A PAGE OF OPINION
I recently found out that something I suspected would eventually happen actually started to come true. I have long noticed this, and other American metropolitan areas bias against small business. Many a politician will tell you that small business is the backbone of America, providing jobs and paying taxes. However, most of these politicians, while telling us that they are pro small business, are actually in the pockets of large business, and they unfairly use their power and influence to crush the little guy.
I have been going to YJ's since 2000. I had long sought a place that attracted artists and musicians and creative people to its doors. I have found that Kansas City and many of the surrounding suburbs were extremely lacking in this regard, and thus, fairly stale and boring. Then I found YJ's, and met David Ford. I have long admired David Ford's ability to keep the place running and to provide a livelyhood for himself, and for other struggling artists, musicians, creatives and people who just needed a place to provide for themselves. I have also admired David's sense of community, and his ability to draw a lot of people together to form a diverse neighborhood.
When I moved to Kansas City in the 70's, downtown was almost dead. The area between the abandoned Union Station and downtown was best avoided. It was filled with empty decaying wharehouses. There were a few buildings that housed businesses, but most of the area was scary, especially at night. There were lots of lovely people hanging out back then that made the area a place to stay away from.
In the mid 80's, my father told me he was approached by somebody who wanted to sell him a building in that area for about $20,000.00. He thought the guy wanted too much for it then. I often told him I wish he bought it or something down there. Then sometime at about the same time, some artists and photographers took advantage of the cheap buildings and rents, and moved in. People thought they were crazy then. Even into the 1990's the area saw little sign of what it was to become. The city certainly didn't give much thought or consideration to the needs of the people in the area. They fell under the radar, and that is the way they liked it. Johnson County suburbanites could barely notice the area on their way to the stadiums or the malls.
Then the artists and creatives who gave birth to the area became the victims of their own success, as always. The price of all the property jumped exponentially. The city never helped. Instead, the city gave away taxpayer money to big developers to help drive all the people out who made the area what it is. Instead of $20,000.00 buildings, the area now only offered exclusive lofts apartments that started at 10 times the asking price of the properties in the 1980's.
I have talked with Paul, and Carol, the owners of the building in which YJ's, and several other small creative enterprises have spaces. They told me that when they retired, they could have done what a lot of people do when it comes to supporting he arts -- they could have gone to benefit dinners costing thousands of dollars. Instead, they chose to take a property they owned, and provide cheap space for the artists to do what they do, and, thus in that way, Paul and Carol really support the arts, and get a lot of friendships and contacts with creative people they would not normally have.
David was probably foremost amongst all those friends. He built a small cafe where there was once a failing convenience store. He used to feed his poor artist friends, an so parlayed his interest in cooking for his friends into a small business. He constantly tried to keep it a small operation so that he could fly under the radar. The city has never been a friend to small business, and he knew it. That is especially true, when the blood was in the water, so to speak. When bigger developers came sniffing around, it was only a matter of time before the trouble started. The building across the street was bought up, and the developers wanted to get rich off it by doing what a lot of developers were doing -- getting tax increment financing from city hall, who would gladly give away all of the city's treasury, while sticking it to the responsible property owners who were already there. Throughout the 2000's, people such as Paul and Carol saw their assessments, and thus their property taxes go up without any say, representation or recourse, Meanwhile, luxury condo's were built all around them, all funded with public money, which was coming directly out of their, and our pockets. As the condo's boomed, the streets filled with cars belonging to residents who did not have adequate parking for their needs, thus squeezing out the residents and businesses who were already there. Dave had to put up with new people coming into the neighborhood, who immediately complained about the slightest bit of light or noise.
So now, after having outside seating for all of its existence with little trouble, David, and YJ's find themselves within the crosshairs of city meddling. Ordinances which seem to have little reason for being other than to create trouble for small businesses have cropped up seemingly to give reason to codes enforcement to try to shutter a cool little small internationally known cafe. There are people who come to KC just to visit this little place. It has been featured in the Food Network, and is consistantly written up as one of the top places to visit in the city. I now use it as a measure of what I look for in other cities. When I go traveling, I try to find that city's YJ's. Yet, despite that, it seems Kansas City is determined to drive this small business into the ground, with excessive and arbitrary rules and enforcement. I guess, in the end, it is true what a lot of people say -- they would never expect to see such a place like this in a conservative midwestern city, like Kansas City. There seem to be some forces at work who are trying to prove people's notions right.
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I recently found out that something I suspected would eventually happen actually started to come true. I have long noticed this, and other American metropolitan areas bias against small business. Many a politician will tell you that small business is the backbone of America, providing jobs and paying taxes. However, most of these politicians, while telling us that they are pro small business, are actually in the pockets of large business, and they unfairly use their power and influence to crush the little guy.
Thursday 27 August 2009 17:13:27
YJ's Snack Cafe, 128 West 18th street, Kansas City Missouri on a cool , wet late August day.
I have been going to YJ's since 2000. I had long sought a place that attracted artists and musicians and creative people to its doors. I have found that Kansas City and many of the surrounding suburbs were extremely lacking in this regard, and thus, fairly stale and boring. Then I found YJ's, and met David Ford. I have long admired David Ford's ability to keep the place running and to provide a livelyhood for himself, and for other struggling artists, musicians, creatives and people who just needed a place to provide for themselves. I have also admired David's sense of community, and his ability to draw a lot of people together to form a diverse neighborhood.
