One of Brookside’s most beloved traditions is happening this Saturday, March 16: the 42nd Annual Brookside St. Patrick’s Warm Up Parade!
This is a neighborhood, family friendly event and all are welcome. One of the best things about this parade is how close the spectators are to the street and the floats–it’s easy to see all the participants and the details of decorated cars, floats and costumes. There are usually over 100 entries, making the parade last well over an hour.
Please remember that the streets along the parade route will be blocked off early for set up and float staging. Traffic will be rerouted along parts of Wornall, Meyer and 63rd St. The parade begins at 65th and Wornall, so much of Armour Hills will be filled with parked cars, especially along Brookside Road.
Official start time is 2pm–come early, have lunch or a snack, stop by the shops; or stay later and end the afternoon with a drink or early dinner. Please be aware of extra foot traffic, bikes, strollers and wagons around this area. And thank you for supporting our Brookside merchants!Here’s the parade map for reference:
Today’s blog isn’t about a Brookside/Waldo new business, event, or home sales stats..but it is important news! We Jackson County residents remember the property tax assessment disaster last year, where thousands of homeowners protested their double or triple digit property tax increases. With a new program rolling out this year, there is some relief!!
The Senior Property Tax Credit Program is available to Jackson County residents, stating that eligible homeowners will “receive a credit that essentially freezes their property taxes on their primary residence”. There are requirements of course, and some of those include:
*The home must be your primary residence in Jackson County.
*You must qualify for Social Security benefits.
*You must be the property owner liable for payment of the taxes.
*The market value of your home as determined by the Jackson County assessor must be valued under $550,000.
Of course, there is paperwork to complete, and the deadline for applications is December 31, 2024. However, my advice is to not wait until later in the year to get this done–if you meet the requirements, put this on your To Do list asap!!
There are many exercise gyms in the Waldo area, and each tend to have their own vibe. To stick with a regular program and routine, it’s important to feel comfortable and welcome in the space and know it is working for you—gotta stay motivated to get out there and just do it!!
Rare Breed Crossfit and Athletics is a new spot that has something different to offer: first, it is a locally and woman owned, LGBTQ+ business, welcoming all types of humans. And, you can use your health savings or FSA savings account for services!
Owner Ryann Bauser is from a small town in northeast Kansas, and graduated from Texas Tech with a master’s degree in Science and Kinesiology. While working at a gym in Gardner, a client suggested she open her own place and told her about this particular space in Waldo that would be a good fit. She decided to become her own boss and open Rare Breed last December. Ryann told me she is not trying to be an “elite” gym—she promotes her business as a safe, judgement free space and focuses on working up a program based on each client’s ability and needs that works in their everyday life. This is “functional fitness” that can be modified and scaled up or down depending on the customer. In addition to semi private/personal training and group classes, nutritional plans are available and there is open gym time Monday through Friday mornings.
Ryann calls all of her clients “athletes” – no matter what stage of fitness they are in. She “ramps” each person into a program, focusing on their individual goals. That can include building muscle, improving balance, cardio workouts, how to stay fit in your older years—Ryann has the knowledge and background to customize for each person. “I want my athletes to take what they have learned here as they move in their everyday lives.”
Ryann loves her space in Waldo and has felt so welcomed by the community. “I’ve met a lot of other business owners in the area. They have reached out to me to network and give advice when I ask for it. I’ve learned so much from other Waldo small businesses about how to run my own place—they have offered great advice and guidance. Along with my clients we are enjoying this tight knit group of neighbors and love being here!”
Here’s a quick blog to remind you about Waldo Week, starting today February 29 and running through March 5.
This is the 9th annual Waldo Week, where all are encouraged to celebrate and explore all the various services, retail spaces, restaurants and bars Waldo has to offer. Several establishments will offer special deals, including Eclectic’s, Waldo Pizza, Euston’s Hardware, Salumi Rose, Mike’s Wine and Spirits and Crow’s Coffee. The charity partner for this year is The Children’s Place.
Thank you for supporting our local small businesses in Waldo!
At a recent Waldo Area Business Association meeting, Jeremy Tinkler withEPC Real Estate Group gave us an update on the apartment complex planned for the intersection of 74th St and Broadway, where The Well once stood. The construction of the building will coincide with the planned street improvements in the 75th and Waldo area, so this intersection is going to be messy for the next two years!
There have been some changes from the initial plans. The Well will still be on the ground floor of the building, but now there will not be a “rooftop” connected with the restaurant. Instead, some of the apartments on the second floor will have “terraces” that overlook the street. Also planned for the first level are three other retail spaces, which could be services (like a spa or nail salon) or a coffee shop/small cafe, plus outdoor tables in front of The Well. The working title for the building, 74 Broadway, hasn’t been chosen as the official name but you can see this project referenced as such at the EPC website.
Since there will not be a rooftop area, a few more units were added; now there will be 283 studio, one and two bedroom apartments. Fifty seven of these will be at “affordable” prices. A five story parking garage for 374 vehicles will be attached with validation available for the building’s retail and restaurant. Tinkler says residents will have access to “top of the line” amenities: an outdoor pool, cabanas, a whiskey lounge, clubhouse and a golf simulator. Construction should take at least two years, and demolition of the former Well building is planned for March 4 if all the paperwork is completed.
74 Broadway is working with KCMO so that the construction of this project is happening at the same time as all of the street improvements and sidewalk/parking lot reconstruction happening now along Wornall. The Waldo Area Business Association has created a website to keep you updated on what’s happening here; note it is a work in progress! Please continue to support Waldo merchants and services in the 75th and Wornall area despite the construction disruption and traffic rerouting–they are here for you!
