Drinking Coffee in Kansas City: HullHouse Coffee
We’ve revived the series that helped launch Explore–
we take our coffee seriously, over here!
Photos by Meredith Schneider
North of the river you’ll find several really adorable coffee shops that have gone up in the last few years. One of our favorites is HullHouse Coffee, which sits on the lot where Metro North Mall used to stand (RIP). Owned and operated by the Hull family, the storefront is in a strip mall underneath new apartments, part of a wonderful little community being crafted on the mall’s graveyard.
When you walk in, you will immediately feel at home. Though it is painted gray and there are gray floors, the warmth that emanates from the tropical decor, warm-weather accents, and general energy of the workers transforms the space.
You will also notice that to your right, just inside the door and between you and your barista, is a shopping area. Find clothing, coffee beans, and other local finds along the wall as you wait in line to order. I, personally, love that the shopping area is along that wall, as I can stand out of everyone’s way and not interrupt the flow of the coffee shop when I am indecisive.
Which is inevitable.
HullHouse roasts its own specialty coffee in-house. Purchase it in bulk in the shopping area, and they will be happy to grind any whole beans for you at the counter! They even have their bagged coffee available to order online with the rest of their menu offerings, which include affogatos, cookies, bagels, frappes, pup cups, pastries, and more.
Another really incredible piece of the HullHouse story is the inclusivity that the storefront promotes. The wholesome reason the Hull family chose to open a coffee shop? Their site explains: “We wanted to create a fun, loving work environment for our son and other young adults with intellectual disabilities. A place for all people to feel welcomed, loved and included no matter what our differences are.”
My go-to beverage at this location has been the iced honey cinnamon latte. I’m not sure what they do differently than other coffee shops, but the flavor is truly balanced between the honey and the cinnamon, and the espresso is never overbearing or weak.
HullHouse Coffee is a really great space to work in. There are several outlets along the wall if you need to get anything done on your computer. The space is especially conducive for reading a book or catching up on journaling. As stated previously, the ambiance is really warm and comfortable.
If you’d like to host an intimate (20 person capacity) event in the space, reach out to Kim for details at (816) 310-7955.
