Waldo Welcomes Studio by Dan Meiners

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One of Kansas City’s premier floral shops recently relocated to Waldo…welcome Studio Dan Meiners Floral and Events at 7432 Wornall! You may remember Dave Smith The Lampmaker was in this spot for over 50 years, closing in January 2020.  This space has been remodeled and refreshed, and the friendly staff is ready to meet you and serve their new neighborhood. 

Dan Meiners started his floral business many years ago, selling stems from the back of his car.  He’s retired now, after growing the business over the years into a multi faceted company. Sure, you can walk in and grab a fresh bouquet or order a delivery, but Studio Dan Meiners does so much more.  The staff will help you plan  large and small events:  special occasions like weddings, showers, anniversaries, corporate and private parties.  Working with you on the theme of the event, they will design and oversee every detail: arranging for tables, chairs, linens, glassware, music, food, photography as well as all the flower decor.  Gale Nation, one of the managers, explained the reason for the move from their former space on West Pennway near Union Station:  “ We wanted a retail space in addition to our production space, and wanted to be in a walkable, friendly area.  We looked at several spaces and after seeing this one, and it made sense to move here to Wornall and Waldo”.  

Jennifer Freimains, Justin McGuire

Because Studio Dan Meiners is known for its stunning floral displays, I wanted to spend some time talking to head floral designer Justin McGuire.  He’s been  with the company for 25 years, starting off doing arrangements and now overseeing every floral order and design.  What is Justin’s biggest challenge in this business?  “Weddings” he replied, “Getting the flowers in, ordering them on time and keeping them fresh and in peak condition until the big day.  Sometimes we may have to make adjustments at the last minute due to unforeseen circumstances.  It’s a physically demanding job too, to get everything perfectly in place, especially the large floral archways and hanging flowers from ceilings and light fixtures.  Every design has a recipe card, outlining exactly how many of each flower goes into the bouquet or display and we want everything to be perfect! ”.  Often he and his staff get creative using personal objects in arrangement, such as incorporating a  fishing lure or hat in a funeral floral display.  And when the big event is over, the flowers are often donated to local hospitals, nursing homes or composted.  

At this new location, the staff is planning to host pop up events and various classes open to the public. Those include how to create Terrariums (very popular now), seasonal wreaths, indoor plant arrangements and arrange a fresh flower vase. You can sign up for their email list to stay current on what’s happening. This new spot also has a display of grab and go gifts for sale, such as earrings, sweets, snacks, cards and candles from the Midwest area. 

Stop in and say hello the next time you are in the area…or give Studio Dan Meiners Design and Floral a call if you need help with anything from a simple floral delivery to an upcoming special event.  They are ready to help!

From left: Ashely Ritchie, Kimberly Ransdell, Gale Nation, Justin McGuire

Brookside Home Sales Report – February 2026

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We are moving into the busy Spring homebuying and selling season! There are some interesting stats here, comparing last month to Feb 2025–notably in the median sales price. Let’s take a closer look; I’m using sales info for single family homes in the main Brookside zip code of 64113:

february 2026february 2025
Median list price:$650,000$470,000
Median sales price:$630,000$460,000
Days on market:2722
No. of homes sold:1017

You’ll see the big jump in the median sales price–up 37% ! However, Brookside has a wide range of pricing; last month, more of the larger, pricier homes closed. You can also see the number of properties that changed owners was down quite a bit as well–almost half. The lowest closed price last month was $425,000 and the highest was $855,000.

Below are the year-to-date numbers:

jan-feb 2026jan-feb 2025
Median list price:$637,500$529,000
Median sales price:$624,500$525,000
Days on market:723
No. of homes sold:2428

The median sales price is up 19% compared to last year. Another trend you can see here is buyers aren’t going crazy paying way over the list price–there is some negotiating going on. Right now there are 8 single family homes for sale in Brookside, with a median list price of $617,500 and 11 days on the market.

(All stats taken from Heartland MLS; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)

Annual Brookside St Pat’s Celebration is Saturday!

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Now in it’s 44th year, the annual St Patrick’s Warm Up Parade is happening this Saturday, March 14 at 2pm. .. plan to join the fun! I love this year’s theme: Leprechaun Cup: Going For The Gold. Sounds like a tribute to Kansas City being the host of so much international soccer activity this summer!

