Two Big Events in Brookside/Waldo – Saturday Sept 21, 2013

Posted on September 19, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

Another big weekend for outdoor events coming up…just about everyone visits the Plaza Art Fair, now in it’s 82cd year. However, there are two local happenings in our area on Saturday to note. Even if you don’t participate, be aware as there will be streets blocked off and traffic re-routed at two key areas of Brookside and Waldo.

Strut Your Mutt, Brookside

Strutt Your Mutt, a benefit for Wayside Waifs, is Saturday Sept 21, starting at 8am. There are three ‘races’ — one 5K race with dogs, one without, and the traditional 3K walk. The center of the event is at 62cd Terrace and Brookside Plaza (near JULIAN, Foo’s Frozen Custard, etc), and the participants will be using Brookside Blvd from this area going north to 51st St and parts of Oak St. Expect traffic re-routing around Brookside Blvd. most of the morning. Brookside is a dog lover’s neighborhood, and this is a really fun day with music, contests and lots of folks just hanging out to people (and dog) watch!

(Between the Plaza Art Fair, Strutt Your Mutt and the Brookside Farmer’s Market traffic–plan to avoid Brookside Blvd on Saturday morning.)

Also on Saturday is the annual Waldo Fall Festival, at 75th St and Wornall (the parking lot near Aldi and CVS Pharmacy).

Waldo Fall Festival

From 10am-5pm, you can enjoy live music, a dog show, pancake breakfast, kids’ activities (moonwalk, train) and the ever popular food trucks. If you have a story to tell about Waldo, sign up in advance to participate in the Waldo oral history project here. Wornall Road and 75th St. is always a very busy intersection, and it will be even more congested on Saturday. Avoid the traffic back ups by parking a few blocks away and walking to the festivities.

It’s going to be a beautiful Fall weekend in our neighborhood…enjoy!

Your Money Flushed Away at the KCMO Water Department

Posted on August 26, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

Last week the Kansas City Star reported that the Kansas City MO Water Department awarded a two year, $12 million dollar no-bid contract to West Monroe Partners. Yes, you read that right. $12 million dollars–which breaks down to $500,000 per month — being paid to this Chicago company.

For this exhorbitant fee, West Monroe Partners will address problems with the department’s phone system, information technology, call center training (they have a call center? The water department doesn’t even have a published direct customer service phone number!) and billing issues. Where does the KCMO water department get $12 million dollars to throw at a consulting firm?

The horrible customer service and billing problems at this utility are well known. What has current management been doing to fix the problems? Why does an outside company, at very hefty fees, have to be hired? Shouldn’t these issues be addressed by current management? Isn’t that what they are paid to do? What is the job description of the head of the department? And since we’ve had these same problems for years, wouldn’t a better solution be to hire management who knows how to run a water department efficiently and effectively? Why not fire those that can’t get the job done? Where is the accountability???

Just last year, KCTV reported that the water department hired a consultant, who was being paid $250 per hour, to deal with water service bills and poor customer service. What happened to that consultant’s recommendations? How much did that cost us? Did management implement any of the suggested changes?

And why was this a no-bid contract? There is a foul smell to this entire story. Why did the City Council approve this contract?

We’ve had huge increases in our water bills to pay for the federally mandated upgrade of our sewer system. These increases will continue for the next several years. Apparently the water department has included a fat budget line item for consulting firms with the higher rates so they can outsource the job they are supposed to be doing…while current KCMO water personnel collect generous salaries and pension benefits for not doing the jobs they were hired to do.

Armour Hills Home Sales Stats – July 2013

Posted on August 23, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

Armour Hills Homes in Brookside

Sometimes I wonder if readers are getting tired of me reporting every month that home sales are UP in Brookside! Oh, not really,….it’s even good news for buyers. Yes, you may be paying a bit more than two years ago but as a homeowner, you want to feel confident you are making a good investment!

For Armour Hills, the average sales price is way up for the month of July. Here are the details:

In July 2013, nine homes sold. Average list price was $296,517 and average sales price was $292,000. Average days on market was 20.

