Misc Crossroads News

[dukuboy1]

I imagine with all of the development in the area if the art gallery might have been squeezed out by the property owner. Would be great for them to find another location, unless they are just calling it quits

[Cratedigger]

I imagine with all of the development in the area if the art gallery might have been squeezed out by the property owner. Would be great for them to find another location, unless they are just calling it quits

Believe they are moving online only for the time being

[dukuboy1]

I imagine with all of the development in the area if the art gallery might have been squeezed out by the property owner. Would be great for them to find another location, unless they are just calling it quits

Believe they are moving online only for the time being

thanks for the update. Hopefully they can find a new home to display their wares

[DaveKCMO]

I get the sense that they won't be back to bricks and mortar. 80% of sales are now online. The overhead doesn't make sense, at least not at current Crossroads rents (although that building already gets the Crossroads PIEA tax abatement since it's a gallery).

Separately, what was Marcell coffee roasters (now Oleo?) is opening a cafe in the old Thou Mayest space on 18th at Locust:
https://www.instagram.com/takecarebyoleo/

[Cratedigger]

Looks like Community Grocers is coming back, with some pretty neat technology.

I've used this technology at Love Field and Midway. It's neat and pretty easy! At first the Love Field one only allowed a certain number of people in, but it seemed to be running more smoothly the last time I used it.

Either way, looking forward to having another grocery store downtown. How was it shopping here the first time around?

https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/ ... wered.html

After shuttering in May to install two new payment methods developed by Amazon.com Inc. (Nasdaq: AMZN), Community Groceries will reopen on Friday at 640 E. 18th St.

The "Just Walk Out" system allows customers to insert a credit card upon entry, collect their goods and walk out of the store without waiting in line to check out. The technology uses computer vision and sensors to tell which customers took what and bills them accordingly.

Just Walk Out: Crossroads Market features Amazon tech for checkout-free convenience

https://www.startlandnews.com/2023/01/c ... ds-market/

Has anyone tried this?

Really wish their hours weren’t so weird. 930 to 5 PM on weekdays and then closed on weekends.

[KCPowercat]

Has anyone heard anything about Howard Hanna's places? Lil Axe looks completely done inside and has for at least a month?

[swid]

Bad news: Kyle Gardner pulled out of the project a few months ago and most of the former Rieger cooks/servers/bartenders who were still hoping to come back after the new places opened had given up hope that it would happen. The Mainvest funding page hasn't had an update since January and all that's happening there is people requesting updates every so often.

Good news: I was at a Ca Va dinner a month ago and Howard mentioned the new places in the future tense, so they may still open.

[KCPowercat]

that stinks. I figured something had went wrong or he was tied up in other projects.

Yeah I invested with the mainvest thing and hadn't got an update in awhile.

[WoodDraw]

They were delivering all the fancy kitchen stuff awhile ago. It looks mostly done?

My guess is they just stopped paying everyone money, but that’s just a guess. I can’t think of why not just open and start making some money?

The only thing I can think happened is they have zero money.

[swid]

Ugh...just got this from Mainvest:

"We have been made aware about a lawsuit involving a business in your portfolio, Manaia Collective, in Kansas City, MO. This is obviously extremely concerning, and even more concerning that neither investors nor the Mainvest team were made aware prior to a news article.

We are working to contact their team to obtain more details, especially details around the current state of investor funds, which were previously reported as used for the build out. Our goal is to protect investors given the uncertainty surrounding this business and their location and we will update investors as a group when more information becomes available. We appreciate your patience as we investigate."

I assume the news article referred to is this one: https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/ ... suits.html

[KCPowercat]

Damn it. Weird I haven't gotten anything yet

[WoodDraw]

I have a lot of thoughts here. The place is completely built out.

But it's built out as a weird ass diner and wtf do you do with that...

They took money from people too

[DColeKC]

Ugh...just got this from Mainvest:

"We have been made aware about a lawsuit involving a business in your portfolio, Manaia Collective, in Kansas City, MO. This is obviously extremely concerning, and even more concerning that neither investors nor the Mainvest team were made aware prior to a news article.

