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Joyce Smith

@joyceinkc

Your longtime Kansas City reporter covering area restaurant & retail news. Please send tips, questions. (Previous life: OG Cityscape columnist)

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12.11.2024
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Latest posts by Joyce Smith @joyceinkc

Preview
Iconic KC BBQ spot opening ‘Joe’s Next Door’ in former Taco Republic across the street A beloved Kansas City barbecue is set to debut a new neighborhood restaurant concept — its first new location in nearly a decade — open every day of the week.

See my story in @StartlandNews

10.03.2026 20:28 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Chef J planning Northland BBQ experience: His training was Italian, his passion fire After six years as a mostly weekend only, lunch-to-sellout barbecue operation in the West Bottoms, Chef J BBQ is ready to give the metro its first traditional outdoor smokehouse restaurant.

See my story in @startlandnews.com #openings

07.03.2026 19:02 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Paris Baguette has more than 4,000 locations including two in Overland Park. Now it will open in the Power & Light District, 1360 Main, later this year. It serves an assortment of pastries, handcrafted cakes, Italian coffee, sandwiches, salads, wraps. #openings

02.03.2026 16:19 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Chipotle is now open at 8420 N. Indiana Ave. with a Chipotlane. Hours are 10:45 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. #openings

23.02.2026 18:15 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Nebraska-based Valentino’s Pizza plans a Feb.24 opening at 8909 W. 135th, Overland Park. 🍕 🍝 The menu includes its signature & build-your-own pizzas, pastas, toasted sandwiches, salads, wings, and desserts. Express lunch specials, family value packs. It plans more area locations. #openings #pizza

23.02.2026 15:42 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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More on The Big Shake-up in The Shops of Prairie Village
First Story restaurant abruptly closed after 15 years.
Now neighboring casual-fine-dining Scratch Gourmet Kitchen plans to relocate to the former Story space for a March 5 opening.
#openings #closings

29.01.2026 20:19 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Locally-owned Burg & Barrel is expanding again with a new restaurant in Leawood’s Ranch Mart North. It plans an April opening next to Billie’s Grocery. It has three other JoCo locations. #openings #opening

28.01.2026 23:43 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Summit Hospitality Group plans to close its Bōru Asian Eatery, 500 W. 75th St. in Waldo, at the end of business on Feb. 28. (For more, see my Facebook post at KCinsiders.joyceinkc) #closings #closing

26.01.2026 20:49 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Cosentino’s Price Chopper has confirmed the upcoming closing of its Rosana Square store at 119th & Metcalf in Overland Park. Closing sale starts this week. (for more see my Facebook page at #KCinsiders.joyceinkc). #closings

26.01.2026 18:23 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Stockyards Brewing Co.’s long-awaited Overland Park location is scheduled to open at 10310 Mastin St. on Jan. 30. #openings #opening

22.01.2026 15:44 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Beirut Taco plans a March opening at 3904 Bell. (for more see my Facebook post @KCinsiders.joyceinkc) #openings #restaurant #taco

18.01.2026 21:57 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Robin Krause of Billie's Grocery will open CASA restaurant in the former Salty Iguana space in Prairie Village's Corinth Square this spring. #openings

08.01.2026 19:38 👍 3 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Less than three years after a major renovation and rebranding to Barrio Taqueria, this restaurant and bar has closed on Martini Corner in Union Hill, 408 E. 31st St. #closings

07.01.2026 01:22 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Overnight proof? Boujee Baker KC rising after decades in the ooey-gooey making When Joyce Watts was a youngster, she would pretend to bake, making mud pies outside, and “hosting” a cooking show. But she left the cooking to a sibling and her mother. It wasn't until she picked up ...

Local bakery - cafe serves up cinnamon rolls, pies, sandwiches, soups, bread, cookies, mini cheesecakes and much more. See my story in
@startlandnews
#openings

27.12.2025 00:23 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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810 Entertainment, an upscale entertainment complex, is taking over the former Pinstripes in Overland Park’s Prairiefire. It plans a February opening and will have about 50 employees. 810 Entertainment will have a restaurant, bar, bowling, billiards, an AR experience and more. #openings

23.12.2025 19:48 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Chick-fil-A is now open at Metro North Crossing, 300 N.W. Barry Road, at U.S. 169.
Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays for dine-in, dual drive-thru, carry-out, third-party delivery, mobile pick-up and Mobile Thru. It also has a play area for children. #openings

10.12.2025 14:26 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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When this Crossroads refuge closes, another chapter begins for Afterword (and the space it leaves behind) With two more Open Mic Nights and more than a month left on its lease at Afterword Tavern & Shelves — a cozy corner hotspot where patrons leisurely bond over drinks and good reads — the popular Crossr...