In July 2012, nine homes sold at an average price of $224,111 and 53 days on the market.

Wow, that is quite a jump in the average sales price! Almost $72,000! Here’s why: in July, three sales closed with sales prices over $300,000, including one $410,000 sale. Prices way over $300K are not the average for our neighborhood. It’s good to see the average days on market way down–less than three weeks from list to contract!

Now let’s compare to year-to-date figures:

From Jan-July 2013, 49 homes have sold at an average price of $263,011 and 66 days on market.

From Jan-July 2012, 44 homes sold at an average price of $220,406 and 89 days on market.

As of this writing, there are 22 homes for sale in Armour Hills, with an average list price of $252,361 and 60 days on market.

Sales prices are up, number of units sold is up, and days on market is lower than last year. This has been a consistent trend since the beginning of the year. Armour Hills should finish up 2013 as the strongest for home sales in the past few years!

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

Brookside Sidewalk Sale – July 13 and 14

Posted on July 13, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

Brookside Sidewalk Sale

This is a perfect weekend to enjoy the annual Brookside Sidewalk Sale! Yes, it’s hot outside, but not unbearably humid and temperatures are under 95 degrees. I love the Sidewalk Sale because not only can you pick up a few bargains, but you usually run into neighbors for a chat and it’s a good excuse to go shopping and support our locally owned businesses.

The sale runs today and tomorrow, beginning on 63rd St east of Wornall and continues for several blocks. A list of Brookside merchants can be found at the website.

Brookside Home Sales Stats – May 2013

Posted on July 1, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

Every month so far this year, home prices in Brookside have risen. This month, the jump is quite high! Let’s look at the stats for May 2013 single family home sales in the main Brookside zip code of 64113:

In May 2013, 29 homes sold. The average list price was $413,645 and the average sales price was $395,684. Average days on market: 119.

In May 2012, 27 homes sold. The average list price was $313,144 and the average sales price was $303,025. Average days on market: 87.

The average sales price jumped about $100,000 compared to last year. Although prices are up, the large increase in May is due to a $1.7 million dollar home closing–the highest sale so far in our zip code this year. Also there were four sales over $500K. The average days on market is higher because it took many months to sell the million dollar home, thus pushing up the average days on market.

Let’s compare year-to-date figures:

In the first five months of 2013, 111 homes sold with an average sales price of $347,223 and 112 days on market.

In the first five months of 2012, 82 homes sold with an average sales price of $305,274 and 114 days on market.

You see that the average sales price is way up year-to-date, and average days on market is about the same. During the housing slump, the more expensive homes just sat on the market–this year they are selling!

Currently there are 91 single family homes for sale in zip 64113, with an average price of $761,256 and 94 days on market. The average sales price is high because 40 of the 91 homes for sale are priced over $500K; eleven of these are over $1 million.

If you would like specific sales numbers for your neighborhood, email me for a report tailored to your area!

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

Brookside On The Beach?

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

While planning our recent vacation to Orlando, I asked my friend Mark for a beach recommendation. After visiting him and other friends in the area, we wanted to spend a couple of days at the ocean without driving too far. Mark immediately suggested New Smyrna Beach on the Atlantic side, about an hour east of Orlando. LOVED IT! It’s kind of like …visiting Brookside at the beach!

Partial New Smryna map

I describe New Smyrna this way because it’s all locally owned stores and restaurants along Flagler Ave. You’ll find over 50 small retail shops along a two lane road, with plenty of cross walks and no tall, imposing buildings or big box stores (although if you must visit Wal-Mart, there is one nearby). We saw a few bars (similar to the Brooksider) with live music at night. Many places to eat, from burgers at Breakers overlooking the ocean to a small, family run Italian deli that also serves breakfast, plus a few gourmet type places but still, a very casual atmosphere. We stayed at the Hampton Inn & Suites, which opened in December, and it was an easy five block walk directly to the beach, peering in the shop windows along the way. There are some larger condo buildings near the beach–we would check those out for our next visit, but the Hampton Inn was a nice hotel with a good location and a friendly staff.

