Ribbon-cutting planned today for new downtown KCK coffee shop

Dignitaries are expected to be present at the ribbon-cutting and grand opening this morning of A Cup on the Hill Coffee Shop at 730 Minnesota Ave., in the remodeled Katz building in downtown Kansas City, Kan.

The ribbon-cutting is expected to take place at 9 a.m. today.

In 2014, Community Housing of Wyandotte County joined with A Cup on the Hill to establish the café to bring high-quality coffee to the community and educate its youth.

The new coffee shop will have a work-based learning curriculum and mentorship program for its young employees, according to a spokesman for CHWC.

The coffee shop opened at 7 a.m. Friday, with CHWC’s Friday morning community coffee planned from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the new coffee shop. The ribbon-cutting is at 9 a.m.

Express Factory Outlet coming to Legends March 19

Express Factory Outlet will open its first location in the Kansas City metropolitan area on Thursday, March 19, at Legends Outlets in Kansas City, Kan.

It will be Express’s only designer outlet center serving the region, according to a Legends Outlets spokesman.

The new concept adds another widely recognized brand to the center’s already exciting and continuously expanding tenant line-up, a spokesman said.

“We are very excited to welcome Express Factory Outlet as a new addition to the center,” said Jessica Bachtel, marketing director of Legends Outlets Kansas City. “Our shoppers value the quality, selection, style and prices that Legends Outlets’ retailers offer, and Express Factory Outlet will deliver just that.”

The only area Express Factory Outlet will occupy the store where Tommy Hilfiger was formerly located, a 7,061-square-foot space next to Phoenix Theaters Legends 14 by the Civic Courtyard Fountain at 1837 Village West Parkway, B-129.

It will feature an assortment of men’s and women’s apparel and fashion accessories including work, weekend, going out and casual wear that reflect the brand’s modern, cool style, a spokesman said.

Many of the store’s target customers are in the 20 to 30 age range and include young adults getting out of college, who are starting careers, and looking for career wear, casual wear and going-out clothes.

The Legends Outlets location is Express Factory Outlet’s first Kansas store and fifth in the Midwest region. Express Factory Outlet joins other new additions at Legends Outlets including Eddie Bauer Outlet and the recently announced permanent Coach location. For more information about Express Factory Outlet, visit http://www.expressfactoryoutlet.com/.

Panel discussion on pop-up businesses slated for Downtown Shareholders luncheon March 13

The Downtown Shareholders will meet for a luncheon program at 11:30 a.m. Friday, March 13, at the Reardon Center, 520 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, Kan.

At the luncheon, a three-person panel will discuss their experiences about pop-up business, the effect they may have on a community and the details of the Downtown Shareholders pop-up program for downtown Kansas City, Kan.

Panel members are Amanda Graor, pop-up entrepreneur; Sarah Antrobus, financial center manager and vice president, UMB; and Daniel Serda, economic development coordinator, Downtown Shareholders.

Also, Jenny Nepper, network navigator, KCSourceLink, will talk about resources for entrepreneurs and small business owners.

Admission to this event is $20 and includes lunch. To make reservations, email [email protected] or call 913-371-0705 by noon Thursday, March 12.