07.20.2023

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Today’s Forecast

40º | Rain/snow mix | 98% chance of rain |
Sunrise: 7:37 a.m. | Sunset: 5:12 p.m.

📚 Stay booked and busy

Here are 20+ local bookstores in the Kansas City metro

We can smell the pages from here. | Photo by Prospero’s Bookstore

Get your hot tea and grab your coziest chair. If you’re ready to wiggle your bookworm while supporting local biz, check out these 18 bookstores across the Kansas City Metro.

Aya Coffee and Books, 5211 Summit St., KCMO | Sip and sit with a community of book lovers during regular book club discussions.

Afterward Tavern & Shelves, 1834 Grand Blvd., KCMO | This bookstore doubles as a bar and offers a “Books & Booze” membership.

Bliss Books & Wine, 3502 Gillham Rd., KCMO | Read, sip, and relax while enjoying recommended book + wine pairings.

BLK + BRWN., 104 W. 39th St., KCMO | This store focuses on amplifying the stories of Black + brown communities.

Blue & Grey Book Shoppe, 106 E. Walnut St., Independence, MO | Stop in for new, used, and rare books as well as doll clothes, gifts, and fine art.

Flagship Books, 510 N. 6th St., KCK | It’s a quaint neighborhood bookstore located in Strawberry Hill.

Glem Books, 35 Coventry Ct., Prairie Village, KS | This is a general antiquarian bookshop. It opened in 1933 and evaluates collections.

Helianthus Books, various locations | Catch this pop-up book shop around town, curating books that celebrate communities of color, marginalized folx, and Spanish language books.

KD’s Books, 241 SE Main St., Lee’s Summit, MO | Established in 1990, this primarily children’s bookstore has been a staple in Lee’s Summit for 30+ years.

The Learning Tree, various locations | A children’s bookstore full of books and educational gifts for children of all ages.

8 more local bookstores

Events

Thursday, July 20

Brass & Boujee | Thursday, July 20 | 7:30-10:30 p.m. | Jay McShann Pavilion, 1616 E. 18th St., Kansas City, MO | Free | Listen to the brass sound of the Marcus Lewis Big Band in KC’s Jazz district.

Friday, July 21

WeekEnder at Crown Center | Friday, July 21, Friday, July 28 | 6-11 p.m. | Crown Center | Free | Listen to local bands and finish each evening with a famous flick under the stars.
Drake White | Friday, July 21 | 6 p.m. | PBR Big Sky, 111 E. 13th St., Kansas City, MO | $20 | Listen to heartstring-puller Drake White and his soulful roots.

Saturday, July 22

Perfect Pickles | Saturday, July 22 | 1 p.m. | 23338 Kissinger Rd., Leavenworth, KS | Free | Pick your pickling vegetables and walk through the pickling + canning process.
Somerset Ridge + KCtoday | Saturday, July 22 | 1-5 p.m. | Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery, 29725 Somerset Rd., Paola, KS | $0+ | Cool off in the vineyards with music by Jason Kayne and bites from Spice Bandit food truck.

Sunday, July 23

Kansas City’s Lawn Party 2023 | Sunday, July 23 | 4-8 p.m. | The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art | Free | Celebrate National Parks and Recreation Month at Kansas City’s biggest lawn party of the year.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Try This

Meet BRKTHROUGH, a first-of-its-kind social entertainment experience in Kansas City

A rotating GIF of activities at BRKTHROUGH

Beyond the weekend, BRKTHROUGH can also help you hack whatever big event you have on your calendar (think: bachelor/bachelorette parties, corporate celebrations, office team-building, or family get-togethers). | Photos by BRKTHROUGH; GIF by KCtoday

Think of it as an escape room — but better.

With 40+ different “challenge rooms,” BRKTHROUGH offers players the liberty to choose their own adventure — making each visit fun and competitive with distinct challenges waiting to be conquered.

Physical trials, mental tests, skill-based tasks, or a thrilling blend of all three could await players behind any door. Bonus: Each room has its own theme (think: wild jungles, mysterious prisons, futuristic spaceships, and more).

After the game, grab shareable snacks and choose from local craft beers + wine from their nifty self-pour wall.

Can you beat the game? 👀

News Notes

Sports

Current rising. This Saturday, July 22, the KC Current will face the Houston Dash. Stop at Mazuma Plaza before the game starts and get autographs from Claire Lavogez and Hanna Glas. Signing begins at 5:40 p.m. — limited to the first 100 in line.

Cause

A toast to all the good boys. The 5th annual Kansas City Pet Project Day is this Friday, July 21. To celebrate, Tito’s Handmake Vodka will match all donations to KC Pet Project up to $10,000. Anyone 21+ that donates $50+ will be entered to win one of five Tito’s Dog Swag Raffle Baskets.

Opening

Atomic Cowboy is coming to Kansas. The bar-brunch-pizza place will open this November — at 7101 W. 80th St., Overland Park, KS. Its indulgent biscuits have unique flavors like strawberry shortcake and biscuit pot pie. This will be the second location in the KC metro area. (Kansas City Star)

Ranked

Kansas and Missouri are wheel-y winning. Gambling.com named Kansas and Missouri as the No. 6 and No. 10 “Best States for Biking.” Ranking criteria included bike shop excellence, cycling friendly actions, rental cost, and cycling safety.

Biz

Big Mood Natural Wines is getting bigger. The Crossroads winery — located at 2020 Baltimore Ave., KCMO — is now equipped with a full bar that serves cocktails + a rotating wine selection, and will start hosting live entertainment.

Film

Bad boys, bad boys. Have you noticed cameras following Independence police officers lately? Here’s why. The iconic show, “Cops,” is filming with the department as its subject. Production is expected to continue for the next eight weeks. Episodes will air in 2024. (KSHB)

Ranked

🏆 We’re No. 1

How the KC metro is dominating rankings across the US

I see skies of blue. | Photo by KCtoday

The KC metro makes headlines everywhere you look. Let’s review our 2023 trophy wall, shall we?

Kicking it off with KCI — our brand new airport was named the “Best Airport in the US” by TravelAwaits. If you’ve seen it, you know why. Its specialty rooms are the first of its kind in US airports and it has multiple local art pieces on display.

Unshocking, Kansas City also topped barbecue rankings. KCMO was named the “Best Barbecue City” in the country by Lawnstarter. KCK came in at No. 3, Olathe No. 17, and Overland Park at No. 22.

Overland Park and Olathe both made the “Best Place to Live” list by Livability, ranking No. 6 and No. 14. respectively.

OP was also crowned the best place to rent by WalletHub.

What else in Kansas City should get a No. 1 ranking? Let us know and you could be featured in a future newsletter.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Charmaine

From the editor

🎉 Today is my older brother’s birthday. Or, as I’ve called him since we were little, big bruh-bruh.

I’m going to celebrate him today via video chat since he doesn’t live here. Maybe I’ll even let him pick out a few things from the KCtoday Drink Up Month collection and pick up the tab.

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