Kansas City Coffee Shop Sales Soar 200% After Rally

A viral TikTok criticism of a Kansas City coffee shop sparked an unexpected wave of community pride and support that nearly tripled the business's sales in just days.

In late September, two young customers posted a TikTok review calling Oddly Correct coffee shop "demonic" and describing the drive there as "scary." They criticized the colorful, surreal paintings by local artists on the walls and said they wouldn't return before even tasting their coffee.

The shop sits on Troost Avenue, historically one of Kansas City's most prominent racial and economic dividing lines. Neighborhoods east of Troost remain largely Black, while areas to the west are predominantly white and more affluent.

Kansas City influencer CJ The Alchemist, who has 70,000 followers, called out what many locals were thinking. "Anytime somebody says that Troost Avenue is scary, it probably just means that they're not used to seeing Black folks walking up and down the sidewalks," he said in a response video that garnered over 1.2 million views.

His message was simple: "This is your sign to go take a trip to Oddly Correct."

The community answered that call immediately. Co-owner Mike Schroeder watched sales increase by nearly 200% as customers lined up out the door to show their support.

Jackie Nguyen, owner of nearby Vietnamese restaurant Cafe Cà Phê, filmed herself visiting Oddly Correct with her employee Lex. They sipped bourbon vanilla and sweet potato lattes while offering gentle guidance to the young reviewers about giving diverse neighborhoods a chance.

"Troost is an amazing street, and Oddly is an amazing business," Nguyen said in her video. "We are not trying to bully. We just wanted to take an opportunity to give a little bit of grace and kindness."

The Ripple Effect

The outpouring of support did more than boost one business. It gave voice to residents who call these neighborhoods home and love them deeply.

"We have a lot of people who spend their lives in this area and felt a need to stand up and say, 'This is where I live. This is my home, and it's not scary,'" Schroeder said.

One of the young women in the original video reached out to apologize. Schroeder's response showed the same grace the community had shown his business.

His experienced team handled the sudden rush with maturity and skill, proving that standing up for your community creates opportunities for everyone to shine.