Anchor Island Coffee Looks to Re-Open Soon After Car Hits Store

UPDATE: The truck was stolen prior to the collision, according to the vehicle owner’s Facebook post.

As he sat in his house with his pets, Armando Vasquez received a phone call from one of his employees. They needed him urgently to come to the shop. He was shocked at what he discovered. 

  Around 7 p.m. on Tuesday, a green Ford truck slammed into the front of Anchor Island Coffee, leaving a path of destruction.

  “I wasn’t expecting it to be this big of a deal,” Vasquez said.   

Anchor Island Coffee is located on Troost Avenue, which is only six minutes away from UMKC.

  According to Vasquez, who owns the business with Michael Hastings, someone parked the truck on 41st street. Neighbors near the Latino-based restaurant witnessed people arguing inside the truck. After a fight broke out, where items were tossed to the street, someone entered the car and started driving. In the process of crossing Troost, it hit another car. In a Rube-Goldberg effect, the car ricocheted straight to the front of the shop, destroying the front metal gate, the entrance and some of the interior of the restaurant. 

Vasquez reported that no employees were hurt. It is unknown at the time if the driver of the truck was injured in the incident.

  Once Vasquez arrived at the scene, he quickly grabbed his phone and started to stream the aftermath on Instagram Live. 

  “I needed to show people what was happening. My mind wasn’t ready to explain all of that while dealing with the situation…We like to inform our customers of things when it happens,” Vasquez said. “It was not the ideal situation to go live… but it was the only way to explain it.”

  His employees helped Vasquez and Hastings once the dust settled. 

  “Half of our employees showed up because they live close by. They helped us clean. They also said, ‘You don’t have to pay [us]. We love you guys. We want to help you clean.’ A lot of the neighbors showed up to clean [as well],” Vasquez said. 

  On social media, dozens of local businesses and customers showed love for the newly-opened restaurant. Vasquez is thankful for the community’s support. 

  “We need a lot of hands to control a situation like this,” Vasquez said. 

  As for the future of the business, Vasquez confirmed that they will be closed for at least a couple of days. 

Some plans to re-open include a sort of drive-thru window on the first floor and opening the second floor for dine-in. 

  “Right now we have to take a break… We will try to figure out at least how customers can pick up their stuff… We hope to get the shop back in business as soon as we can.”

  Anchor Island Coffee, located at the heart of KCMO on Troost Avenue, opened up at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. It’s known for its expansive coffee options and Latino breakfast items. 

If you want to donate to their GoFundMe, which would cover the expenses of rebuilding the restaurant, click here. 

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