Kansas City Monarch Coffee Kaput: What Killed Millennial Dream???

In 2014 the New York Times offered this hopeful report on the trendy, hipster future of this cowtown:

Millennials Going to Kansas City, to Live and Work

It's a nice idea and the reference caused a sensation but, like everything else, the bold proclamations never really lived up to the hype. 

Now . . .

THE DEMISE OF BELOVED 'MONARCH' COFFEE SHOP SIGNALS THE DEATH OF KANSAS CITY'S MILLENNIAL DREAMS!!!

Predictably, the owners blame the pandemic.

Back in 2017 our blog community predicted that crime and rising prices would push them out. 

In the end . . .

The place seemed too fancy to maintain and owners hint that they just didn't have enough love/interest for the project to continue their efforts. 

Yes, there's a hidden subtext which suggests that "the great resignation" and so-called "quiet quitting" might be part of the equation . . . Even for owners working for investors . . . In the end, EVERYBODY has a boss.

A bit of desperation at the end of an unsuccessful biz journey is understandable . . . But the coffee shut down begs a bigger question . . . 

DOES MONARCH COFFEE SHUT DOWN REVEAL THAT KANSAS CITY URBANIST HYPE MISLEADS MILLENNIALS & GEN Z??!!!

Back in 2017 we warned that people can "die of encouragement" and we still believe that statement is accurate. 

Starting a biz is one of the hardest ways to craft a living . . . 

For a time the crew at Monarch created one of this town's most unique spaces.

In the aftermath of this closure . . . It seems unfair to neighbors and young people to dismiss the implications of their demise. Or, even worse, encourage mediocre biz people to waste their time and treasure on empty urbanist promises. For years Midtown Kansas City has been told that speculative real estate deals and the streetcar will power an economic renaissance when, IN FACT, idea hasn't really worked for any small biz or residents.

Accordingly, here's a peek at what they had to say in their recent announcement blast . . .

We have some news: Monarch Coffee's brick & mortar locations will be closing on Sunday, October 30th.

We've been trying to find the right words to share this news with our community and customers. How do you, in a few paragraphs, sum up eight years of your life, the nuances of one of the hardest decisions you've ever had to make, and the parallel feelings of profound grief alongside a deep knowing of what is the next right thing?

We opened Monarch because we were excited to create a new kind of coffee space in Kansas City. We did what we set out to do, which was to serve quality coffee and barista created drinks, in a beautiful, welcoming space, rooted in our values. We are so incredibly proud of the company we created, the team we built, and all that we offered to the community.

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Developing . . .