• KC Daily
  • Posts
  • The Best in the (small) Biz

The Best in the (small) Biz

KC Chamber announces their list for top 10 small businesses of 2023

Together With

Continue Good is a KC family-owned small business that hand-pours natural soy candles! We encourage each customer to spread kindness, we donate 10% to fight human trafficking, and partner with/support amazing charities monthly. Click here to get 30% off with code: KCDAILY

Small Business

The Best in the (small) Biz

KC Daily

Kansas City is home to a vibrant community of entrepreneurs and small businesses that drive innovation, create jobs, and contribute to the local economy. The Kansas City Chamber of Commerce recently announced its list of the Top 10 Small Businesses for 2023, recognizing the exceptional achievements and impact of these companies.

  • Small Businesses, Big Success: The selected businesses represent a diverse range of industries, showcasing the entrepreneurial spirit and resilience that thrives in Kansas City. From technology startups to boutique retailers, these small businesses have demonstrated outstanding growth, innovation, and community engagement.

  • Today’s Top 10: Each of the Top 10 Small Businesses plays a crucial role in driving economic growth and contributing to the vitality of Kansas City. Some of the names may be familiar like J. Reiger & Co., but many may be new to readers such as the woman-owned construction company Parrish & Sons.

  • Honoring Excellence: The award for Small Business of the Year will be announced at the Small Business Awards Luncheon on June 14. The award will be given alongside others such as the Emerging Business Award and the Small Business Equity Award.

For information on the event or to see the full list, you can visit the KC Chamber website.

Openings

McLain’s Market Share

KC Daily

McLain's Market, the beloved local bakery and coffee shop, just announced the opening of not one, but two new locations. Here's the scoop:

  • More McLain's, More Happiness: In the wake of the pandemic, McLain’s had to face the challenge of taking more of their business towards catering and to-go orders. That gamble is proving to pay out as they are now poised to move to two new locations in the metro with one in south Overland Park and one moving to North Kansas City.

  • Heading North: With the recent inking of a 10-year deal in the new NKC development, The Oxbow, McLain’s will attempt to do something most KC residents will agree can be difficult - bridging the gap between Kansas Citians north and south of the river.

  • Expanding OP Footprint: Even though McLain’s currently has a location at 435 and Roe, most OP residents can express their pain in not having a McLain’s Market a little closer to home. Bemoan no longer south-Overland Parkers, the new location will be at the corner of 151st and Metcalf.

With both locations set to open in the fall, it may be just in time to order some McLain’s cupcookies for a Chiefs game.

Development

The Great Transition

KC Daily

This week, KC took its first step towards overcoming potentially one of its greatest challenges - becoming less dependent on cars. The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) just applied for a $500,000 grant to survey if public transit all across the metro would be feasible.

  • A Metropolitan City: With the proposed new transit system, KC residents would be able to hop on and off as they choose similar to how other major cities operate. With similar models in Denver and Chicago, the proposed train would be similar to the KC Streetcar.

  • No More Airport Parking: The proposed route would connect far-reaching areas of the metro going east-west from Topeka to Raytown, as well as eliminating the dreaded drive to the airport for Johnson County residents by stretching from Olathe to KCI.

  • The Future: While KCATA does not believe they would be able to be finished by the 2026 World Cup, officials believe that this would be the first step into expanding KC’s economic potential for the next century.

Restaurants

Grow Chicken Grow

Chick-Fil-A Ward Parkway

For Chick-Fil-A fans, Sundays aren’t the only day that your favorite local franchise will be closed. The Ward Parkway location, one of the city’s busiest, is closed for renovations - again.

  • Deja vu: If this feels like you’re having Deja vu, it’s because you are. The Chick-Fil-A Ward Parkway location is closing its doors for the summer to renovate and make additions to its drive-through and catering area. This comes shortly after it closed temporarily in 2019 for a major remodel.

  • Chicken on the Go: The change comes due to the volume that the location does in catering. According to the owner-operator, Forrest Swyden, the restaurant is the 25th busiest in the country in catering.

  • Eat Mor Chiken: With an estimated opening in the fall, the restaurant says they plan to reopen in time for kids to go back to school.

Across the metro, CFA has continues to show why it's one of the busiest restaurant chains in America. In fact, the region has gotten so busy that Chick-Fil-A is opening its own local distribution center in Olathe.

KC Daily Picks

In Other News

Advertise With Us

Do you want to showcase your business in front of thousands of Kansas Citians? Email [email protected] for more information!