Table of contents for Issue No. 3 2026 in KANSAS!

stepping into Atlas9 feels like traveling through time. Outside, the structure is a 45,000-square-foot windowless warehouse, its only distinctive feature a giant robot emerging from the ground to greet passersby. The moment visitors cross the threshold, however, they are hit with a wave of nostalgia. Every detail, from the geometric carpeting and glowing neon signage to the costumed performers, transports guests directly to 1995, the peak of the Hollywood blockbuster era. Atlas9, 1100 N. 98th St., Kansas City, Kansas, is the brainchild of Randall Statler and Tucker Trotter. During the pandemic, Statler, executive creative director at Dimensional Innovations, an Overland Park-based design firm, and Trotter, CEO, began to rethink the business. They talked about how much fun it would be to build something of their own. “We never really thought…

as the FIFA World Cup 2026TM draws international travelers to Kansas City, local restaurants are rolling out the welcome mat. The Culinary Center of Kansas City (CCKC), in particular, is offering classes that explore the unique flavors and culinary history of several participating countries. For 30 years, CCKC has been a culinary pillar in Overland Park’s historic downtown. “Now it has a chance to strut its stuff on the world stage,” explains CCKC co-owner Darren Palmet. The CCKC has always prided itself on welcoming novices and professionals alike. Its guests have included everyone from retired couples taking classes for fun and young adults mastering basic skills, to professionals refining their expertise. The center offers about 500 classes each year, with international dishes such as tamales and sushi ranking among the…

It’s time to roll out the welcome mat. This summer, Kansas is hosting global travelers for the world’s largest international soccer tournament: the FIFAWorld CupTM. When I hear the estimates of how many visitors will be coming through the Kansas City metro—and beyond—it’s almost impossible to fully grasp the scale. I can’t help but feel a deep excitement to share the very best of the Sunflower State with them. Events like Unbound Gravel already draw athletes from around the world to our state each year, but the World Cup takes that energy to an entirely new level. In “Kansas Pioneers of the Pitch” on page 44, we explore not only what’s ahead, but the deep roots of soccer in Kansas—a legacy that reminds us this opportunity didn’t happen by chance.…

THE FARM & THE ODD FELLOWS Minneapolis/ Capitalizing on a rising trend in the food industry called “eatertainment,” in which venues blend dining with interactive entertainment, several Kansas establishments are drawing customers who value fun and social connection as much as a tasty meal. These innovative restaurants are going beyond the traditional experience by offering multifaceted activities such as bowling, board games, arcades and even self-pour tap walls. Keir and Ashley Swisher, owners of The Farm & The Odd Fellows in Minneapolis, 205 W. 2nd St., wanted to create a unique environment that cultivates meaningful relationships and memorable outings for their customers. “The world has changed,” Keir says when explaining the prevalence of people who constantly look at their phones while dining out. “Our vision for The Farm was not…

Gale Sayers, the “Kansas Comet,” was born in Wichita and raised in the small town of Speed. In the 1965 NFL draft, Sayers was the first-round choice of the Chicago Bears and later named Rookie of the Year. He was also the youngest player inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, despite his career being cut short by injuries. Most notable, however, was his relationship with white teammate Brian Piccolo. The pair were the first racially mixed roommates in NFL history, and their friendship was featured in the 1971 ABC television movie Brian’s Song. Barry Sanders, another Kansas football star, grew up in Wichita. Despite early doubts about his 5-foot-8-inch stature, he is considered one of the NFL’s greatest running backs after his 10-year career with the Detroit Lions.…

Kansans & sunflowers, besties for millennia, blended family even, hangingat home together at least 45 centuries before now, which is to say we go way back, before sunflower’sglobetrotting to Spain with sailors, ventures across larger Europe as an ornamental (its cheerful smile,its starring role in Van Gogh there & there & there), & before the journey spilled sunflower seed for a spell inRussia, rendering oil so brand new the Orthodox substance ban for dry fasting days missed it altogether,a holy oversight securing today’s global boom (& look: rows upon rows of bottled oil teetering atop groceryshelves in Turkey, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Argentina & gaze in wonder at China’s billion-squared seed snacksor jars over jars of Moldovan sunflower butter)— because folks know a good party when they see one, crashwhat Great Plains…

Beccy Tanner is a fourth-generation Kansan. Born in Larned and raised on a farm in Stafford County, she earned her journalism degree from Kansas State University. Though she has lived all over the state, she spent most of her career writing for the Wichita Eagle. Today, she contributes to the Kansas Leadership Center’s Journal, KMUW public radio, and KANSAS! magazine. Her work has taken her across the state and introduced her to countless fascinating people. After more than 40 years, she considers it a privilege to have worked alongside so many gifted editors. What inspired you to pursue a career in freelance writing? Ever since I was 5 years old, I’ve wanted to be a writer. That feeling never went away—I love writing, and I love reporting. Best of all, I’ve…

sam Vasta is a master shoemaker from Italy, and he looks the part. In the workshop at his home near Eureka, he sports a trim gray beard and mustache along with a homemade, knee-length leather apron. Although he began his career making traditional fine shoes for men and women in Europe and the northeastern United States, he now earns his Midwest bread and butter crafting cowboy boots. And crafting cowboy boots, he says, is a lot more fun. “It’s like writing a song,” Vasta says, describing the surge of creativity he unleashes while designing the shaft of a pair of custom boots. “A loafer is a loafer,” he adds. There’s only so much you can do to a shoe to make it stand out. But the cowboy boot, because of…

Sporting Kansas City alumnus Matt Besler has always been proud of his home state. A Kansas native who grew up in Overland Park—and the first Kansan to play in the FIFA World Cup 2026TM—Besler starred for Sporting for 12 years and has competed against athletes from all over the world. Throughout his soccer career, however, he has encountered bias from international players about where he’s from—a response that’s only deepened his pride. “It was always, ‘You’re not as good as us.’ … That’s something that I have experienced many, many times, and it started at a young age,” Besler says. “It’s a big piece of who I became, and eventually one of the biggest reasons I am so [proud] of being from Kansas and showcasing that.” Kansas has a long,…