by William Crum
Today marked a hallmark for downtown Kansas City, Kan.
There is a new coffee shop in the downtown area of Kansas City, Kan., called Cup on the Hill. Its opening at 730 Minnesota Ave. represents a new revitalization effort in downtown Kansas City, Kan.
A lot of residents will remember the days when Minnesota Avenue in downtown Kansas City, Kan., was the busiest shopping area in the state of Kansas. There were clothing stores for men, women and children. There were theaters and a number of pharmacies and grocery stores as well.
Today there was a ribbon-cutting for Cup on the Hill, a coffee shop in the former Katz building downtown.
“For a long time Minnesota Avenue was an eyesore in our community, plagued with empty shops. With the help of CHWC and other civic leaders a new coffee shop emerged,” said Steve Curtis of CHWC. “This coffee shop is unlike anything else in the Kansas City metropolitan area, a place where you can go downtown and have a great cup of coffee and good conversation as well. This coffee shop is part of the revitalization of the downtown Kansas City, Kan., area. What we did is we partnered up with Jamina Bone, who had a dream; a dream that is truly dedicated to the community.”
“I always had a dream to create a coffee shop in the community by which I live, to employ young people who could not normally get a job because of their disadvantages,” Bone said. “Soon we will start a new program. A program that would teach those youth with disadvantages how to write a resume, how to go our interview, and it also teaches them good work ethics, which is needed in today’s ever-changing global economy.”
It’s not just a coffee shop, but also an opportunity for area youth, according to Bone.
“We are really proud to be a part of the community,” Bone said.
Also on hand at the ribbon-cutting was U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan.
“Kansas City, Kan., is really making things happen. I’m really pleased to see this is going to be good for the community and Wyandotte County as well. This coffee shop is definitely going to be a big asset to the community as well,” Sen. Moran said.
Because of the efforts of CHWC, a new resurgence of development in downtown Kansas City, Kan., may soon be a possibility, according to officials.
The new coffee shop is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.