Breakers on the beach!

The really impressive feature of New Smyrna was the local shop owners and residents. Everywhere we went, we were welcomed as tourists. Several people asked where we were from, how did we like the town, thanked us for visiting, offered suggestions–and it was a very sincere type of interaction, not at all like the generic ‘hi’ you get walking into The Gap. They were genuinely interested in talking with us. We’ve been to Destin, Sea Side, Clearwater Beach–all attractive communities with excellent beaches. But New Smyrna is really something special…it has that strong, local community feel just like Brookside. And it wasn’t too crowded either, perhaps because we were there on a Sunday and Monday. The tourists mix in well with the locals.

If you are thinking of a visit to New Smyrna, know there are two main shopping strips–one is along Canal Street, which is not closer to the beach. We walked along Canal on our way out of town, but it started pouring down rain so we didn’t get to explore it as much as Flagler Ave. On Canal there is an old fashioned drug store, The Little Drugstore, with a soda fountain where we had a tasty lunch. There is also a museum that tells the history of the area. I suggest you stay near Flagler for the better location if you want easy access to the unique little shops, eateries and the beach.

Visiting the theme parks in Orlando is fun, but let’s face it–very tiring as well! Take a couple of days to unwind at New Smyrna Beach before you head back home..especially if you like small, family owned and operated stores and restaurants that appreciate your business. It’s a very special place.

Brookside Art Annual May 3-5, 2013

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

This weekend (May 3-5, 2013) is the Brookside Art Annual–one of the best events our local business association hosts each year. Always held the first weekend of May, the weather can be an issue but it doesn’t seen to stop art lovers from checking out what’s under the white tents at 63rd and Brookside Blvd. This year marks the 28th year for the event.

Hours are Friday 5pm-9pm; Saturday 10am-9pm and Sunday 11am-5pm. There are childrens’ activities on Saturday and Sunday, plus music in the evening. Please, do not bring pets into the tents! Also, if you spend over $250, you will get a free $10 gift card to use in Brookside–just bring your receipts to the information booth.

Brookside Art Annual 2013

A bit of history on the Art Annual: after seeing the success of the Plaza Art Fair (started in 1931) and the Westport Art Fair (started in 1979), Brookside wanted to host a similar event. According to The Brookside Story by LaDene Morton, merchants were against the idea. A compromise was reached, and the work of 30 local artists was displayed in retailer’s windows. Eventually, the Brookside Art Annual became a larger event in 1986, attracting national artists from all over the U.S. and is now recognized as one of the better art fairs in the country–partially due to the charming, friendly neighborhood atmosphere of the Brookside businesses and beautiful homes surrounding the area.

Every year the Art Annual has a unique logo/poster created to promote the event. This year’s graphic is unusual: it’s black and white, and features cars, buildings, an airplane and a giraffe..? Since Brookside is such a walkable neighborhood, and the Zoo isn’t close by, it seemed like an odd choice. I don’t think the graphic associates itself with the event at all, except perhaps the small striped awnings over the buildings. So many folks collect and frame the annual poster–to me, this year’s artwork is a disappointment.

So break out the warmer clothes, hopefully for the last time, and visit the Brookside Art Annual this weekend!

Brookside Farmers’ Market Opens This Saturday!

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

A sure sign Spring is finally here…the opening of the Brookside Farmers’ Market! First day of the season this year is Saturday April 20, 2013; hours are 8am-1pm at 63rd and Wornall Road, behind Border Star School.

(The Waldo Farmers Market will open May 1).

Brookside Farmers’ Market in Kansas City

The Brookside Farmers’ Market was started in 2003 and has grown every year. The vendors are local to the Kansas City area, and all the produce is organic. You’ll find vegetables, fruit, herbs, plants; grass fed, organic beef; home made products for your body and whole grain breads and baked goods, with some gluten free offerings. Although we are early in the season, there will be a variety of lettuces, kale, spinach and snow peas at the market this spring.

Farmers and vendors here encourage shoppers to talk about what they are purchasing: where goods are coming from, how they are grown, the various varieties for sale, cooking tips, etc. It’s a friendly, comfortable atmosphere and if you live in Brookside–you will probably run into neighbors shopping at the same time!

