Neighborhood Café – Now Open in Waldo

Posted on October 27, 2016 by Mary Hutchison

I was trying to think of full service, big menu breakfast spots in Waldo….came up with Classic Cookie at 75th and Wornall and Game Day at 8950 Wornall. Now there is another option, Neighborhood Cafe, at 7531 Wornall next to Lew’s . It opened at the end of August and is already drawing breakfast crowds on the weekends.

Veteran’s Wall at Neighborhood Cafe

Neighborhood Cafe is more than just breakfast…they offer a large menu featuring ‘home style’ cooking: meatloaf, liver and onions, burgers, open faced sandwiches, hoagies, ‘skillets’ and on Sundays: all you can eat fried chicken. All of the baking is from scratch (biscuits, pies, cornbread) and breakfast is served all day. No matter when you choose to dine here….the server brings you a cinnamon roll with water upon being seated! Like the original Lees Summit location, decor features reprints of front page newspapers commemorating significant events and a Veteran’s Wall displaying photos of those who have served.

Tony Olson, Owner, Neighborhood Cafe in Waldo

So what’s the background here? Tony Olson and his wife Kelly own the successful Lees Summit spot, and were approached about opening another restaurant in Waldo. Tony spent some time here, liked the ‘small town’ feel and the active business association–and decided to expand. Tony told me the cafe has had ‘a very warm welcome’ from area residents and other business owners. This place is large–plenty of tables and booths, plus counter seating and another section that can be used for private events. I haven’t eaten here (yet!) — but I will say I was welcomed with a warm smile and friendly greeting when I walked in for the first time.

You can read more about Neighborhood Cafe on their website–and check out the extensive menu. Current hours are Sunday through Thursday, 6am-3pm and Friday/Saturday 6am-9pm. Tony hopes to be open 24 hours on Friday and Saturday at some point. Stop by and check out another locally owned business in Waldo!

Brookside Home Sales Report – Sept 2016

Posted on October 17, 2016 by Mary Hutchison

Home sales in Brookside are still strong as we head into the fall season…and prices continue to rise. Here is the single family home sales report for Brookside (zip code 64113) for September 2016, and comparisons to last year:

September 2016

Median list price: $380,000

Median sales price: $375,000

Average days on market: 44

Number of homes sold: 29

(Lowest sales price was $180,000; highest sales price was a cash purchase of $1,285,000).

You can see that sellers are getting very close to the asking price during contract negotiations. Eleven of the homes that closed last month were at or above asking price.

September 2015

Median list price: $375,000

Median sales price: $362,500

Average days on market: 34

Number of homes sold: 22

Compared to one year ago, more homes sold in September of 2016 and at a higher median price…a few more days on market.

Now let’s check year to date figures:

2016, January to September

Median list price: $359,750

Median sales price: $356,000

250 homes sold; average 35 days on market.

2015, January to September

Median list price: $326,777

Median sales price: $325,000

269 homes sold; average 38 days on market.

Fewer homes have sold, pushing prices up due to a lack of inventory. Brookside home values are up 9.5% YTD compared to 2015!

Currently there are 44 active single family listings in the Brookside zip code of 64113; just over half (25) are priced over $500,000. The median list price is $637,000.

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

Brookside’s Hat Shop – Amina Marie Millinery

Posted on September 28, 2016 by Mary Hutchison

The weather has finally turned cooler, and you may be thinking about adding a few new pieces to spruce up your cold weather wardrobe. How about something different? Consider a hat…made right here in Brookside at Amina Marie Millinery.

Amina Marie Hood in her Brookside East studio

Amina’s shop is in Brookside East at 633 E 63rd St. She’s a KC native, grew up in Prairie Village and went to textile school in San Francisco. She loved fashion and worked in visual merchandising but really never thought about being a hat maker until a friend asked her to create a hat she could wear to Burning Man. Amina accepted the challenge, Googled some instructions on hat making and … made a top hat that caught the attention of other Burning Man participants. Amina decided millinery was her calling and studied with hatmaker Jeanne Borne in Arizona. Last year she was a finalist in the Lock and Company millinery contest in London. She went to London Hat Week, met others in the business and validated her creativity and business.

Like so many other entrepreneurs, Amina started her business at the kitchen table. As orders grew, she decided she needed more space and moved to Brookside East in May. She wanted a central location for easy client access and because she lives in Brookside–she loves her two minute commute! She knew this area was ‘the right place’ for her and her customers.

Amina explained to me that her aesthetic is “clean and organic–it’s all about the drape of the material.” Of course she can do wild and extravagant custom hats for special occasions like the Kentucky Derby or ComicCon, but most of her hats are more classic — for example, a fedora style. She makes sure that ‘the hat fits the customer’ in terms of sizing and appearance. When I tried on a hat in the studio — I loved how it looked on me, but we both knew it was the wrong color. Amina makes sure the hat works for each unique face and features.

