News Stories

Tom's Town canned cocktails

Tom’s Town cracks open canned cocktail opportunity: ‘We’re not a bubble factory in a can’

People love drinking cocktails, but specialty creations can be intimidating to make, said David Epstein, announcing a new line of canned premium cocktails from the Crossroads-based distiller. “The pandemic ushered in a lot of at-home-drinking, and I think people simply loved the taste,” said Epstein, co-founder of Tom’s Town, describing a renewed thirst for convenience…

J. Rieger & Co. Electric Park rendering, GastingerWalker&

J. Rieger plans to relight ‘Electric Park’ in the East Bottoms, sling boozy snow-cones, cocktail floats

A new 11,000-square-foot outdoor space is set to open this fall at J. Rieger & Co., the historic East Bottoms-based distillery, with an homage to one of Kansas City’s brightest but nearly forgotten eras. The Electric Park Garden Bar — featuring a completely open-air patio bar and an adjoining atrium that will serve as an…

HI-HERImpact pitch competitors: Anita Koul, Kufukaa; Deb North, YES! Athletics; and Lisa Ragan, Safely Delicious

Women-led ventures vie for $50K in pitch competition with more than prize money on the line

Finalists in this week’s debut HI-HERImpact pitch competition say the virtual event offers Kansas City’s female social entrepreneurs an opportunity to tell their stories — and potentially score pivotal funding. “Winning it would be life changing for me, my business and the team of people working for Safely Delicious in so many ways,” said Lisa…

Miguel Johns, KingFit, DiabetesCare

Kansas startup founder, Pipeline fellow among finalists in NXTSTAGE healthtech competition

Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro. This series is possible thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which leads a collaborative, nationwide effort to identify and remove large and small barriers to new business creation. WICHITA…

Neal Sharma, DEG; John Thomson, PayIt; and Thalia Cherry, Cherry Co.

Junior Achievement taps startup leaders as Hall of Fame inductees, KC Innovator winner

The newest inductees to Junior Achievement of Greater Kansas City’s Business Hall of Fame play an important role in building the metro’s ecosystem of entrepreneurship, creativity, and cooperation, said Leroy McCarty. “Our 2021 Laureates exemplify the collaborative spirit that elevates Kansas City in the world of business, philanthropy, and civic engagement,” said Leroy McCarty, chairman…