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A few months ago, Chef Shanita McAfee-Bryant a The Prospect KC, mentioned she had some special projects on the horizon.
"I was keeping secrets last time," McAfee-Bryant said.
Kansas City is getting a first look at the newest project at the downtown branch of the Kansas City Public Library.
It's called The Nook, a new coffee and pastry shop inside the library building at 14 West 10th St.
"It is an offshoot of our workforce development program" McAfee-Bryant said. "So we have some of our more advanced students over here. Running and learning how to handle the business on their own in this space."
The shop officially opened Wednesday and the first day was a success.
"That's good for us, "Joel Jones, deputy director of library services said. "We're bringing in a different audience into the library so they can see the library."
It's a win-win for the library, which gets a coffee shop and gets to support workforce development while Chef McAfee-Bryant gets a new space for her students and graduates.
"A little bit of nerves but mostly excitement," she said. "And to be honest, for me, a lot of pride."
Pride in the people she's helped teach, including Seniya Crowder.
"So it's more or less when nobody is watching, what can you do?" Crowder said.
She came to The Prospect KC about a year ago, but for the culinary training.
Crowder came to build her leadership skills.
"Maybe like a year ago if you told me, 'Hey, you're going to be talking to people like this,' actually, just facing people, I would've probably said, 'You're crazy, I'm never doing that,' so this is just a whole 180 for me," she said.
It's not just a game-changer for her, or for the library, it's for everyone else the workforce development program can now accommodate.
"By you coming here," Crowder said. "It's not only helping us, but helping the future cohorts that are coming in behind us."
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