Whether sprayed in a victorious locker room, hoisted to toast newlyweds, or swigged on New Year’s Eve, champagne is the drink of special occasions.

But restaurateur Jordin Johnson, 34, is taking bubbly off its pedestal at Blanc Champagne Bar at 3835 Main St. in Kansas City, Missouri. Her view is that daily life is worth celebrating.

“I love putting people in a place of gratitude when they come into the space and just think about why they're grateful,” Johnson said. “You innately compare champagne to a celebration, but how can we make that special moment every day, even if it's not something grand?”

Johnson put herself through the University of Missouri-Kansas City as a bartender and server before embarking on a marketing/communications career. She followed rewarding work in the nonprofit sector with several enjoyable years in the corporate world.

But when the business role got a little stale, Johnson tapped her self-confidence and said, “Hey I think I could do something by myself and pull it off.”

Johnson is looking to open Blanc by early fall. Blanc is in a building along the extended streetcar route scheduled to open in 2025.

As a woman of color, Johnson plans to have a racially diverse and predominantly female workforce.

Her focus on all things local includes providing an outlet for brewers, chefs, artists, and fashion designers. Johnson foresees hosting pop-up events for local small businesses on the bar’s rooftop event space.

Given her professional background, Johnson knew that branding and marketing were crucial to a successful launch. A $40,000 loan from AltCap financed the development of a logo and website (from a two-woman creative agency) along with interior design work.

The work financed by AltCap was second in importance only to securing the space for Blanc, Johnson said, because it’s important for potential customers to recognize your identity and know what you stand for.

Johnson said it was nice to get a yes from a lender after several rejections. AltCap is a partner rather than a purely profit-driven lender, she said.

“I didn't feel like I was just numbers on a piece of paper,” she said “I felt like they looked at my business as a whole, and they were like, ‘Oh yeah, that makes sense.’” 

Even with all the stress of being a business owner, Johnson has no regrets about leaping into entrepreneurship.

“Every day I wake up and I'm so blessed that I get to do this,” she said. “There's nothing like seeing your literal hard work pay off and having people around you be super excited about it. … “It’s the coolest feeling ever.”