811 Retail Incubator Expands with 5 New Entrepreneur Spots

The Porter House KC's retail hub sees success in its first 18 months, plans for second cohort launch.

Jan. 29, 2026 at 11:39am

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The 811 Retail Incubator in Kansas City, Missouri has announced the opening of five new spots for entrepreneurs after a successful first 18 months that saw the incubator exceed its initial target of housing nine businesses, with a majority being BIPOC- and women-owned. The incubator, operated by The Porter House KC, combines below-market retail space with real-world education to create a 'learn while you earn' environment for its participants.

Why it matters

The 811 Retail Incubator is an important initiative that is providing affordable retail space and hands-on business training to help entrepreneurs, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, test their concepts and build sustainable operations. Its success in the first year and plans for expansion demonstrate the demand for this type of support in the Kansas City community.

The details

The 811 Retail Incubator operates on an 18-month cycle, giving entrepreneurs enough time to test their concept, refine operations, and build customer relationships, while also creating a clear timeline that fosters urgency and accountability. Graduating businesses receive support in planning their next steps, whether that's securing a permanent location, expanding e-commerce, or continuing a pop-up strategy. The incubator also captures learnings from departing businesses to continuously improve the program.

  • The 811 Retail Incubator launched its first cohort 18 months ago.
  • The incubator is currently accepting applications for five open spots in its 2026 cohort.

The players

Dan Smith

Co-founder of The Porter House KC, which operates the 811 Retail Incubator.

The Porter House KC

The organization that operates the 811 Retail Incubator, a retail hub in Kansas City, Missouri that provides below-market space and real-world education for entrepreneurs.

Missouri Small Business Development Center at UMKC

A partner organization that provides the Growth360 programming for 811 Retail Incubator participants.

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What they’re saying

“Entrepreneurs can test strategies with actual customers before making major capital investments. Our participants don't just survive; they build sustainable operations.”

— Dan Smith, Co-founder, The Porter House KC (startlandnews.com)

“We're looking for product-based businesses that are ready to operate in a physical retail environment and committed to participating in our educational programming.”

— Dan Smith, Co-founder, The Porter House KC (startlandnews.com)

What’s next

The 811 Retail Incubator is launching its second cohort this spring, taking learnings from the first year to build an even stronger experience for the new entrepreneurs.

The takeaway

The 811 Retail Incubator is demonstrating the value of providing affordable retail space and hands-on business support to help entrepreneurs, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, test their concepts and build sustainable operations. Its success and expansion plans show the demand for this type of program in the Kansas City community.