Coffee Wonk

Plenty of shops jumped on the K2 bandwagon during synthetic marijuana’s moment in the legal sun. But Coffee Wonk got there first. The new products gave the shop a revenue stream that put its java sales to shame. And while some stores would’ve pocketed the extra cash, Coffee Wonk reinvested in itself. It’s planning an alternative bookstore within its walls — something KC has sorely needed since the anarchist bookstore on Troost went out of business in 2009. When K2 got banned, the store threw a free party with live music to celebrate its run, and then debuted brand-new barely legal products to fill the void. Also, the coffee’s pretty good.

Oct. 7, 7 a.m.-10 p.m., 2010