Scoop: Le Champion closure due to Westport construction
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From coffee and wine lounge to ramen and NA bar. Photo: Travis Meier/Axios
Westport cafe Le Champion is closing, and the owner tells us a big reason is due to construction in the area.
Why it matters: It's not the first time projects have contributed to closures, raising questions over how the city manages its growing pains.
State of play: The city in 2025 started a $30 million stormwater project to prevent frequent flooding along Mill Street, prompting some resident frustrations and decreased foot traffic for businesses.
- Saint Luke's hospital also began demolishing the old Plaza Embassy Suites to the south of Le Champion after the World Cup. Crews were still clearing debris by late August.
What they're saying: "The construction is really what killed us," Le Champion owner Amante Domingo tells Axios. "The streets were closed all around us, and we were doing really well."
- "The hospital people used to come and get coffee," Domingo says. "You couldn't even walk to Champ anymore."
The other side: The city is aware of construction challenges to businesses, spokesperson Desmond Nugent tells us, and it's working with the Westport Regional Business League, stakeholders and crews to maintain as much access and communication as possible.
- Saint Luke's did not answer our questions about the demolition.
Between the lines: Construction is beginning to ease — and foot traffic is rising again — as Mill Street pavement is finishing up and the demolition nears completion.
- "I'll probably kick myself for selling Champ," Domingo says, adding there's a possibility he reopens the business in a different location.
Zoom in: Domingo sold it to an industry newcomer, Gerald Pittman, who tells Axios he plans to open his new concept, the Blurred Bar, by Halloween — with instant ramen and a focus on nonalcoholic drinks.
- Pittman says he's going for a nostalgic, approachable vibe reminiscent of Toonami anime cartoons and low-cost eats.
- "I grew up a Black nerd" in Baltimore with foster parents working at a Polock Johnny's hot dog stand, he says. "That's where blurred comes from."
- The drinks menu will be defaulted NA, with each cocktail paired with a suggested liquor for spiking. Pittman "wanted to make it more welcoming to nondrinkers."
Zoom out: Domingo owns two other restaurants in Midtown — The Russell and Noka.
- He's looking at expanding The Russell with additional locations, including potential spots in Lee's Summit, Prairie Village and the Northland.