Don’t be a stranger: When this Crossroads refuge closes, another chapter begins for Afterword (and the space it leaves behind) See my story in
@StartlandNews
bit.ly/4rKKBVe #openings

08.12.2025 18:02 👍 2 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
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The Italian Sausage Co. in Gladstone is expanding with a new River Market location (518 Grand). It will have a walk-up window but no indoor seating. It will serve all the deli’s favorites. It also will have an espresso bar and East Coast-influenced breakfast. Feb. opening scheduled. #openings

05.12.2025 23:35 👍 3 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 1
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KC Current flipping the switch on new retail shop in iconic Plaza shopping district Add team gear to the holiday shopping list this weekend. The Kansas City Current is kicking off a new permanent retail shop on the Country Club Plaza — just in time for the 2025 Plaza Lighting Ceremon...

From the pitch to the Plaza: KC Current flipping the switch on new retail shop in iconic shopping district. See my story in Startland News. (An update to my Sunday Facebook post.) #openings #kc
www.startlandnews.com/2025/11/kc-c...

25.11.2025 20:15 👍 3 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
Preview
KC Current flipping the switch on new retail shop in iconic Plaza shopping district Add team gear to the holiday shopping list this weekend. The Kansas City Current is kicking off a new permanent retail shop on the Country Club Plaza — just in time for the 2025 Plaza Lighting Ceremon...

From the pitch to the Plaza: KC Current flipping the switch on new retail shop in iconic shopping district. See my story in Startland News. (An update to my Sunday Facebook post.) #openings #kc
www.startlandnews.com/2025/11/kc-c...

25.11.2025 20:14 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Saladworks is now open at 7745 W. 159th St., in Overland Park’s Bluhawk development. It offers specialty salads, build-your-own salads, melts, wraps, grain bowls, soups, kids meals and desserts. #openings

14.11.2025 03:21 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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icymi 🍦 Betty Rae’s Ice Cream is opening another Lee’s Summit shop. The location, at 1636 S.E. Blue Parkway, is scheduled to open in January. In July, Betty Rae’s celebrated its grand opening inside the Cosentino’s Price Chopper at 251 S.W. Greenwich Drive in Lee’s Summit. #openings

12.11.2025 19:39 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Revealed: In September, Block & Company Inc. Realtors said two national restaurants would open in the new 115th & Nall development in Overland Park. Now it has confirmed: The Capital Grille & Yard House will be opening in the 9.64-acre mixed-use project, around fall 2026. #openings

11.11.2025 23:12 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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In Residence Studio plans a mid-November opening at 10 Westport Road, just off the expanded streetcar line. It will be a design studio, vintage furniture gallery, and vintage and new home decor shop. It started five years ago as an Instagram-based vintage shop. #openings

29.10.2025 16:36 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Arrow Dart Club sinks into Crossroads with 10 throwing lanes, elevated culinary team A new, multi-level Crossroads entertainment venue combines the nostalgia of basement darts with tech-driven scoring, elevated eats, and a subterranean wine bar. It’s an experience that feels familiar,...

If this Cosmo Burger cousin seems like Topgolf with darts, that’s the (steel-tipped) point. 🎯 See my story in @startlandnews.com #kc #kccrossroads #arrowdartclub
www.startlandnews.com/2025/10/arro...

15.10.2025 20:21 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Dalia’s Silver Lining in the City Market plans an early November opening in Park Place, 11527 Ash St.
The company designs high-quality sterling silver pieces and then has them made by family and others in Taxco, Mexico. #openings #opening

08.10.2025 13:47 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Just posted!

03.10.2025 22:46 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0

Jayhawk Central is putting a new restaurant in that space but Lamar's hopes to return. I'm writing a longer story on my Facebook page before the end of the day: KCinsiders.joyceinkc

03.10.2025 20:57 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
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Fresh in the tin: Crossroads cafe targets TikTok generation for laid-back canned seafood cuisine A new venue specializing in “sangria, tins and snacks” pairs viral tastes with inspiration from a classic culinary voice, said longtime Kansas City restaurateur Shawn McClenny, whose Crossroads “taver...

This concept has long been in the works for KC.
See my story in @startlandnews News #openings

01.10.2025 23:31 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
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Quick Look: Pokéloha is now open at 11831 Metcalf Ave. in Overland Park (Walmart center). 🍣🍜
On the menu? Ramen, sushi, sushi burritos, and new Dry Tossed Noodles. #openings

01.10.2025 22:58 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0