Starting off with two declarations: 1) You’ll be avoiding the intersection of 75th and Wornall by car for the next several months and 2) PLEASE continue to support the merchants in that area, even if it’s less convenient!!
This project has been in the works for several years and it’s finally happening. The“75th and Wornall Improvements-Engineering Division”, as it’s listed on the KCMO website, has more intricate details on what is planned for the area. I went to the Waldo Area Business Assn monthly luncheon a couple of weeks ago for a presentation–and took notes for reference which I have summarized here. Special note: the new apartment project going up on The Well corner will also be happening at the same time. I’ll post more details about that in the next blog.
I took this graphic from the KCMO website and added a couple of landmarks for reference. The initial part of this project will remove the north parking lot (the one in front of The Well), and involves excavating the site, digging 12 feet below ground to replace some infrastructure and rebuilding the parking lot. The next step will be the south parking lot (in front of Waldo Pizza) undergoing a similar process; however the street (Broadway) alongthese storefronts will be eliminated. Plans are for these two lots to be finished by June. Reconstructing Wornall Road from 75th to 79th, plus some of the additional streets around this area, are planned for 2025.
Although this project will take years, bringing detours and major inconveniences to residents, traffic and the much used vendors in the area–it should be worth it! Plans include:
*replacing the water main line on Wornall and installing new storm sewers.
*New sidewalks, curbs, streetlights; and added flower beds and benches.
*The Trolley Track Trail will have a dedicated surface along Wornall from 74th-75th.
*Adding more parking spaces in the two lots; note there will not be an entry to the south lot from 75th St, effectively eliminating the curbside food pick up from Waldo Pizza.
The Waldo Area Business Association does have a website (a work in progress) to keep you posted on developments — just know it’s going to be a large, slow moving construction project that will have an immediate and long term effect on the local small businesses in the area. Please make an effort to continue to support these restaurants and services throughout the construction–-they are here to serve you!!
It’s that time of year…after all the holiday hoopla, it’s time to reset and get ready for Restaurant Week here in Kansas City, January 12 through the 21st. Everyone I know dreads the daily question “what should we have for dinner?” or “let’s go out for dinner, where??”. With some advance planning, you can try some new spots in the area and support your neighborhood favorites as well. While browsing through the long list of almost 200 participants, I noticed several places I’d like to try! Here’s the catch–best to make reservations now because the popular spots fill up fast. Invite some friends…and make it a fun social evening in the middle of a normally dull and dreary month.
Because this blog is focused on Brookside and Waldo, as of this writing, these are the local restaurants participating. Note I am not linking to the individual websites; easier to go to the KC Restaurant Week website and look up the place you want in order to see the special menus they are offering.
Aixois Red Door Woodfired Grill
Lew’s Grill and BarSouth of Summit Taqueria
Michael Forbes Bar and GrillSummit Grill
Pizza Tascio Waldo Pizza
Charlie Hooper’s Plate
Boru Smitty’s Garage
Lunch offerings run around $15-$20, and the three course dinner menus vary in pricing depending on the restaurant; usually between $35-$55, tipping not included. Some places offer the specials for carryout/delivery.
Kansas City Restaurant Week not only promotes so many of our locally owned restaurants but also has an annual charitable partner. This year it is Kanbe’s Markets, which works to eliminate food waste, and provide fresh fruits and vegetables to area small markets and convenience stores. A portion of the money collected is donated to this organization.
To close things out, I’ll mention a few interesting places that are new to KC Restaurant Week this year: Noka, Nine Zero One, Voo Lounge, The Spot, and Society KC if you need some inspiration!
Get out and enjoy a great meal or two during KC Restaurant week and…thank you for supporting local business!
Time to walk off the extra calories you may have indulged in over the weekend!! The annual Waldo Small Crawl is going on now through Friday December 1st.
Many Waldo businesses are participating–when you shop this week in Waldo, check for special discounts and gifts from various shops and restaurants, including Hiles Two, Hemma Hemma, Front Range Cafe and many more.
The best and most personal gifts are found at our locally owned small businesses–and usually they have the best customer service too! Thank you for supporting our neighborhood!
You probably noticed the facelift going on this summer at the SW corner of 63rd and Brookside Plaza, last occupied by Panera. The trucks clustered at that intersection for weeks as the interior and exterior was transformed to the latest location of Meddy’s, a Mediterranean food spot.
I was unable to connect with the manager of Meddy’s to get some additional information for the blog; however, I decided to write about this new place anyway because it seems to be a big hit with the neighborhood–it’s quite busy every time I walk by! And I can understand why: Meddy’s offers a different menu of flavors with a wide variety of options and prices, plus gluten free, vegan and vegetarian food choices.
Founder Alex Harb is from Lebanon and attended college in Wichita. After a successful career in IT and computer sales, he decided to start a fast casual restaurant with recipes based on his childhood. There are several locations in Wichita and the chain recently expanded to the KC area, opening in Prairie Village earlier this year.
Meddy’s boasts they make everything they serve “daily from scratch”; there are many shawarmas on the menu, along with grill focused platters featuring meat, potatoes, tabbouleh, hummus and eggplant. Soups and salads are also available and and several dessert options! Meddy’s has a full bar with happy hour (20% off bar items) Monday through Friday 11am-2pm and 4pm-7pm and all day on Saturday and Sunday. And as a nice perk for parents, kids can order “mini Meddy’s” from the menu. Catering is also a big part of their business.
So, Brookside welcomes another food option for the neighborhood…we have Italian, burgers and bar food, Mexican, sushi, a couple of breakfast spots, fast food sandwiches and now the authentic Mediterranean flavors of Meddy’s. Stop by and check it out for yourself; Meddy’s is open seven days a week.
Inside Brookside (And Waldo) 