Welcome to 2019!  I hope you are having a relaxing and healthy holiday season. Since this is the first blog of the year, I’m going to recap some 2018 highlights for the Brookside/Waldo area.  It was a successful twelve months for our neighborhood!

Many new businesses opened, and most of them are locally owned and operated. In the heart of Brookside along 63^rd St, Sweet and Simple is a new edible cookie dough treat shop,  and LadyBye offers reasonably priced women’s  clothes and accessories for those interested in classic style.  Brookside Barrio and Brookside Poultry Company are two new popular eateries.    Brookside East continues to attract local  entrepreneurs, with the opening of Flying Horse Taproom, Chanee Vijay textiles, BKS Artisan Ales and Architexture Salon.  Plate plans to reopen in April at 701 E 63^rd St.    Brookside also got an additional stoplight/crosswalk on 63^rd by the new Starbucks, and everyone loves the new large wall mural celebrating Brookside on the north side of the CVS building.   Unfortunately, we had a couple of store closings:  Sheehan’s Irish Imports on Gregory *due to owner retiring) and Shop Beautiful will close this month as the owners focus on the Overland Park location.

There were several changes in the Waldo area as well:  Euston Hardware remodeled; Dodson’s Bar and Commons opened on Wornall just north of 75^th St and Classic Cookie opened for evening dining with an Italian themed menu.  The never ending road construction along Wornall is at a temporary halt but not for long…expansive (and much needed changes) are planned for the 75^th and Wornall intersection to make it more pedestrian friendly.  Next year will also see the renovation of the “Wornall Village” shopping area at the northwest corner of 85^th and Wornall, starting with a revamped Price Chopper.

A wonderful community asset opened in 2018:  HJ’s Youth and Community Center, across from St Andrew’s church.  This space is used for community events, private receptions, classes, meetings and hosts a  small coffee shop open to everyone.  It also features a large lawn on the east side for outdoor movie nights, plus a doggie and human water station!

And what about home values?  That’s an interesting story as well.  Waldo is beating out Brookside in terms of rising home prices:  as of the end of November, Waldo home values were up 15% and Brookside saw a 3% increase.  I will report on twelve month figures later in the month when the stats are ready.  Brookside and Waldo are still very desirable locations for homebuyers.

I’m not going to make any firm predictions about this year…but I will say…. Brookside is celebrating it’s 100 year anniversary as a shopping/services/residential neighborhood.  I think both Brookside and Waldo will continue to attract local businesses and  homebuyers of all ages as we head into century 2!