Uniquely KC is a Star series exploring what makes Kansas City special. From our award-winning barbecue to rich Midwestern history, we’re exploring why KC is the “Paris of the Plains.”
When taking apart equipment in the former Folgers Coffee plant in downtown Kansas City, crews found a surprise to clean up. Piles of coffee grounds spilled onto the floors of the historic facility, and workers had to remove them by the shovelful during the mid-2010s renovation. The fragrant grounds wafted through Kansas City for over a century.
From 1909 to 2012, the Folgers Coffee plant roasted coffee for the country and, at the same time, perfumed downtown Kansas City.
The former factory was located at the intersection of 8th and Broadway, near the Quality Hill neighborhood. After closing in 2012, the buildings underwent a $35.9 million renovation and reopened in 2019 as Roaster’s Block Apartments .
A 1996 Kansas City Star article described the origins of the smell: the factory’s roasting room.