Kansas City Mayor Says Country Club Plaza’s Impending Sale Is Ready

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Business owners are excited about the pending sale of Country Club Plaza. Kansas City’s mayor said the sale was ready to take place.

Some store owners have been in the Plaza for years, others plan to fill a vacant storefront by advertising the sale.

Mayor Quinton Lucas calls it one of the most exciting things to happen in Kansas City this year.

Although it is far beyond the Dallas-based buyer’s initial goal of closing the deal by the end of 2023Lucas said it would happen soon.

“It’s imminent, it’s imminent and it’s exciting,” Lucas said.

“Everyone is excited about this sale,” said Michael Naumov, owner of the Plaza Tailor Shop in Larissa.

For more than 20 years, Naumov and his family have owned the Plaza Tailor Shop in Larissa. He said several vacant storefronts now crowd the square.

“I don’t think I’ve seen this many empty stores, since Houston, Zacolo and Chuy closed,” and a lot of restaurants closing and moving on,” he said.

He hopes the impending sale of the Plaza will mean new life and more foot traffic.

“We are a small, independent family business. So for us it’s a little easier,” Naumov said. “For department stores and restaurants it’s very difficult, it definitely affects it.”

Lucas said the deal would be signed soon.

He traveled to Dallas in the spring to meet with the owners of Highland Park Village, the potential buyers. Lucas said people can expect the ownership group to bring back unique brands and local businesses, as well as more office space and housing.

“I think it’s exciting for us to be able to say how can we look at a regeneration of retail opportunities, restaurant opportunities or public safety opportunities, which the Highland Park Village group in Dallas has spent a lot of time on to work, and I I really think it’s really going to be a public-private partnership.

He also believes that public safety will be a priority.

“I think it’s really going to be a public-private partnership, not only in terms of funding and looking at any kind of support they might consider from the city of Kansas City, but also , in terms of how we can improve security, how, through more security measures. private security, working closely with KCPD, to ensure that everyone can feel safe while at Country Club Plaza,” Lucas said. “So I think it’s one of the most exciting things that’s bound to happen in Kansas City this year.”

Domhnall Molloy is co-owner of Summit Restaurant Group. They just opened a ninth restaurant in the Kansas City metro and own restaurants like 3rd Street Social and Summit Grill.

He said they had visited the place several times but never took the plunge due to costly hurdles going against them.

Molloy said he hopes that could change with the Plaza’s new owner.

“I’m hoping that with the new owner maybe they’ll have a better deal and they’ll be able to bring the rents in line with the market and hopefully we can bring more independent restaurants back to the Plaza” , Molloy said.

“I really want to see more businesses,” Naumov said, “fewer empty stores.”

He is looking forward to a change in ownership of the Plaza.