KSHB 41 reporter Isabella Ledonne reports on stories in Overland Park, Johnson County and topics about government accountability. Share your story idea with Isabella.
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Despite a disappointing end to the USA World Cup team's run on Monday night, FIFA Fan Fest has seen success in Kansas City.
On the very first day of the Fan Fest, local food vendors didn't know what to expect with the World Cup.
Four weeks later, many have seen business boom in more ways than they expected.
Larry Fennell started Blended Vibes Catering just a few years ago because wanted to bring his style of barbecue to the metro.
"I thought we'd be okay locally, and people would know us locally on both the Kansas side and Missouri side," Fennell said. "I did not know that I would be worldwide like that."
After about a month of Fan Fest, Fennell explained Blended Vibes was featured on FIFA. On match days, he's sold nearly 200 hot dogs in an hour.
"I didn't know we would sell so many hot dogs until the Argentinians and Ecuadorians got here," Fennell said. "I was like, we're going to run out of hot dogs."
But the biggest boost has been from his fellow vendors at the festival.
"Not only trading food, we're trading ideas," Fennell said. "I've learned a lot of things being back here on this side of the vendor than being on the other side ordering food."
Across the pitch at Mocha Point Coffee, the new business is seeing a boost at their shop in Overland Park from the exposure at Fan Fest.
"Definitely an opportunity that will never present itself again," CEO and Founder Sarem Othman said.
Argentina Inc. Empanadas is gaining a lot more fans by being linked to the reigning World Cup Champions.
"We aren't super known as an empanada place," Miriam Redding, an employee, said. "We weren't super known before, but now people know our name."
All three vendors explained they weren't as big before this summer, but Fan Fest has helped put them on the world stage.
"[My favorite part] has been the sharing of stories where each person comes from, their background and their travel," Redding said. "I think the World Cup brings so many people together and it really becomes international. I see a lot of beauty in that."
Kansas City's FIFA Fan Fest will open again on Thursday, Friday and Saturday for its final weekend.
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