Amina Marie Millinery in Brookside East

At this time, Amina makes every hat she sells in her Brookside studio. Sometime this fall, she is introducing a ‘ready to wear’ line, working with a manufacturer in New York. She’s starting with 3-4 styles — and for now, offers hats just for women. These hats will be priced around $100-$150.

I asked Amina why she thought hats went out of style. They were so prevalent in the 1950s. She explained that as the children of the ’50s parents grew up–they did not want to be like their elders. They dressed down and considered hats too formal, along with fussy dresses and suits. Today, wearing a hat is certainly practical in the colder weather, but is also a subtle fashion accessory. Wearing a hat gives you a confident, unique appearance–and it’s just fun!

Amina Marie Millinery is open by appointment–but she’s usually in her studio every day and welcomes people to just drop in and see her work. She offers gift certificates too–what a great gift for that difficult -to- buy- for friend! Stop in Amina’s studio and check out her hats at 633 E 63rd St, next to Golden and Pine with easy parking out front.

Farm Dog Studios Now in Brookside East

Posted on September 8, 2016 by Mary Hutchison

Farm Dog Studios artwork

I’ve seen these decor signs in several homes I’ve shown to buyers and in a few restaurants in the area..I always wondered, where do you buy them? Last week I was in 5B&Co Candlemakers in Brookside and…there they were, neatly displayed on a wall. I tracked down the artist and found out all the details about yet another home grown Brookside business, Farm Dog Studios.

Amy January in her Farm Dog Studios space

Farm Dog Studios is Amy January. She grew up in Fairway, and earned a BFA at Miami of Ohio. After several years working in art licensing and graphic design, she left the corporate world to raise her three children while living in Brookside. One day, inspired by a subway sign, she wondered aloud why Brookside doesn’t have similar landmark signage. In her studio, Amy and a (former) partner came up with the artwork emphasizing major streets in our neighborhood. She sold one sign at a Visitation auction and had requests for more. A company was born.

Each sign is handmade in her Brookside East studio. The process is a stencil and mask system, going through several steps from start to finish. Besides the subway-style signs, Amy creates wall decor for children’s rooms, sororities and fraternities, local sports teams and universities. There are also tee shirts, pillows and tea towels with her unique designs–those are made elsewhere. She describes her art as “modern yet broadly appealing maker aesthetic”. She added: “This is so fun for me because everything I’ve ever done is here. I like all the quirks from hand painting to licensing. I love coming up with the designs involving painting and typography”.

Of course I had to ask her how she came up with the name for her business. It’s a story every mom will appreciate: Amy’s husband grew up on a farm in rural Kansas. She explained every farm has a ‘scrappy dog’ that works challenging, long hours despite some obstacle–perhaps he’s blind in one eye or uses only three legs. Amy was determined to get the company going while raising her school aged kids and all the running around and organizing that requires. Hence, Farm Dog Studios.

Cool Brookside stuff from Farm Dog Studios!

You can stop by Farm Dog Studios to browse and purchase the artwork–she’s at 633 E 63rd St in Brookside East, next to Golden and Pine. Current hours are Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am-3pm. You’ll also find her creations at 5B& Company, Stick Sisters, Made in KC stores and J’Adore.

Arbor Villa Park in Brookside Features New Playground Equipment

Posted on August 29, 2016 by Mary Hutchison

Thanks to the hard work and persistence of Tiffany Moore, the Armour Hills HOA President, Brookside kids now have brand new playground equipment at Arbor Villa Park!

Tiffany has been submitting requests for PIAC funding since 2012 for this project. The money was committed last year, and construction started this Spring.

Features include a new arch swing, climber, spring rider, swings, and play structure on top of mounded rubberized ‘hills’ .

All children are welcome to play in the park, located at Edgevale and Main St in the center of Armour Hills. Now that school has begun, the kiddie pool adjacent to the play equipment is open on weekends through Labor Day.

Special thanks to the PIAC (Public Improvements Advisory Committee) board and the City of Kansas City MO for completing this project for neighborhood children!

Armour Hills July 2016 Home Sales Stats

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Mary Hutchison

Home buyers continue to see Armour Hills as a desireable place to purchase a home…the trend continues of buyers paying more than the asking price to purchase in this Brookside neighborhood. Here are the home sales stats for June 2016:

July 2016 July 2015

Median list price: $254,500 Median list price: $274,900

Median sales price: $256,000 Median sales price: $270,025

Number of homes sold: 8 Number of homes sold: 12

Days on market: 5 Days on market: 42

Of the eight homes that closed last month, five sold at or above list price. One home sold for $25,000 over the asking price!

Checking year to date figures:

2016, Jan-July 2015, Jan-July

Median list price: $275,000 Median list price: $265,000

Median sales price: $274,500 Median sales price: $265,000

Number of homes sold: 47 Number of homes sold: 57

Days on market: 16 Days on market: 33

Although the median price is lower than July 2015, pay attention to the year-to-date figure: prices are running 3.8% higher in 2016 and spending fewer days on market. Less homes for purchase means prices go up.

Currently there are just 4 homes for sale in Armour Hills, with a median list price of $225,000 and 12 days on market.

