Joyce Smith

3 days ago | startlandnews.com | Joyce Smith

It’s a few days into AJ’s Bar & Grill’s soft launch in downtown Kansas City. Managing partner Matthew Hill stands by the kitchen window, fielding lunch orders for both to-go, dine-in and delivery (he was running some orders to nearby offices in sweltering 90-degree-plus temperatures). Inside the new Grand Boulevard restaurant: it’s cool and low-lit, with customers gathered at the bar and couples cozying up at tables. The menu at 1116 Grand Blvd.

1 week ago | startlandnews.com | Joyce Smith

Mel Engel and Todd Eaton are now taking a second stage, opening their family business — a shop known for made-on-site ice cream and sorbet — in a new Northland city after charting quick success in their hometown. Alice Scooper’s Ice Cream Co. is set to debut next week in The Village at Briarcliff, 4173 N. Mulberry Dr. The shop first broke onto the scene about 18 months ago in Liberty. “Something we’ve always wanted to do was expand,” said MelEngel, owner with her husband, Eaton.

1 week ago | startlandnews.com | Joyce Smith

A giant sandbox playroom in Johnson County evokes a simpler era, said Justin Finn, whose immersive entertainment concept for children opens Tuesday in Leawood. “No screens,” explained Finn. “I like to say it’s how we grew up as kids. Imagination, the wheels turning.”Dozer — launched this week as the first of multiple locations alongside co-founder Molly Kavanagh — within a 1,200-square-foot space at the Ranch Mart North shopping center at 3812 W.

2 weeks ago | startlandnews.com | Joyce Smith

A Canadian fast food cult favorite known for its “Timbits” is ramping up its area expansion with five locations scheduled to open by the end of 2025 — part of an aggressive, long-term move orchestrated by a single franchisee. The breakfast-famous Tim Hortons is expected to become a more prominent player across the Kansas City landscape in coming years, as franchisee Hossam Shahin pursues plans to open five area locations a year for six years.

2 weeks ago | startlandnews.com | Joyce Smith

Palm Tree Club recently debuted in hot spots Orlando, Miami and Las Vegas. Now it’s coming to Kansas City. Described as a “global lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality platform” — think caviar martinis, A5 Wagyu dumplings, VIP lounges, premium bottle service, DJs and open-air rooftop — Palm Beach Club Kansas City plans a fall opening in the Power & Light District.