a bit for the relatively lower downtown population. But many suburban people love chains and that is mostly who is moving downtown. I'm not exactly a locatarian purist but do lean that direction. Is nice to see there is only one Starbucks downtown. Hope it stays that way. I imagine many would like a Starbucks drivethru, sigh.

[kboish]

BTW, more than once I have seen someone hop out of there car and leave there car blocking the streetcar tracks so they could run into the starbucks to grab a coffee. I didn't get a good look at their plates, but I can take a guess at where they were from.

[smh]

Bottle shop like beer station in waldo

Agreed. I would really like a Bier Station satellite location if I'm honest. Do you think iTap will amount to this or is it more of a Yarhouse/Flying Saucer type establishment?

With a nice library is there a desire for a bookstore/coffeeshop downtown? A Rainy Day or Prospero's bookstore would be nice in River Market and/or Xroads along streetcar line.

I really wish Rainy Day would open a store downtown. I think they would cleanup. My wife alone would keep the doors open.

[taxi]

Bookstores make tons of money.

Fuck Starbucks.

[mykn]

There's actually two Starbucks and I believe 1 "Made By Starbucks" or whatever the franchise things are called. The other main one is in the Crowne Plaza. I believe it's a legit, actual starbucks, and even has better weekend hours than the one on Main.

As much as I hate to admit it, I do like Starbucks and would like to see more in the area. I'm with mister816, I've got my gold card, I know what I like there, it's easy and quick. I secretly keep wishing more would open in Midtown.

[geeman68]

^That's quite a bit for the relatively lower downtown population. But many suburban people love chains and that is mostly who is moving downtown. I'm not exactly a locatarian purist but do lean that direction. Is nice to see there is only one Starbucks downtown. Hope it stays that way. I imagine many would like a Starbucks drivethru, sigh.

I think we could easily support another two-three Starbucks and/or a Dunkin or two. Several of the shops on the previous lists are not specifically coffee shops and several others are in-building tenants that are not sighted from outside/street level pedestrians. Even Parisi at Union Station doesn't stand out and there's not any outside signage to let people know of them. Much like the suburbanites and/or tourists... they are very familiar with Starbucks and many people use their loyalty programs and will bypass a local shop or not even recognize a local shop in order to find a Starbucks. I'm hoping when the new Embassy project at the old Federal Reserve comes to life that they include in-lobby Starbucks.

[mister816]

Bookstores make tons of money.

Fuck Starbucks.

Lol. Bookstores make a ton of money

[mister816]

There's actually two Starbucks and I believe 1 "Made By Starbucks" or whatever the franchise things are called. The other main one is in the Crowne Plaza. I believe it's a legit, actual starbucks, and even has better weekend hours than the one on Main.

As much as I hate to admit it, I do like Starbucks and would like to see more in the area. I'm with mister816, I've got my gold card, I know what I like there, it's easy and quick. I secretly keep wishing more would open in Midtown.

Starbucks doesn't franchise in America I looked into it.

[mykn]

There's actually two Starbucks and I believe 1 "Made By Starbucks" or whatever the franchise things are called. The other main one is in the Crowne Plaza. I believe it's a legit, actual starbucks, and even has better weekend hours than the one on Main.

As much as I hate to admit it, I do like Starbucks and would like to see more in the area. I'm with mister816, I've got my gold card, I know what I like there, it's easy and quick. I secretly keep wishing more would open in Midtown.

Starbucks doesn't franchise in America I looked into it.

Franchise might not be the right word, but there's definitely some kind of quasi-real-store thing they do in areas that don't justify a full starbucks. There is a Starbucks in the Garmin HQ (Garbucks as I liked to call it when I worked there) that is definitely not a real starbucks, but serves all of their drinks in Starbucks branding.

[taxi]

There's one on 119th, I think.

[earthling]

For a thread about what downtown is missing, is sad the discussion is about Starbucks given so many coffee options. What downtown needs is more real neighborhood amenities within the streetcar line. Maybe the most perfect urban street with neighborhood amenities I've been to is Montague in Brooklyn Heights. A few things missing they have... plenty of clothing stores, bookstore, small hardware store w/key maker, general home goods store (urban Target or small local), shipping store, killer bagel shops, true sub shops, ice cream shop, takeout pizza counters (not sit down restaurants), doggy day care, a small electronics store, etc. Most can be small spaces.

Some of these exist downtown but given no area has significant density to have everything on one stretch, having these along free streetcar line would make them accessible to those who live anywhere near the entire line. As density grows in each area, each hood can have their own specialty shops that may exist in another hood along the line.

Is also good to see downtown finally has a couple dentists. I don't think it had any for years.

[smh]

I would like a UPS Store.

[scooterj]

Downtown needs more sandwich shops. There clearly aren't enough. And the more limited hours, the better. And can't some of them have a drive through for crying out loud?

[Highlander]

Just returned from a weeklong visit to KC. The one thing I really noticed about DT KC was the near complete lack of fast food joints. Not that I'm a big connoisseur of fast food or would like to see more but the absence is noteworthy. With more foot traffic, I wonder if they will be re-appearing.

[miz.jordan17]

Just returned from a weeklong visit to KC. The one thing I really noticed about DT KC was the near complete lack of fast food joints. Not that I'm a big connoisseur of fast food or would like to see more but the absence is noteworthy. With more foot traffic, I wonder if they will be re-appearing.

I agree. I've been to conventions with 25,000+ people in New Orleans and San Antonio, and our hotel wasn't any further away from the convention center/Alamodome/ Superdome than Crown Center is to the convention center. But, they definitely had more food/retail options that made it seem like a shorter walk.