KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Ten Kansas City, Missouri, small businesses were chosen for the 2025 DoorDash Accelerator for Local Businesses.
The program runs from May through July and will provide entrepreneurs with one-on-one mentorship, professional assistance, a $5,000 grant and $1,000 worth of advertising on the DoorDash platform.
Here's the list of the businesses chosen:
- Fifth & Emery Frozen Yogurt & Chocolate
- Gomers Wine and Spirits
- Jovito’s Italian Cafe & Deli
- Mixing Bowl On The Go
- PH Coffee LLC
- Ruby Jean’s Juicery
- SAUCED
- Shop Local KC
- Wah Gwan
- Zero Zero Handmade Pasta
“Marketing our product, our grinders, our food, our experience, our hospitality is what we want to accomplish and get that in front of people,” said Co-Owner of Jovito’s Cafe & Deli, Alex Fiorella.
Every call to the restaurant is music to Fiorella’s ears. From the pandemic and inflation, to city construction and international tariffs, Fiorella says it has been tough for many small businesses.
Right now, Jovito’s Cafe & Deli is getting back up again after months of construction right outside the business took away foot traffic.
“When you don’t have a front sidewalk, and you have a gravel path, you know, with tape and caution cones, people are gonna, it’s gonna be an aversion,” Fiorella said. “It has been a lot. Pandemic, tariffs, COVID, construction, it is a little bit of a wear and tear.”
That is why being selected for the DoorDash mentorship program feels like a critical resource at just the right time. That's something Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas understands.
“Us making sure that we’re helping businesses adapt is one of the most important things we can do,” Mayor Lucas said. “I think this was a way for us to be more aggressive, with a great outside private partner.”
Fiorella hopes this new opportunity will help them stand tall, so he starts to sing a different tune.
“Some days are tough, but some days are great,” said Fiorella.