We are working to contact their team to obtain more details, especially details around the current state of investor funds, which were previously reported as used for the build out. Our goal is to protect investors given the uncertainty surrounding this business and their location and we will update investors as a group when more information becomes available. We appreciate your patience as we investigate."

I assume the news article referred to is this one: https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/ ... suits.html

Not sure how the platform works but my gut says of course investors were made aware, because everyone would likely pull their money out?

Hope they get this all worked out but sounds like a big hill to climb.

[kcjak]

JoyceKC posted on Facebook on Sept 6 that Howard said construction was done and city and fire inspections were passed but didn't have all the money needed to get furniture, plates, glassware and train staff. He told Joyce that he hoped to get a to-go menu up in the next couple of weeks (this was a month ago now) and that the landlord said if they could get open even just for breakfast it would show things were still moving.

Maybe that means the lawsuit would be dropped if things started moving again? I love Howard and have loved his cooking since he was at Room 39 but it seems like a diner will be kind of tough to be successful - it'll need to be doing a LOT of business all day if the prices are reasonable. Best wishes to him and his staff.

[WoodDraw]

That...doesn't make sense. If you loan someone money to open a restaurant and they build it out, and they come back and say we just need a bit more to buy these basics to open, the bank isn't going to be like nopeeee. We'd rather you default on your loan instead of getting things going. They'll extend you credit to get going if it's within reason.

[WoodDraw]

Hanna signed the original 10-year leases in August 2018 and initially planned to open the restaurants in 2021. The date later was pushed back to early 2022. In addition to securing a Small Business Administration loan, with repayment guarantee from City Club Apartments, Manaia Collective also raised $138,900 through Mainvest, a licensed funding portal that enables regulated crowdfunding. The co-op’s most recent update on Mainvest, dated Jan. 17, 2022, outlined plans to use the money for items such as finishing construction, buying furniture and equipment, and kicking off its first food-and-drink photo shoot later that week.

In its suits, CCA Crossroads said no reason would justify Manaia's nonpayment of its lease.

Hanna and Manaia Collective repeatedly refused to pay the base rent and other charges, such as real estate taxes and insurance, outlined in the lease agreements, the suits allege. Through Aug. 23, the two spaces collectively accrued about $229,000 in back rent and other charges. CCA Crossroads seeks back rent and related charges, plus accruing rent and charges, attorney’s fees and interest.

Won't share the whole article, but yeah, they just have no money.

[WoodDraw]

This is weird, but the CEO of city club guaranteed the loans to finish it. I can't figure out what is going on here. So if Holtzman is on this, like, I have to think this will be settled?

This seems really bad by everyone involved. Maybe they're trying to wipe out the investors?

He's the landlord and probably has priority debt. Sorry to the equity investors, but my guess it you're about to get fucked.

[bspecht]

Guys on Broadway has closed is temporarily closed? https://twitter.com/thehilker/status/17 ... 7340162425

EDIT: Looks like they'll be back in Nov? https://twitter.com/GuysSnacks/status/1 ... 3155663022

[Anthony_Hugo98]

Guys on Broadway has closed is temporarily closed? https://twitter.com/thehilker/status/17 ... 7340162425

EDIT: Looks like they'll be back in Nov? https://twitter.com/GuysSnacks/status/1 ... 3155663022

From my experience, anytime I was in there there would be 3-4 to go orders in the time I would be in there, I wonder if that’s they’re primary demographic, and if they’re pivoting closer to that market. Or could be more permanent shelving/display items for the bodega part of the establishment. Regardless I still love their Turkey club, and hope I’ll be able to get that here regardless

[WoodDraw]

Guys on Broadway has closed is temporarily closed? https://twitter.com/thehilker/status/17 ... 7340162425

EDIT: Looks like they'll be back in Nov? https://twitter.com/GuysSnacks/status/1 ... 3155663022

From my experience, anytime I was in there there would be 3-4 to go orders in the time I would be in there, I wonder if that’s they’re primary demographic, and if they’re pivoting closer to that market. Or could be more permanent shelving/display items for the bodega part of the establishment. Regardless I still love their Turkey club, and hope I’ll be able to get that here regardless

I wonder how much ghost kitchens like clustertruck hurt places like this.