Hawaiian Bros Grows

Business

Hawaiian Bros Grows

Hawaiian Bros, the Kansas City-based restaurant chain, recently received another $3 million from investors as it looks to continue its rapid growth.

• Bros Grows: According to the recent Form D filing, the restaurant chain received another round of funding from investors totaling $3M. That brings the total funding up to $14.9M in capital secured just this year.

• More Locations: Currently, the restaurant chain has over 40 locations across seven states, with recent partnerships looking to take their Huli Huli Chicken to 75 more locations in states like Texas, Arizona, and a recently announced ten new restaurants in Iowa.

• High Praise: Last month, Hawaiian Bros co-founder Cameron McNie was named among the winners of the Ernst & Young LLP Entrepreneur Of The Year Heartland Award.

Including Lawrence, Hawaiian Bros has 13 locations in the area, generally open from 11 am to 11 pm on weekdays and midnight on weekends.

Education

Kansas City AKA Hollywood

Hollywood Animation Academy is a school that recently opened in KCMO and specializes in teaching young animators how to design and animate like Hollywood’s best.

• Founders Vision: Gavin Dell, a Shawnee Mission South grad, who spent 30 years in Hollywood animating shows like the Simpsons, the Looney Toon Movie, and Tomb Raider the video game came back to teach students to animate like they were in Hollywood.

• Offering Experience: Where Dell thinks the school offers students a leg up comes from his ability to show students real-life examples of what animators in LA are doing right now, instead of the outdated material that other schools can offer.

Hollywood Animation Academy is currently taking students for their introductory course at their campus in the Centriq Building off 92nd and State Line Road.

Industry

KCI-29 Logistics Park Breaks Ground

This week, Mayor Lucas and Missouri Governor Mike Parsons were at the groundbreaking of the KCI 29 Logistics Park just northeast of the KCI airport.

• The Park: The new 20-million-square-foot logistics park could create up to 9,000 direct jobs, generating $450 million in annual payroll, and support $2.5 billion in private investment once fully built.

• The Location: The location, just northeast of KCI, could prove to be a crucial one as companies could begin using the park to store and ship products from across the country both coming in from KCI airline cargo and trucking cargo stemming from KC’s key geographical location on US interstates.

• Guests? Already?: In May, Port Authority of Kansas City commissioners approved an expression of intent to give Ace Hardware space in the industrial park.

Infrastructure improvements to the location of I-29 and Mexico City Avenue are underway and expected to be finished in the fall.

KC Daily Picks

In Other News

• 👕Do The Hustle: Charlie Hustle is hosting a warehouse sale Thursday with shirts for $12 and $25 Crewnecks. Don’t mind if I do.

• 🗼French Influence: The Wichita-based bakery, Paris Baguette, is coming to Overland Park.

• 🦙Ever Had Peruvian Food?: Now that Brasa Nation is opening off Meriam Lane where Quick’s Bar-B-Q used to be, you can try it out.

• 🚛Chaning Parlors: Long-time KC tattoo shop, Grimm’s, will open its new location in the West Bottoms after a fire.

• 🎥Family Friendly Films: B&B Theatres welcomes back their Summer Kids Series for families looking for inexpensive, family-friendly morning activities this summer.