YJ's Snack Bar

[elextendo]

Becco does not have the cube..been gone for about a 1 1/2 years I think..interesting antiques in there plus the flowers..I highly recommend the place if you need them.. I used to rent @ 19th and Wyandotte my first studio 5000 sq. ft for 600 bucks a month..The block was vacant it was a wasteland when YJs was YJs pre Dave Ford, no condos in the area at all..alot has happened  since then so overall it appears thats it gentrification.

[Midtownkid]

Sad that the cube is gone.  I really liked that place.

[splash]

I've been there only a handful of times, but I've never felt as if I was being looked down upon or judged by the other people there.  The last time I was there, it was a post happy hour pit stop, so everyone was business casual and my husband was wearing a tie.  No one stared, snorted, or made comments about us being there, regardless of how we were dressed. 

[drumatix]

From Facebook (gah):

" The city of Kansas City, Missouri has eliminated one-third of YJ's tables, limited the use of the sidewalk, and has eliminated all out door seating from 1am to 5am. This will result in loss of jobs at YJ's Snack Bar's small, local business. Join this facebook group to support YJ's and it's employees. Call the city mayor Sly James to confront the job losses they are imposing. 816-513-3500 or email mayor@kcmo.org ."

Amazing. You'd think the city would be grateful to have anything thriving downtown.

[smh]

From Facebook (gah):

" The city of Kansas City, Missouri has eliminated one-third of YJ's tables, limited the use of the sidewalk, and has eliminated all out door seating from 1am to 5am. This will result in loss of jobs at YJ's Snack Bar's small, local business. Join this facebook group to support YJ's and it's employees. Call the city mayor Sly James to confront the job losses they are imposing. 816-513-3500 or email mayor@kcmo.org ."

Amazing. You'd think the city would be grateful to have anything thriving downtown.

That sucks if they have had to remove some of their tables. I don't see the problem with limiting outside usage from 1-5am though. People gotta sleep.

[drumatix]

That sucks if they have had to remove some of their tables. I don't see the problem with limiting outside usage from 1-5am though. People gotta sleep.

Ah -- noise was the problem? I'd seen people hinting at parking issues as related to the number of tables present, which shouldn't be an issue for any small business in a downtown area, ever.

Weren't there noise complaints about the Folger's plant from people who moved in right next door? Seems sadly stereotypical to see people move to a vibrant, urban area, and then complain when it's a little too 'vibrant' and 'urban' at night

[coreyo]

Ah -- noise was the problem? I'd seen people hinting at parking issues as related to the number of tables present, which shouldn't be an issue for any small business in a downtown area, ever.

Weren't there noise complaints about the Folger's plant from people who moved in right next door? Seems sadly stereotypical to see people move to a vibrant, urban area, and then complain when it's a little too 'vibrant' and 'urban' at night

Honestly, downtown doesn't even seem that loud right now. I'll often leave my windows open in the summer at night.

[DaveKCMO]

two sides to every story. also, the city has been trying to contact the owner to remedy their concerns.

[chrizow]

anyone who complains about the "noise" coming from a 12-seat cafe three nights a week should not live downtown - or, at least, should not live on one of maybe 2-3 blocks in the crossroads where a business is actually open late.  perhaps one of the forty completely dead blocks in the crossroads would be a preferable home for these folks?

[WinchesterMysteryHouse]

Issue is currently being resolved. 
Sly James, Rick Usher and a security detail visited the Snack Bar today and met with owner David Ford.  James and Ford hugged at the conclusion and Ford posted:

2:41' sly rolls up on the snack bar with assistant city man Rick usher and assistant John tailed by two security profiles in fly pinstriped suits,, these guys were bad, 3:08 sly and David ford hug, it was 92' degreees, Chad meise was inside covering me. I love our town and 18th st. Yj s no problem.

Good arts/civic forum developing in the meantime:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=gro ... 6230694355

[KCMax]

I can totally see Funkhouser doing that. &&&

[DaveKCMO]

anyone who complains about the "noise" coming from a 12-seat cafe three nights a week should not live downtown - or, at least, should not live on one of maybe 2-3 blocks in the crossroads where a business is actually open late.  perhaps one of the forty completely dead blocks in the crossroads would be a preferable home for these folks?

per the city manager's office, there was no noise complaint. no doubt a faulty assumption repeated ad nauseum on facebook. it was a routine inspection months ago that triggered the initial request for YJ's to obtain a sidewalk cafe license. again, according to the city manager's office YJ's had no such license.

if people are looking to go after "the man", they need to address the requirement to have such a license in the first place. you can blame the beloved mayor/council of 2003 for instituting such a scheme. the mayor/council of 2011 may be open to eliminating it, especially if no alcohol is being served.

[towncow]

The mayor/council of 2003 passed a sidewalk cafe ordinance because business owners were getting busted for "illegal" sidewalk cafes, most notably the Cup and Saucer on Delaware. As was suggested in another post, the City Council should instead be motivated to make sidewalk cafes legal, with no annual fees.

[enough]

i haven't walked by yj's recently but my impression has been that their outdoor seating tends to take up much of the sidewalk.  ada requires 30 inches minimum for wheelchair passage.  and even if there were no ada, i'd want at least half of the sidewalk (or maybe five feet, whichever is less) available for we folks who want to walk past.

on the positive side, they haven't put up a permanent barrier as has been done at the cashew, zinn, reiger's, and several other downtown locations. 

i strongly favor outdoor seating, but we have to balance the interests of the business and its customers with those of people who just want to walk past.

[staubio]

i haven't walked by yj's recently but my impression has been that their outdoor seating tends to take up much of the sidewalk.  ada requires 30 inches minimum for wheelchair passage.  and even if there were no ada, i'd want at least half of the sidewalk (or maybe five feet, whichever is less) available for we folks who want to walk past.

on the positive side, they haven't put up a permanent barrier as has been done at the cashew, zinn, reiger's, and several other downtown locations. 

i strongly favor outdoor seating, but we have to balance the interests of the business and its customers with those of people who just want to walk past.

This is true. It is one of the best pro-urban-vitality spots in the neighborhood, but you can scarcely walk through it. When I run down 18th, I am in the street. Still, I think the two can co-exist. If a wheelchair is coming through, I would imagine patrons would clear out of the way. It isn't fine dining.

[chrizow]

If a wheelchair is coming through, I would imagine patrons would clear out of the way. It isn't fine dining.

exactly.  persons dining in more upscale establishments would just laugh and point at the wheelchair-bound individual, and possibly poke him/her with their caviar spoons! 

[pash]

.

[Thaine]

per the city manager's office, there was no noise complaint. no doubt a faulty assumption repeated ad nauseum on facebook. it was a routine inspection months ago that triggered the initial request for YJ's to obtain a sidewalk cafe license. again, according to the city manager's office YJ's had no such license.

if people are looking to go after "the man", they need to address the requirement to have such a license in the first place. you can blame the beloved mayor/council of 2003 for instituting such a scheme. the mayor/council of 2011 may be open to eliminating it, especially if no alcohol is being served.

Pretty good point.  If I own a restaurant that has a license and is in compliance I get a little peeved when i see YJs gets the same thing by whining. 

[taxi]

Pretty good point.  If I own a restaurant that has a license and is in compliance I get a little peeved when i see YJs gets the same thing by whining. 

That is precisely the problem. Many business owners just do as they are told and accept the status quo. Put a fence around my outdoor seating? OK!

It is people like DF who shake shit up and make things happen.

[trailerkid]

i haven't walked by yj's recently but my impression has been that their outdoor seating tends to take up much of the sidewalk. 

*cough cough* Tannin *cough*