This is a big family event for our neighborhood and everyone is welcome. There are usually around 100 entries in the parade; it lasts a couple of hours! You’ll see dancers, classic cars, floats, bag pipers, dressed up kids and adults all joining in the fun. There will be lots of pedestrians walking and cars parked all along the side streets with some streets closed to traffic–see the parade route below. Note the extra cars and kids and bikes in the area and drive extra carefully.

Thank you to everyone who helps make this annual event happen! Local celebrations like this make Brookside the special unique neighborhood it is.

Unique New Bar Concept Opens In Waldo

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The best bars always seem to be the place where “everybody knows your name”…. the local joints that give you a sincere greeting when walking in; where you can banter with the staff while enjoying friendly, efficient service.  And that’s exactly what you will find at Waldo’s newest bar, Audrey’s Wine+Bourbon.  

Audrey’s Wine+Bourbon

Waldo residents  Laura and Howard Turley, owners of the nearby 75th Street Events, opened Audrey’s in January.  It’s a small, clubby space with comfortable seating and large windows overlooking the street parade along 75th.  It’s also a very unique bar because of the concept: try a  flight of three bourbons along with a glass of wine.  Never done that? This is the place to try it!  The Turley’s and their bartenders are ready to guide you.  “No one does pairings like this” explains Howard, “here’s where we have fun!  We greet each person and talk you through how it works and  what to expect with the tastings.  Most of our bourbons you can’t find anywhere else in the city–we even have an organic, kosher bourbon!  Our collection of specially curated  wines come from around the world. We are here to create a very new and different tasting experience for every customer’.  The flights offer three bourbons, one glass of wine and a Laura Little’s chocolate; there are pairings  as well.  You can create your own combination of bourbon and wine or select an option from the menu.  Of course you  can also order wines by the glass and there are five specialty cocktails; The Smoking Gun is their own signature mix up. 

The Turleys are working on having live music every Thursday night–performances that don’t overpower the room and allow for conversations in a normal voice!  They also plan to offer small charcuterie plates from Salumi Rose, another local Waldo shop nearby.  At this point they  are focused on getting to know their customers and “bringing it all to life” , through individual tasting experiences and interactions with the bar staff.  Audrey’s Wine + Bourbon is located at 404 W 75th St, just across from Chipotle. Hours are Wednesday and Thursday from 4-10:30pm and Friday/Saturday 4-midnight.   Parking is available in the lot next to the building; note that Audrey’s is a cashless bar.  Stop in soon and try a different bar experience!

From left, Laura and Howard Turley and two of their very personable bartenders

Armour Hills Home Sales Report – January 2026

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Armour Hills had a strong January in terms of home sales–it continues to be one of the most popular subdivisions for homebuyers who want a Brookside location! Let’s take a look at the numbers:

january 2026january 2025
Median list price:$475,000$472,500
Median sales price:$490,000$472,500
Days on market:29
No. of homes sold:51

Looking at the number of homes that closed, 80% more than a year ago! That does sound like a lot, four more houses closed this year than last January. And the median sales price is up a healthy 3.7%. The lowest closed price last month was $370,000 and the highest was $490,000. Currently there is just one home for sales in Armour Hills, listed a few days ago at $425,000.

(All stats taken from Heartland MLS; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)

Waldo Home Sales Report – January 2026

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Here are the first 2026 home sales stats for single family homes in Waldo…January was pretty busy for closings! Let’s take a look at the numbers:

january 2026january 2025
Median list price:$280,000$274,950
Median sales price:$270,000$270,000
Days on market:1923
No. of homes sold:1721

You’ll see the median sales price remained the same; the median list price was up a bit and fewer homes changed owners. The lowest closed price was $65,000 and the highest was $495,000–$30K over asking price!! Currently there are 19 active single family homes for sale, with a median list price of $324,990 and 80 days on market.

(All stats taken from Heartland MLS; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)

Get Ready for another Waldo Week!

