Lee’s Summit announces plans to relocate all coffee shops, banks & churches

In an effort to consolidate the city’s 228 coffee shops, banks and churches, Lee’s Summit City Hall announced today a plan that would relocate all such businesses to one central area of the city.

City leaders have identified land off of Colbern and Douglas as a possible reunification area for the businesses that make up more than 80% of the city’s inventory.

“Whether they’re selling lattes, loans or the Lord, we’re finally going to isolate this group into one area,” Lee’s Summit Public Works Director Sam Arnold said. “Look, we know these businesses are popular in our town. So it just makes sense to finally make them easily accessible.”

Similar to the always-applauded ‘Summit Fair Christmas Route,” public works leaders have a plan for one-way traffic that will flow from Colbern or Douglas and into the business park based on your needs

“If you’re looking for a little religion and a lot of caffeine, we’re going to make your visit eternally easy to traverse,” Arnold said.

Some locations have already announced promotional tie-ins. St. Mary’s Methodist Church and Kaffee Bean, for example, will host an ‘Americanos with the Almighty’ event each Wednesday evening. Several banks have announced later hours for their drive-thru service as well.

“It just makes sense, if they can withdraw $50, spend half of it caffeinating their kids and then give another $25 or so to the churches after evening baseball games, everyone in Lee’s Summit wins,” Western Trail Bank owner Mark Simcoe said.

An organization representing all bars and pubs in town made their pitch to join the other businesses, but city council members rejected that idea.

“We can’t make it that easy on the police,” District 4’s Wanda Gray said.

Candy Johnson, owner of Talkin' Coffee in downtown Lee's Summit, said she wasn't at all disappointed in the announcement.

"I love downtown, but to have the opportunity to move next to 'Lord & Loans National Bank' is a real business game-changer," Johnson said. "Besides, my spot downtown would be perfect for a new dive bar."