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

Element Wellness Has Moved to Brookside East

Posted on August 1, 2016 by Mary Hutchison

You’ve probably noticed the empty storefront at 6236 Main, the former home of Element. While driving along Main St in the pre-dawn hours, I would often see women practicing yoga through the floor to ceiling windows on the corner lot. The business moved out at the end of April, and is now located in Brookside East at 601 E 63rd St.

They are not quite settled in yet…the space is still a bit rough, but they are doing business. No more yoga studio here–“Kansas City’s only holistic and organic medical spa” (that statement from their website) is focusing on massage and waxing services, botox injections, weight loss programs and esthetician treatments.

This building has undergone a complete facelift, courtesy of new owner Butch Rigby, who has purchased several buildings along this stretch of 63rd St. In addition to Element, there is a pet service on the first floor, a recruiting service and fine arts appraiser. And it’s oh so easy to park here…under the building or on the surface lot. There is plenty of office space in the building, and rent is much less expensive than west of Oak on 63rd so watch for more businesses moving in. The new Brookside 63 apartments should start leasing later this year.

Other new businesses along E 63rd include Golden and Pine, Brookside Gardens event space and Unbakery and Juicery. Thank you, Butch Rigby, for helping to revive this part of Brookside!

Brookside East Welcomes Fox Sports & Activity Center

Posted on July 28, 2016 by Mary Hutchison

Another business has opened in Brookside East..this one focused on the children growing up in our neighborhood. Fox Sports & Activity Center has this goal: to engage and enhance kids’ minds, bodies and spirit through holistic training.

Caroline Fox, owner of Fox Sports & Activity Center

Owner Caroline Fox explains that holistic training is ‘the whole self’ – meaning her classes and camps focus not just on skills training, but also nutrition, health and wellness and the individual child. Here, it’s not about ‘winning’, but about developing the skills needed for the game and building self esteem. She and her staff offer sports – focused classes for kids up to age 11, teaching soccer, lacrosse, badminton, and volleyball. There are also enrichment activities for art, chess, bridge, painting and jewelry making and afternoon summer camps. Classes are small, with a one to five adult-child ratio; additional classes are scheduled on request.

Caroline says she’s been an athlete since the age of four, and she played collegiate volleyball and softball. She taught student development classes for 15 years before moving her family to Waldo to open the business. She is passionate about encouraging children to get involved with sports/fitness at an early age, as it’s been proven that when kids get regular exercise when young, they will continue to be active through their adult years.

Additional plans for the Center include Parents Night Out, Mom’s Day Out and other adult programs. And yes, Fox will host birthday parties with several different options and activities.

Fox Sports & Activity Center is located at 414 E 63rd St, phone is 816 895 8999. Another locally owned and operated business for the Brookside/Waldo area!

Armour Hills Home Stats-June 2016

Posted on July 25, 2016 by Mary Hutchison

Armour Hills….one of the best subdivisions in Brookside! Of course, I am a bit partial because I live in Armour Hills. However, check out these home sales stats for June 2016–buyers are snapping up homes here in a hot market that favors sellers:

June 2016: June 2015:

Median list price: $279,000 Median list price: $285,000

Median sales price: $281,000 Median sales price: $283,000

Number of homes sold: 11 Number of homes sold: 11

Days on market: 3 Days on market: 5

Of the eleven homes that closed last month, seven sold at or above list price.

Checking year to date figures:

2016, Jan-June: 2015, Jan-June:

Median list price: $277,000 Median list price: $262,500

Median sales price: $274,750 Median sales price: $263,500

Number of homes sold: 38 Number of homes sold: 46

Although fewer homes are selling…that is due to lack of inventory. There is plenty of demand. You can see the median price is up yet again! Currently there are five homes for sale in Armour Hills, with a median list price of $279,950 and 19 days on market.

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

Waldo Home Sales Report- June 2016

Posted on July 22, 2016 by Mary Hutchison

Waldo continues to be a hot location for homebuyers! When new listings pop on, they can be under contract within a few days. This continues to be a strong year for home buying. Here are the June 2016 stats for single family home sales in Waldo, using the boundaries of State Line to Holmes and Gregory to 85th St:

June 2016:

Number of homes sold: 38

Median list price: $179,400

Median sales price: $174,000

Average days on market: 5

The lowest sales price was $65,500 and the highest was $348,500. Note the days on market–on average, new listings were under contract within five days of being listed for sale!

June 2015:

Number of homes sold: 47

Median list price: $169,000

Median sales price: $167,000

Average days on market: 34

Prices continue to rise, and the updated, well maintained homes are snatched up very shortly after going up for sale.

2016 / 2015:

Number of homes sold: 180 / 168

Median list price: $166,750 / $160,000

Median sales price: $167,250 / $157,250

Average days on market: 22 / 34

Year to date, more homes have sold in 2016, and at higher prices. Traditionally, home sales slow down in the second half of the year…we will see if that happens this year.

Currently in Waldo, there are 36 single family homes for sale at a median list price of $136,200 and 20 days on market.