Special events this year include Chef Demos on the second Saturday of each month and a Home Gardening Festival on May 11.

More information on vendors can be found at the website. Remember to bring a bag for your goodies and cash is always appreciated for a faster transaction. Thank you for supporting Brookside!

2013 Brookside St Patrick’s Warm Up Parade

Posted on March 8, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

March 16, 2013: Brookside St Pat’s Warm Up Parade

It’s almost here…the 33rd Annual Brookside St Patrick’s Day Warm-Up Parade! The date is Saturday March 16, starting at 2:00pm. Here’s the route:
Starting at 65th and Wornall, the parade marches north on Wornall, turns east on 63rd St, turns south on Main, turns west on Meyer to end along Brookside Road.
This is a fun, family event with local shops, churches, organizations and schools participating. Viewers sit on the street curbs or brings chairs to the sidewalks–it’s easy to get close to the action and watch all the colorful floats and crazy cars going by. It usually lasts a good two hours from start to finish.

And if you’ve ever wondered how the parade got started…it was way back in the 1970s when patrons of Hogerty’s Tavern went out into the streets for an impromptu parade around the shopping district. In 1981, the parade became official, capitalizing on the popular downtown St Pat’s parade. The ‘warm up’ designation made Brookside the official kick off party to the City’s celebration. In the beginning, it was a pretty small affair, with mostly kids and school groups participating. Gradually it grew, attracted media coverage and a Grand Marshall was named to lead the festivities. Thousands turn out to see this event, especially if the weather cooperates, and it’s the second largest event for Brookside, behind the annual Art Fair.

Even if you don’t live in Brookside, this is a great day to visit the area. Bring the kids, a couple of chairs and enjoy the afternoon with us on March 16!

My Visit to Louie’s Wine Dive in Waldo

Posted on February 23, 2013 by Mary Hutchison

Earlier this week my friend Maija and I met at Louie’s Wine Dive for happy hour. I drive by this place daily on my way to work and it looks like they are drawing big crowds. The reviews on-line are generally very positive. Our experience was a good one, especially because of the service. More on that later.

I’m not a foodie — I’m actually a very picky eater! Everything we tried was delicious: the garlic hummus with lavosh crackers; the tomato bruschetta, the harvest salad; and the pork ragu sliders with thin, crispy fries. This is the kind of happy hour I like: the portions are smaller yet the right size (for me) as a regular meal, so an excellent value. The two pork ragu sliders were very filling, and with the fries on the side–a gourmet meal for just $6! The wine selection is extensive, and they serve a very tasty grapefruit martini ($5 during happy hour).

Louie’s has a casual feel with hardwood floors, raised tables, a long bar and original artwork (for sale) in the bathroom. The menu is extensive and the food is sourced locally when possible (Farm to Market bread, Alex Pope meats). Although it was busy during my visit, the volume in the room was fine and we could carry on a conversation easily. Others I know who have dined at Louie’s complain that it is very loud and noisy during the busy dinner service.

Whenever I visit a restaurant, especially a locally owned place, I am keenly aware of the service level. Is the wait staff friendly? Checks on the table often but doesn’t interrupt conversation? Shows some personality but not overbearing? Do they smile and make eye contact? Do they know the menu? When you have a professional and friendly server, it makes the meal so much better. Our waiter was Andy, and he was excellent. Attentive, sincere, knowledgeable and really enjoyed his job. When Maija accidentally spilled my full glass of wine, Andy and another server had the mess cleaned up quickly and soon presented a replacement. He made our meal better. Ask for Andy when you visit.

Louie’s Wine Dive is a welcome addition to Waldo. Happy hour is from 3-6pm Monday through Friday, and late night Thursday-Saturday from 11pm-midnight. Support locally owned businesses and stop by Louie’s Wine Dive soon. They accept reservations through Open Table.

Inside Brookside (And Waldo)

What's Happening In Brookside and Waldo (Kansas City, Missouri)

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