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Waldo is home to over 300 businesses–most of them are small, locally owned shops and restaurants. The annual Waldo Week is a great time to get out and explore some places you may not be familiar with…or make a stop at one of your favorites. Many places will be offering special deals and promotional offers during Waldo Week.

The Waldo Week kick off event is tonight at 75th St Events from 5-8pm, at 214 W 75th St. You are welcome to stop by and enjoy some music, snacks and drinks. Also note that every Waldo Week designates a non profit for donations; this year it’s Gilda’s Club Kansas City, an organization that offers various programs to those dealing with cancer. You can check out the list of businesses with special deals here. Thank you for supporting our local Waldo merchants!

Brookside Home Sales Stats-January 2026

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This will be a short blog to kick off 2026 home sales for Brookside! The graphic below shows January 2026 numbers and a comparison to 2025. As we are in the first month of the year, these are also the year-to-date numbers! As always I am using the main Brookside zip code (64113) for the numbers, single family home sales:

january 2026january 2025
Median list price:$637,500$799,000
Median sales price:$624,250$793,000
Days on market:639
No. of homes sold:1411

Technically there was a drop of 27% last month compared to the January 2025 median sales price. However, note that last year, there were 5 million dollar plus sales and last month, there were (only!) three. That skews the median price. Last month, more homes sold and in a shorter period of time. Currently there are just 2 homes for sale in Brookside, with a median price of $515,000.

(All stats taken from Heartland MLS; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)

Cheema’s Mini Market Open at 63rd and Oak

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Many Brookside residents will remember the old 7-11 store at the corner of Oak and 63rd St.  As the years went on, the place was neglected by its out of town owners:  dirty floors, trash outside, unstocked shelves; many folks just didn’t feel comfortable stepping inside.  Now under new management, the owners of Cheema’s Mini Market promise that won’t happen to their shop!

Adnan Cheema

I stopped by recently to meet the new owners, Adnan and Adeel Cheema. The brothers have lots of experience running this type of operation-since 1998, they have owned and managed several gas stations in Kansas City KS.  When the opportunity came up to take over this location, they put in an offer.  Their first official opening day was December 23.  It took many months to get the store in shape to meet their high standards.  Adnan noted they spent about $200,000 renovating the store, adding all new lighting, shelves, flooring, equipment and a new cashier area.  “We feel our job as local owners is to protect the neighborhood.  All employees undergo background checks” and both of the brothers spend a lot of time in the store assisting customers and making sure everything is clean and in order.  “The neighbors  have been great” says Adnan, “they are excited we are finally open and they like the upgrades”. 

Inside Cheema’s, you’ll find all the usual quick stop items:  various food  products, beverages, pet food, ice cream, milk, prepackaged sandwiches and burritos.  The best selling items? “Energy drinks and candy” says Adnan.  You’ll also find charcoal and propane, tobacco products, paper goods..and maybe a few impulse buy items!   Adnan is adding a slushy machine and is working on getting a liquor license.  He also wants customers to suggest stocking items they don’t have–the brothers encourage suggestions from their customers!  Sometime this spring, Cheema’s will have a grand opening for the neighborhood.

In the meantime you can stop by anytime and check out the store–they are open 24/7!  Cheema’s Mini Market is located at 319 E 63rd St. 

Armour Hills December Home Sales Report & 6 Year Recap

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Here it is, the final Armour Hills home sales report for 2025…and an overview of the past six years. How much do you think home prices have increased? Read on to find out the details!

december 2025december 2024
Median list price:$452,500$499.000
Median sales price:$450,900$520,000
Days on market:82
# of homes sold:43

These numbers tell us the median sales price dropped 13% compared to December 2024. However overall, values are up for the year. The lowest closed price last month was $420,000 and the highest was $525,000.

202520242023202220212020
List:$473,750$439,000$432,500$399,000$365,000$345,000
Sale:$484,000$450,000$450,550$427,000$380,000$344,000
DOM:332337
# sold:686370847099

Home values in Armour Hills are up 40% since 2020; the increase from 2024 to 2025 is a healthy 7.5%! Fewer homes are selling each year; reasons for that include housing affordability and sellers that don’t want to move due to locked in low interest rate or the house is paid off. Consistently, most sellers are getting asking price or above.

(All stats from Heartland MLS; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)