KSHB 41 reporter Caroline Hogan covers development across the Kansas City area. Share your story idea with Caroline.
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On Main Street in the city of Independence, there's no shortage of small businesses like Pickens Sweet Treats, a candy shop.
Sisters Natalie and Nanette Pickens grew up helping their mother create candy, and now, they've taken those top secret family recipes and are sharing them with the city.
They opened their store front in Independence last December, but that's after seven years of hard work.
They said they owe a lot of the help to the Ennovation Center.
"With our past experience in corporate restaurants, we knew we didn’t want to jump in and spend a lot of money before we proved our business," Nanette said.
The Ennovation Center allowed them to have a space to not only learn about creating a small businesses, but grow at a good pace.
The center offers free resources, from business marketing and distribution planning to finance coaches. The only time people pay is for space. Natalie Pickens describes it as a toolbox.
"Health department license, city license, inspections from the fire department," Natalie Pickens said. "You need the labels — they can give you ideas and other companies that make them."
Danielle DuPree is the executive director of the incubator.
"We’re coach, we’re cheerleader, we want to make sure they’re doing well," DuPree said.
The center has worked with over 500 businesses in the 14 years they've been open.
DuPree said it's brought in millions in tax revenue to the city and the state of Missouri.
They're located in an old hospital. What used to be operating rooms are now labs.
The huge, commercial kitchen gives their food businesses a space to work.
"We’re here to take a lot of the risk out for them," DuPree said. "They’re not having to invest in a brick and mortar, buy all this equipment. You know, upstairs we have over $100,000 in lab equipment. In the kitchen we have hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipment."
They work with businesses across Kansas City, not just Independence.
DuPree said, of course, they love seeing businesses stay in the area.
Natalie said she and her sister are glad they stayed, too.
"One person said it’s almost like a big hug in the community, and it’s rewarding to be here and make people happy. " Natalie Pickens said. "We make candy! I mean, c'mon, we’re sharing sugar with everyone."
To learn more about the Ennovation Center, visit their website.