DOWNTOWN LEE’S SUMMIT MAIN STREET HONORS VOLUNTEERS AND BUSINESSES AT 2025 ANNUAL AWARDS EVENT
Volunteers, community members, and local business owners were honored during the Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner, on July 16, 2025, in The Aspen Room at the Stanley.
The following individuals and businesses were recognized for their commitment to the revitalization and preservation of Downtown Lee’s Summit.
(The Annual Meeting was Office themed...in case the cardboard cutout of Michael Scott seems a little odd.)
Laurence Glacet - Volunteer of the Year
This is a special award that recognizes a volunteer whose commitment to the downtown revitalization efforts has generated value for downtown.
Our Volunteer of the Year is someone who serves her community with a joyful spirit. She’s always willing to help when we need her, and as you’ll find out, we need her quite a lot. You’ve seen her get into character as a Christmas Elf to lead the Costume Contest at our Boos, Barks & Badges Parade. She set up decorations in the park and welcomed families to the Bunny Hop. She even stepped up to lead the children’s activities at the Farmers Market Spring Celebration. During the Wine Walk, she was right there with us, handing out lanyards to attendees. We know we can trust Laurence with any task, large or small.
Mike Fredholm- Downtown Champion
This award recognizes someone who does not own a business or property in downtown LS, but is consistently supportive of the downtown revitalization efforts.
Mike is a tireless advocate for both Amtrak and Downtown Lee's Summit. Armed with bundles of Amtrak schedules, he shares his passion for train travel not only in Downtown Lee's Summit, but across the metro area. Mike has coordinated happy hours and organized trips for friends to visit his home in Downtown Lee's Summit. One such trip, documented by a friend, has garnered over 4,600 views on YouTube.
When Mike discovered that Union Station didn't have train schedules available, he took action. He has personally delivered schedules to Union Station staff more times than we can count. Earlier this year, the Missouri River Runner Amtrak route introduced a new mascot named Ollie the Otter. Ollie's great, but Lee's Summit has something even better – we've got Amtrak Mike!
Summit Video Services- Best Exterior Signage
This award recognizes outstanding new signage for a Downtown business.
In honor of his 20th anniversary in business, Chad Godfry commissioned a new sign for Summit Video Services. He didn't have to look far for this impressive custom-crafted neon sign. Dave Eames and Ben Wine of Fossil Forge created a show-stopping sign featuring a striking mix of red and white neon that elevates the exterior of 21 SE 3rd Street to match the award-winning video production studio inside.
We think every 20th anniversary deserves a neon sign.
Remembering Lee’s Summit – Lee’s Summit History Museum- Top Special Event
Recognizes a successful event that attracted new visitors to downtown.
This year's top special event is a new event that celebrates the old. Remembering Lee's Summit shares the stories of our community's history through the people who lived it. These moderated community conversations invite a small group of residents to share what it was like to grow up in Lee's Summit. The events are held on the second Thursday of February, April, June, August, October, and December. We applaud the Lee's Summit History Museum for creating an opportunity for us to come together and share these experiences.
The Purple Hippopotamus- Outstanding Window Display
This award goes to the downtown business who consistently re-designs and decorates their store window displays in creative, original and eye-catching ways.
Whether you’ve lived here for 20 minutes or 20 years, it’s easy to walk by and overlook a vacant building when you visit Downtown. Such was the case for “the blonde brick building” on SE Main. It had been years since visitors stepped foot inside, let alone stopped to window shop. That was until Andee Carr and her family noticed an opportunity. They revitalized the space and turned it into an imaginative children’s boutique and educational hub for families. Today, the window displays at The Purple Hippopotamus are turning heads. You’ll notice charming scenes that evoke the nostalgia of childhood. Since their grand opening in September, visitors of all ages, including our tiniest tots, are welcomed inside to experience the whimsy within these four walls. Congratulations to the team at The Purple Hippopotamus for breathing new life into Downtown Lee’s Summit!
Lyndsey Fliehs- New Member Dynamo– This award recognizes a new investor or volunteer that has gone above and beyond to serve downtown.
If Lyndsey was a cocktail, she’d be an Apple Cider Redbull with a shot of Fireball, garnished with a lithium ion battery. All that to say, she’s a dynamic business owner, brimming with energy and positivity, and a true delight to work with. As owner of Team Cocktail, Lyndsey is their Director of Awesomeness, a very appropriate title considering the magic she’s created since they moved here in May of 2024. Lyndsey joined our Promotions Committee, where she has been a creative force, helping grow our retail shopping events. Lyndsey created a series of “After Dark” shopping events where she invited other retail shops to stay open late to reach new customers. Her MTV Spring Break theme was a hit, and rivaled the famous TRL beach parties of the early 2000’s. Lyndsey is a wonderful mentor and friend, always willing to help others grow their business and serve her community.
Lee's Summit Visitors Bureau- Outstanding Special Project
This award recognizes a special one-time project or activity that affects a downtown or neighborhood commercial district revitalization effort.
We know firsthand that when our community comes together with a shared vision, they can accomplish great things. This year, we honor the work that went into establishing the Lee's Summit Visitors Bureau. After years of conversations, research, and studies, the inaugural LSVB board was appointed by Mayor Baird in September 2023. By July 2024, City Council approved the organization's new public service agreement, and by January 1, 2025, they had hired their first executive director, Cori Day.
The Board has been hands-on, setting up at community events and ready to "tell you where to go!" Work is underway to develop a marketing plan following completion of a visitors study. Cori has jumped right in to help lead the way with Goal 2026 and the Green Street grand opening—two major tourism activities for our community. While much of their work is still in the early stages, we know the foundation they have laid will benefit this community for generations and we couldn’t wait to celebrate it.
Messner Bee Farm- Business of the Year
This award is presented to a business located in downtown LS that shows excellence in all areas of business, community involvement and volunteerism.
The poet Andrea Gibson said “No one in history has ever been an instrument of change. Each of us is a single key. But to be human is to think you are playing a solo when it is never not a harmony.”
Over 100 business owners are writing their story in Downtown Lee’s Summit, collectively playing a part in a larger symphony. Tonight we honor one business who embodies the power of harmonious collaboration. Their story began in 2011 when they built their first beehive. They watched in awe as these tiny, helpless insects communicated and cooperated to become a massive super-organism, with the ability to collect 20 pounds of nectar in a day (drop-by-drop!). Just like those bees, Rachael & Erik Messner poured their collective strengths into building Messner Bee Farm. After years of hard work, their timeline led them here, to open their Downtown Lee’s Summit store last August. They jumped right in, connecting with people and embracing the commotion of Downtown. Each event provided a chance for them to creatively engage with customers: offering light up crowns at the Wine Walk, hosting local makers at the Art Walk. You may remember seeing them dressed as Buddy the Elf and his pal Jolie in their Live Window Display during the holidays, or serving up their Fearless Hot Honey Hot Toddy at Merry Swiftmas. By harnessing the creative talents of your incredible team, you made your business a place where people feel like they belong. Congratulations to our 2025 Business of the Year, Messner Bee Farm!
2026 New Board Members
The investors joining the Downtown Lee's Summit Main Street Board of Directors for a three-year term are:
- Chad Dumas – ReeceNichols of Lee’s Summit
- Lyndsey Fliehs – Team Cocktail
- Clint Haynes – NextGen Wealth
- Ben Wine – Fossil Forge- 2nd 3-year term
- Candace Jennings – Downtown Resident – 2nd 3-year term
Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the revitalization and preservation of Downtown Lee’s Summit. For more information, visit https://downtownls.org/dlsms/
