A community kitchen is on the horizon for downtown Fort Scott.
Rachel French, Angela Simon, and Bailey Lyons are collaborating to open The Kitchen Collective + Collaborative, a not-for-profit business.
The building will have a commercial kitchen, a small event space and a retail area, with specialty kitchen supplies.
The event space will also be available for private rentals.
In addition, cooking classes for children and adults will be offered.
The Kitchen Collection + Collaborative business recently received a $5,000 Women, Minority or Start Up Business grant from the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team.
The Kitchen’s mission statement:
“The Kitchen is to be an innovative collaborative that enhances the local food system, increases access to regionally made and sourced goods, and supports area culinary businesses and entrepreneurs by reducing or removing risk and barriers to success.
Our concept is centered on merging the integral pieces required for a thriving food economy – producers, creators, marketers, and consumers.
We will also foster connections and serve as a community gathering place, a training hub, a meeting spot, an educational center, and a social venue.
In doing all of this, we expect The Kitchen will have a significant, multi-faceted impact on our community.
Afterall, everything happens in The Kitchen.”
Bailey and Nate Lyons own the building, located at 10 and 12 S. Main.