Best of the Midwest

Local Places land on 'Best of the Midwest' list, a dumpling restaurant offers a unique concept, an economic impact study is released on the downtown airport, and a massive development is pitched in De Soto.

March 28, 2024

Together With

Camping & RV season is in full swing in Kansas City! We are giving KC Daily subscribers up to $1000 off the purchase price of any new or pre-owned RV. Trailside RV is the place to visit if you're looking for new RVs, pre-owned RVs, RV parts, or servicing your RV. Happy Camping!

Awards

Local Places Make ‘Best of the Midwest’ List

Vine Street Brewing Co.

Three Kansas City places were recently named on the ‘Best of the Midwest’ list by Midwest Living magazine. The editors picked 25 of the hottest openings across the Midwest region in 2023, and here were KC’s honorees:

  • Vine Street Brewing: Missouri’s first black-owned brewery set in a 150-year-old building in the 18th and Vine district.

  • Wild Child: Award-winning low and no-alcohol cocktails served in a colorful and funky space in downtown Shawnee.

  • Sobela Ocean Aquarium: The world-class aquatic facility at the Kansas City Zoo houses nearly 8,000 animals in 34 habitats.

View the full ‘Best of the Midwest’ list here.

Food and Drink

Unique Partnership Pairs Dumplings with Home Decor

Rakar Dumpling House

A shared space in Leawood is bringing together two very different concepts: Dumplings and Asian furniture.

  • Live, Laugh, Dumpling: Rakar Dumpling House took over a former Winstead’s off 135th Street in Leawood last Spring. Owner Catherine Kot partnered with Jim Zhang, who imports and sells Asian furniture, to combine the restaurant with a small furniture store.

  • All in One: Rakar’s menu is filled with a variety of noodles, fried rice, soups, and of course, dumplings. And when the meal is done, you can peruse Zhang’s curated collection of Asian decor.

Follow along with Rakar Dumpling House on Instagram.

Economy

Study Shows Economic Impact of Downtown Airport

Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport

A recent economic impact study has revealed that the Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport has a huge impact on the local economy.

  • Sky High Impact: The study conducted by Kimley Horn was commissioned by the Kansas City Aviation Department as a part of a larger Master Plan. The study found that the airport supports nearly 2,800 jobs and has an economic impact of over $625M.

  • Skyline Flyers: The Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (MKC) has been servicing Kansas City since 1927. The 695-acre airport lies just northwest of downtown KCMO and is a premier destination for corporate, charter, and recreational flyers.

To read the study in its entirety, click here.

Development

Massive Development Pitched Near Upcoming EV Plant

Panasonic Group

A Lawrence-based commercial real estate company has submitted a request to build 800 housing units in De Soto.

  • Electric Expansion: Williams Management submitted a tax abatement on a 78-acre development in De Soto, not far from the upcoming Panasonic EV-battery plant. The development will also include commercial and retail space.

  • Shocking Growth: Panasonic Energy broke ground on the EV plant in 2022, and has plans to be in production by 2025. In total, Panasonic expects the plant in De Soto to employ 4,000 people.

Check out this video by the Kansas City Star highlighting the construction progress.

KC Daily Picks

In Other News

  • ⚾️ Play Ball!: It’s Opening Day at the K today! The Royals kick off the 2024 season against the Minnesota Twins today at 3:10 PM.

  • 🍺 Cheers to Beers: Boulevardia has released the lineup for the Taps and Tastes event at this year’s festival at Crown Center June 14-15.

  • 🛠️ Closed for Renovation: The Rabbit hOle is hard at work preparing for the grand opening celebration, Fox Rabbit Spectacular, on April 27th. As a result, the museum will be closed over a few dates for renovation.

  • 🇯🇵 Where’s the Beef?: The Royals have partnered with Vienna Beef to be the official provider of hot dogs at Kauffman Stadium for the 2024 season.

  • 🇯🇵 Far East to OP: Japanese-inspired lifestyle retailer, Miniso, is opening a new store inside Oak Park Mall.

  • 💸 Check Those Tickets: According to the Missouri Lottery, a $50,000 Powerball prize that was sold in Kansas City has gone unclaimed. That ticket expires today!

  • 🚀 Take Off: Do you have something to share? We are looking for local businesses to grow with us! Learn about our advertising opportunities by inquiring today!

Share KC Daily & Get Rewarded!

You currently have 0 referrals, only 1 away from receiving the Kansas City Secret Guide.

Or copy and paste this link anywhere: https://www.kcdaily.com/subscribe?ref=PLACEHOLDER