Wednesday 12 September 2007 14:08:09
Mmmmm, soy latte at the place that serves the best kawfeee in the Kansas City Metro area -- YJ's Snack Cafe at 18th and Wyandotte in Kansas City, Missouri.
When I moved to Kansas City in the 70's, downtown was almost dead. The area between the abandoned Union Station and downtown was best avoided. It was filled with empty decaying wharehouses. There were a few buildings that housed businesses, but most of the area was scary, especially at night. There were lots of lovely people hanging out back then that made the area a place to stay away from.
Sunday 28 October 2007 22:26:08
YJ's Third World Snack Cafe, 18th and Wyandotte, Kansas City, Missouri
In the mid 80's, my father told me he was approached by somebody who wanted to sell him a building in that area for about $20,000.00. He thought the guy wanted too much for it then. I often told him I wish he bought it or something down there. Then sometime at about the same time, some artists and photographers took advantage of the cheap buildings and rents, and moved in. People thought they were crazy then. Even into the 1990's the area saw little sign of what it was to become. The city certainly didn't give much thought or consideration to the needs of the people in the area. They fell under the radar, and that is the way they liked it. Johnson County suburbanites could barely notice the area on their way to the stadiums or the malls.
Sunday 28 October 2007 21:11:57
Java and Jazz. Micah and the standup bass at the Jazz jam at YJ's Snack Cafe, 18th and Wyandotte, Kansas City, Missouri
Then the artists and creatives who gave birth to the area became the victims of their own success, as always. The price of all the property jumped exponentially. The city never helped. Instead, the city gave away taxpayer money to big developers to help drive all the people out who made the area what it is. Instead of $20,000.00 buildings, the area now only offered exclusive lofts apartments that started at 10 times the asking price of the properties in the 1980's.
07/19/2009 20:40:09
Jazz jam at YJ's Third World Snack Cafe at 128 West 18th in Kansas City Missouri
I have talked with Paul, and Carol, the owners of the building in which YJ's, and several other small creative enterprises have spaces. They told me that when they retired, they could have done what a lot of people do when it comes to supporting he arts -- they could have gone to benefit dinners costing thousands of dollars. Instead, they chose to take a property they owned, and provide cheap space for the artists to do what they do, and, thus in that way, Paul and Carol really support the arts, and get a lot of friendships and contacts with creative people they would not normally have.
YJ's Snack Cafe, 18th and Wyandotte Kansas City Missouri Saturday 2 December 2006
I came here for a small mocha while I waited for Suyen to drive up and meet me at the station.
David was probably foremost amongst all those friends. He built a small cafe where there was once a failing convenience store. He used to feed his poor artist friends, an so parlayed his interest in cooking for his friends into a small business. He constantly tried to keep it a small operation so that he could fly under the radar. The city has never been a friend to small business, and he knew it. That is especially true, when the blood was in the water, so to speak. When bigger developers came sniffing around, it was only a matter of time before the trouble started. The building across the street was bought up, and the developers wanted to get rich off it by doing what a lot of developers were doing -- getting tax increment financing from city hall, who would gladly give away all of the city's treasury, while sticking it to the responsible property owners who were already there. Throughout the 2000's, people such as Paul and Carol saw their assessments, and thus their property taxes go up without any say, representation or recourse, Meanwhile, luxury condo's were built all around them, all funded with public money, which was coming directly out of their, and our pockets. As the condo's boomed, the streets filled with cars belonging to residents who did not have adequate parking for their needs, thus squeezing out the residents and businesses who were already there. Dave had to put up with new people coming into the neighborhood, who immediately complained about the slightest bit of light or noise.
YJ's Snack Cafe, 18th and Wyandotte KCMO Monday 3 December 2006
I had a $2.50 dinner here of leftovers. It was good.
So now, after having outside seating for all of its existence with little trouble, David, and YJ's find themselves within the crosshairs of city meddling. Ordinances which seem to have little reason for being other than to create trouble for small businesses have cropped up seemingly to give reason to codes enforcement to try to shutter a cool little small internationally known cafe. There are people who come to KC just to visit this little place. It has been featured in the Food Network, and is consistantly written up as one of the top places to visit in the city. I now use it as a measure of what I look for in other cities. When I go traveling, I try to find that city's YJ's. Yet, despite that, it seems Kansas City is determined to drive this small business into the ground, with excessive and arbitrary rules and enforcement. I guess, in the end, it is true what a lot of people say -- they would never expect to see such a place like this in a conservative midwestern city, like Kansas City. There seem to be some forces at work who are trying to prove people's notions right.
Thursday 13 August 2009
Bay window in YJ's Snack Cafe at 128 West 18th Street in Kansas City Missouri
Friday 21 August 2009 18:19:59
Loren Lovin' on Tima at YJ's Snack Cafe in Kansas City Missouri
Sunday 30 August 2009 21:33:52
After dinner at the flea market, we went to YJ's for the jazz jam.
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