Category Archives: Brookside Community News

The T-Shirt Deli in Brookside

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Last week on one of the warm autumn days I finally walked into the T-Shirt Deli in Brookside. I had heard about this new shop that opened over the summer, but didn’t have a chance to visit until recently.  Located at 116 W 63rd in the former Pickleman’s spot, this place has a fun, laid back atmosphere and a clever marketing concept–the personalized tee shirt delivered like a  deli sandwich!

The T-Shirt Deli in Brookside

Started by a woman who grew up in Brookside, this is the third T-Shirt Deli location–the other two are in the Chicago area, where the owner lives.  There is a lot to choose from here–several ‘menu’ books of various decals and phrases that can be imprinted on the shirts. Or, you can make up your own copy at $1 per letter–different fonts and colors are available. The shirt you chose is one cost, and the personalization is an additional price. They can print just about anything except trademarked and sports logos. Some of the biggest sellers are those that play on words, like “Chillin’ With My Peeps” (with chicks) or “Hanging With My Gnomies” (picture of gnomes).  The BKS logo is popular as well.

The T-Shirt Deli uses American Apparal clothing, and there are other offerings besides tee shirts–some zip fleeces, long sleeve shirts, infant sizes and even a dog shirt too.  Don’t expect to walk in, chose a design and walk out a few minutes later with your shirt–it takes a couple of hours to create.  You can order in advance online through their website.  Once your order is ready–it’s packed in butcher paper and served to you with a bag of chips.

T-Shirt Deli Counter

The T-Shirt Deli is open Monday through Saturday, and it’s a great place to buy a unique gift for someone.  My husband used their services for his Halloween costume last month that displayed a political saying. I can see this place being very busy for the upcoming holiday season.

Shop local–support Brookside’s newest business, the T-Shirt Deli!

Armour Hills Home Sales Stats October 2012

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Finishing up the tenth month of the year…home sales in Armour Hills continue to outperform 2011, however in October there was a lower average sales price.  Let’s check the stats:

In  October  2012, 5 homes sold.  The average list price was $211,780 and the average sales price was $201,720. Average days on market:  61.

In October 2011, 4  homes sold.  The average list price was $233,175and the average sales price was $223,525.  Average days on market:  93.

The average sales price for October 2012 is lower than what’s been trending this year, but last month  there was one sale at $80,000, which is unusually low for our area.  This  sale  brought the average price down.  Still, comparing to 2011, one more home sold  and days on market are down by 30 days over last year!

Year to date, 67 homes have sold in Armour Hills, at an average sales price of $218,202 and  76  days on market.  From January–October 2011, 48 homes sold at an average price of $212,643 and 119 days on market.  We are experiencing lower days on market and an average sales price that’s higher than last year.  This trend has been consistent since January.

I think we are past the bottom of the housing market in Armour Hills, and on an upward trend that should continue…if interest rates stay low and the economy stays on the  recovery track.

Interested in home prices and sales trends in your area?  Email me and I’ll provide  the information.  In a few days I will post home sales stats for the Brookside zip code of 64113–also showing better sales activity than last year.

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

An Interview with Gunnar Hand, Candidate for KCMO School Board

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I don’t usually address  politics on my  blog, but decided to write about each candidate running for the open seat on the Kansas City MO school board:  Gunnar Hand and Stephen Himes.  Full disclosure up front–I know Gunnar as I serve with him on the Armour Hills Homes Assn board, and Stephen Himes teaches at St Teresa’s Academy, where my daughter attends  school. I am not endorsing one candidate over the other.  My approach to this blog was to ask each candidate the same four questions, and write the answers as spoken.

A short background regarding this election:  When former board member Derrick Ritchie moved to Nashville, a special election was needed to fill his position.  The term of this new board member will end in 2014.  There are nine members of the Kansas City School Board, and this seat represents the 2cd subdistrict.  The rough boundaries are Troost, 85th St, State Line Rd and Brush Creek.  It is not a paid  position.  Two days ago I published the interview with Stephen, today’s post is about Gunnar.

Gunnar Hand and family

Gunnar Hand grew up in Kansas City, attending  parochial schools. He lives in Armour Hills and has his own design/consulting firm, MOCK Studio. His wife Ashley is the chair of Friends of Hale Cook, a local organization dedicating to reopening Hale Cook Elementary.  You can read more about Gunnar’s background here.  This interview took place on Oct 24, 2012. Continue reading →

Stephen Himes, Candidate for KCMO School Board

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I don’t usually address politics on the blog, but decided to write about each candidate running for the open seat on the Kansas City MO school board: Gunnar Hand and Stephen Himes. Full disclosure up front–I know Gunnar as I serve with him on the Armour Hills Homes Assn board, and Stephen Himes teaches at St Teresa’s Academy, where my daughter attends school. I am not endorsing one candidate over the other. My approach to this topic was to ask each candidate the same four questions, and write the answers as spoken.

A short background regarding this election: When former board member Derrick Ritchie moved to Nashville, a special election was needed to fill his position. The term of this new board member will end in 2014. There are nine members of the Kansas City School Board, and this seat represents the 2cd subdistrict (which includes Brookside). The rough boundaries are Troost, 85th St, State Line Rd and Brush Creek. It is not a paid position.

