Busy Bee Cafe

[barkerr]

Anyone know the status of this place? It's in the East Crossroads (for lack of a better term), just east of Grinders. It's a cute, quaint little place. Is it open? When did it close? Will it open again?

Thanks for the help.

[bahua]

Yeah, I don't know, but I'd definitely be interested in some information about it, too. I always just assumed that it was something that's been closed for years.

[Pastense]

This is gossip-level information. The Busy Bee is not open. It was owned & operated by a former KC fireman and catered to a customer base of firemen & cops. The fireman's son controls the property and operates a business in the building directly south of the cafe building.

[barkerr]

Huh.

Thanks for the info, Past. Maybe it will open again someday.

[Thaine]

There was a boat supply company called Covert Marine that was in 3 or 4 buildings just East and North of the Busy Bee through the 60's and 70's.  I and about 70 other people worked there.  The Busy Bee was thriving until Covert Marine closed and several other businesses moved out.  I'm guessing it closed in '80 or '81.

[barkerr]

There was a boat supply company called Covert Marine that was in 3 or 4 buildings just East and North of the Busy Bee through the 60's and 70's.  I and about 70 other people worked there.  The Busy Bee was thriving until Covert Marine closed and several other businesses moved out.  I'm guessing it closed in '80 or '81.

There are stories like these that makes me think someone should collect them into a book about Kansas City's buildings, past and present. I know there is that Then and Now series, but it'd be great to have some text that would describe the who and what of the buildings--who went there, what was it like, why did people stop going, why was the building torn down or built in the first place, etc. It'd help provide a context in which the buildings came to be.

Just dreaming here...

[carfreekc]

There are stories like these that makes me think someone should collect them into a book about Kansas City's buildings, past and present. I know there is that Then and Now series, but it'd be great to have some text that would describe the who and what of the buildings--who went there, what was it like, why did people stop going, why was the building torn down or built in the first place, etc. It'd help provide a context in which the buildings came to be.

Just dreaming here...

That would be very cool. The secret history of our city...

[barkerr]

That would be very cool. The secret history of our city...

Exactly. To my knowledge no such book exists about Kansas City.

[DaveKCMO]

looks like some serious masonry work is going on. building didn't have a roof for years.

http://aronrealestate.com/listings/1805-e-18th-st

[mgh7676]

looks like some serious masonry work is going on. building didn't have a roof for years.

http://aronrealestate.com/listings/1805-e-18th-st

The glass facade was being put in this afternoon. There was some speculation a couple weeks ago that this could be lofts, but that seems unrealistic after seeing the facade (unless upstairs is converted to lofts).

[DaveKCMO]

looks like some serious masonry work is going on. building didn't have a roof for years.

http://aronrealestate.com/listings/1805-e-18th-st

The glass facade was being put in this afternoon. There was some speculation a couple weeks ago that this could be lofts, but that seems unrealistic after seeing the facade (unless upstairs is converted to lofts).

permits point to a "white box" space for a restaurant.

[mgh7676]

looks like some serious masonry work is going on. building didn't have a roof for years.

http://aronrealestate.com/listings/1805-e-18th-st

The glass facade was being put in this afternoon. There was some speculation a couple weeks ago that this could be lofts, but that seems unrealistic after seeing the facade (unless upstairs is converted to lofts).

permits point to a "white box" space for a restaurant.

Dang. If it is just "white box" and not to any set spec, it is too bad they didn't incorporate the glazed brick that was on the original facade.

[pash]

.

[mgh7676]

More details about Busy Bee Cafe building. Still no announced tenant.
http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/n ... -buzz.html

[FangKC]

A post on the KC History Geeks page on Facebook prompted me to post about several locations of the Busy Bee restaurants.

501 E. 18th Street (at Locust).



1516 E. 12th Street (between Paseo and Vine).



4015 Troost in retail shops of the Fiesta Theater.



3041 Prospect.



The building at 18th and Locust is the only one that wasn't demolished.