YJ's Snack Bar

across road snack bar isn't just fuel for local artists. It's one of the few spaces where they can work and now the community is fighting to keep it alive only on 41 Action News reporter Andres Gutierrez joins us live from YJ snack bar just west of Broadway and West 18th Street. What's going on Andres? Well, Krista, when these closed signs appeared at YJ's new location, it ended up puzzling a lot of folks in this community, but there's now an effort to reopen it artists that this cafe has supported over the years. When YJ'snack bar found a new home in Kansas City's west side neighborhood a year ago, artists and musicians, including Aaron Keller rejoiced. I was so excited because it's just so much bigger. It means that there'so much more potential to do even more in the community. YJ's left its original crossroads location of more than 90 years after a new owner bought the building at 18th and Wyandotte. However, in the new space, YJ's owner David Ford's health declined. I've had five surgeries and I'm on 12 medicines a day. So I'm not able to do I haven't been able to work for a year forcing him to close two months ago. People come up here. Kayla Williams is now leading a grassroots effort to keep this vital resource for artists alive. So now we're looking at coming into it with a fresh start and still keeping the idea and the spirit of what it'supposed to be. Williams, who's overseen training for a Fortune 500 company, launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover initial costs. I've created a business plan to run this as a cafe and as what we're kind of considering These are people I love and I trust and are going to bring the jazz community and the performance community forward because that's what I believe in. Ford says the clock is ticking and 45 days he has to start moving out of the space. We all have to contribute what we can contribute to make sure that this stays a safe haven in our community. And now while the doors remain closed, they are hosting pop-up events here to help raise money to reopen YJs. Reporting live in the West Side neighborhood of Kansas City tonight, Andres Goudir is 41 Action News.