KSHB 41 reporter Grant Stephens covers downtown Kansas City, Missouri. He also focuses on stories of consumer interest. Share your story idea with Grant.
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Kansas City's Open Doors program is connecting small businesses with empty storefronts along high-visibility corridors, and one Midtown entrepreneur says it is changing her plans - and potentially the neighborhood.
The program is run by the Economic Development Corporation in partnership with the city. It places small businesses in prominent locations like storefronts along the streetcar corridor.
Jillian Beyer, founder of JVB Swimwear, is setting up her new Midtown storefront in a spot she says is exactly where she hoped to be. She chose the location to sit between the Plaza, Crossroads, and Westport, with the streetcar route as a key factor.
“There was a little bit of a waiting to hear back. And then we were paired. We received a list of properties that we could be paired with,” she said. "We were really looking for a location that was at a street car stop, and that's why this is perfect.”
Beyer says she has been planning the World Cup-themed space for over a year.
"I think this area has just really come up," Beyer said.
"It's the entrance into Westport. You have people coming in from the plaza and with really great opportunity in Midtown to bring more retail and this sort of vibe to the area," Beyer said.
Beyer says Midtown's growth and the coming crowds are the perfect catalyst for business. JVB Swim is set for a soft opening on May 22, with expanded summer hours in June and a ribbon-cutting to follow.
“I think this area has just really come up, especially with the streetcar being finished and having those lines extended,” Beyer said.
“Midtown used to be a little bit more barren. I grew up in the Midtown area. My dad ran the Gomers down the street, so I'm very familiar with Midtown and its history, and to kind of be a part of the new chapter of this story, I think the World Cup is going to be a huge catalyst.”
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