The old saying in real estate is true: what matters is location, location, location. It’s the first question I ask potential buyer client. And what drives commercial real estate prices in a certain location? It’s the condition of the properties; the convenient, sought after area;  the nearby residents who will support the local businesses; the street atmosphere, landscaping, and walk score.

Butch Rigby

Thanks to local real estate tycoon Butch Rigby and a handful of other local investors, “Brookside East” is on the brink of becoming a sought after destination for new businesses..and in turn will should home values nearby. We already have a solid core of  shops at 63rd and Oak; Butch and his pals have purchased several buildings to the east of that intersection. The Brookside Gardens Event Center (in the former Alanz Theater at 624 E 63rd St) will open in the fall. I think this may be the only commercial event space in Brookside that will seat 250 people. Construction workers are busy inside, completely renovating the interior to include a prep kitchen for caterers,  dance floor, an outdoor patio, bathrooms and a second floor ‘bridal suite’ for wedding parties to gather before the reception. Butch is working with a specialty architect to restore the front of the building to the way he believes it looked when built. Heritage Events will be the operator of this space; and various special events and weddings are already scheduled for later this year.

Home of the KC Juice Company

Directly east of Brookside Gardens will be the Kansas City Juice Company (634 E 63rd St) , operated by Robin Krause and partner Amy Bartosik (formerly of The Filling Station). Robin plans to open in September. She will offer 90% organic and local products, featuring salads, sandwiches, cold pressed juices, protein treats, coffee and juice cleanses. There will be six inside tables in this unique, A-frame building plus a drive through outside! And next to the juice spot will be 63Brookside apartments–a three story, 23 unit building scheduled to open next year.

Across the street at the southwest corner of Holmes and 63rd, Butch is renting space to: Can I Have A Bite?, moving to Brookside from a Waldo location on Wornall; plus Golden & Pine, a home goods store, and he’s working on leasing to a wellness center. Butch is very conscious of the tenants he wants as a landlord–he explained he has ‘turned down so many businesses that would not fit and would not be the right use in this area. We want a solid, vibrant, healthy corridor of businesses as the block spreads east to Troost”. He also is renovating an office building on the south side of 63rd east of Oak.

All of this new development is very exciting for the Brookside area..and it’s especially fortunate the owners are local business people who know our neighborhood rather than outside developers. With successful new commercial and retail space blossoming along this long ignored corridor, you should see home values pulled up as well. As the months go along, I’ll blog about the individual new shops and spaces as they open to the public. Brookside East…a welcome improvement to the neighborhood!