Stephen Himes

Today, I’m writing about my conversation with Stephen Himes. He is  at St Teresa’s Academy, is an attorney and a doctoral candidate in the Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis program at the University of Missouri.  He is from Clinton, MO and lives with his wife in Waldo. I am not endorsing one candidate over the other. We talked recently at Axios in Brookside, after he finished his school day. Continue reading →

Upcoming Fall Events in Brookside

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Today’s blog is a quick reminder of some upcoming events in Brookside — make note in your calendar!

*Monthly networking event is this Wednesday, Oct 24 from 8-9am at St Elizabeth’s Church, 2 E 75th St.  Beverages provided–come network with local businesses and residents.

*Annual Brookside Trick or Treat Street, Oct 31 from 4-6pm along 63rd St between Wornall and Main.   Hundreds of kids will be walking along these blocks–be extra careful when travelling through the area.

Watch for trick or treaters in Brookside!

*E Waste Recycling, Saturday Nov 2 from 9am-1pm at the UMKC parking lot, 51st and Oak.  Drop off your electronic waste (computers, TVs, VCRs, cellphones, microwave, etc) for recycling.

Need more information on Brookside?  Email me!

 

Brookside Home Sales Report September 2012

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WOW, the figures I have to report this month for housing sales in Brookside are pretty amazing!  More homes are selling, and at higher prices.  Buyers believe in the value of  a Brookside address…that is obvious from the increased prices and all the renovations and room additions you see while cruising through the neighborhood blocks.
Here are the home sales statistics for September 2012, plus year-to-date figures.  I am using the main Brookside zip code of 64113 for this report on single family home sales: Continue reading →

Armour Home Sales Up Again in September

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Hello neighbors!  Good news to report about Armour Hills homes sales again. Prices and number of units sold continue to increase.  Read the details below for Armour Hills home sales, September 2012:

In  September 2012, 10 homes sold.  The average list price was $209,365 and the average sales price was $203,460. Average days on market:  48.

In September 2011, 4  homes sold.  The average list price was $226,600 and the average sales price was $217,375.  Average days on market:  89.

The average sales price for September 2012 is lower than what’s been trending this year, but last month  there were two sales below $100K, which is very low for our area.  These sales brought the average price down.  Still, comparing to 2011, more homes sold and less time on market!

Year to date, 62 homes have sold in Armour Hills, at an average sales price of $219,531 and  77  days on market.  From January-August  2011, 44 homes sold at an average price of $211,872 and 125 days on market.  We are experiencing lower days on market and an average price over $7000 higher than last year!

Interested in home prices and sales trends in your area?  Email me and I’ll provide  the information.  In a few days I will post home sales stats for the Brookside zip code of 64113–also showing higher sales prices.

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

What’s With the Stoplight Changes in Brookside?

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OK, what’s up with the stoplight changes in Brookside??  Surely you’ve noticed–at several intersections where there was a working stoplight (Main and Meyer, Main and Gregory, Meyer and Oak),  there are newly posted stop signs.  I spoke with Wei Sun at the Kansas City MO Public Works department to find out what’s going on.

New stop sign at Main and Meyer, Brookside

Mr Sun noted  these are permanent changes to the intersections.
Apparently these intersections do not meet the Dept of Transportation traffic safety guidelines to warrant a stop light  (see more here:  www.mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov — expect to spend some time translating this mumbo jumbo of government speak!).   Based on traffic patterns, the fed says  KCMO should have stop signs in these areas instead of stop lights. Continue reading →

The Stone House at 63rd and Brookside

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The Stone House

The Stone House in Brookside

How many times have you seen this house in Brookside and wondered…what’s the story behind this stone house?  Now that it’s for sale, I thought I would share a bit of history regarding this landmark home. Continue reading →

Brookside Home Sales Continue Upward Trend

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Housing sales continue to be strong in Brookside!  This is positive trend that we have experienced all year. Here are the home sales statistics for August  2012, plus year-to-date figures.  I am using the main Brookside zip code of 64113 for this report on single family home sales:
In  August  2012, 31 homes sold.  The average list price was $375,358 and the average sales price was $357,238. Average days on market:  95.

In August  2011, 21  homes sold.  The average list price was $304,262 and the average sales price was $295,040.  Average days on market:  78.

These stats show the housing market in Brookside continues to outperform last year.  More units are selling this year, and at higher prices.  There was a huge jump in average price over last year –28%–for the month of August!  Some of the increase can be attributed to more higher priced homes selling this year.

Year to date, 200 homes have sold in zip code 64113,  at an average sales price of $321,320, with 109 average days on market.  From January-August  2011, 142 homes sold at an average price of $304,125 and 130 days on market.

These year to date figures reflect the same monthly trends we’ve seen:  more homes sold at a higher price, with less days on market before going under contract.

Typically, home sales are slower in the last four months of the year.  We’ll see if Brookside continues to outperform 2011 sales as we head into the cooler months. There are fewer listings coming on the market, so buyers will have less to choose from, and the attractive, updated homes should sell even quicker.

Interested in home prices and sales trends in your area?  Email me for the information!

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