Looking for a fun, family friendly activity this weekend? McLain’s Bakery is hosting it’s 4th annual Block Party on Sunday Oct 15 from 4-7pm at 201 East Gregory.
There will be lots to keep you busy: a bounce house and games/crafts for the kids, local vendor pop ups, plenty of special food and drink too. No Chiefs game either!
So if you are looking for an excuse not to cook Sunday night…head on over and join your neighbors at McLain’s for a late afternoon block party!
What makes shopping in Brookside so special is…you are going to find things here that you will not find in a generic chain store. Everyone likes to have something unique and personal! And now Brookside has a new store that is a step beyond that—a shop that features local Kansas City area makers, Shop Local KC. Inside you’ll find a large, stylish selection of handmade goods showing off the many creative talents in the metro area.
Owner Katie Mabry van Dieren earned a degree in journalism from Kansas State University and was planning on being a lawyer. She discovered this would be a boring path for her—she wanted to nourish her creative streak. So, Katie started making jewelry and participating in the Strawberry Swing Craft Fair. Eventually she took it over and when COVID forced changes to the event, she decided to showcase local craft makers online and started Shop Local KC. Katy quickly expanded to a storefront on Main St in midtown (now closed to open the Brookside space) and two other locations: Crown Center and at 95th and Mission Road inside NBKC in the Ranchmart Shopping Center. And she still runs the annual Strawberry Swing event! This is the 13th year for Holiday Swing, which creates a holiday shopping village in the Crown Center Square next to the Ice Terrace.
At Shop Local KC’s Brookside location, Jenny Kane is the shop manager—she is Katie’s longtime friend and photographer. You can browse on your own or ask Jenny for help finding gifts and personal presents: browse the jewelry, pottery, seasonal towels and décor, apparel, notebooks and candles. Best sellers include Messner Bee Farms honey, lotions and lip balm and graphic tee shirts. Shop Local KC represents over 300 local artisans and all of their items can be ordered online for delivery as well. There is also a floral section with flowers from local growers including a nearby Amish farm. Stop in for a grab and go bouquet, or order an arrangement for delivery. Actually all of their items can be ordered online for delivery as well!
Katie is a long time Brookside resident and lives nearby with her husband and two children. She wanted to open a Brookside spot because through the years, “Brookside has kept its historic original architecture and sense of a close, local neighborhood community. And that is what our shop is all about: promoting the creativity of local makers.”
Shop KC Local is open seven days a week at 6245 Brookside Plaza, on the same block as Foos and SKINKC. Visit them online at www.shoplocalkc.com for browsing and delivery options.
It’s the last week of September; I am a bit late posting these stats so let’s get going! These are the single family home sales for last month, using the main Brookside zip code of 64113 for the info:
| August 2023 | august 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median list price: | $637,500 | $525,000 |
| Median sales price: | $645,000 | $510,000 |
| Days on market: | 2 | 4 |
| No. of homes sold: | 20 | 29 |
The lowest closed price last month was $350K and the highest was $1,240,000–which was $65,000 over the list price!!! The list price/sales price ratio difference wasn’t much, 1.75% however the closed price last month was up 26% over August 2022. Here are the year-to-date figures:
| Jan-Aug 2023 | jan-aug 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median list price: | $575,000 | $499,000 |
| Median sales price: | $582,500 | $510,000 |
| Days on market: | 3 | 2 |
| No. of homes sold: | 179 | 210 |
So far this year, 17% fewer homes have sold in Brookside, yet prices are up 14%! And most buyers are paying over asking price. So far we’ve had 24 sales over $1,000,000. Currently there are 16 homes for sale in Brookside, with a median price of $912,000. Why such a high median price? Because 13 of the homes have a sticker price over $500K and 7 of those are over $1 million bucks.
(All stats taken from Heartland MLS; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)
Everyone seems to have their favorite type of pizza: some prefer a very thin crust with light toppings; some want deep dish; others crave a thicker, chewy crust heavy with cheese, meat and veggies.
And then there is New York style pizza, which is what you will find at Waldo’s newest pizza place, Pizza Tascio at 409 W Gregory. What defines New York style? According to owner Erik Borger, who grew up in New York City, a NY style pizza features a “thin crust, definitely foldable, with light toppings and a crispy, flavor filled crust.” Are you craving a slice yet???
Erik’s “obsession” (yes he used that word) with perfecting his type of pizza started years ago. He was caring for his father who was battling cancer. Dad and son were craving the pizza tastes of their younger days growing up in NYC, so Erik decided to make his own. At one point he had six commercial ovens in the garage at his St Joseph home, trying to figure out the perfect temperatures and flavors. When he finally got the recipe right, he opened the first Pizza Tascio there in 2021. In 2022 he opened a second location on Burlington in North KC and the Waldo location is…#7 in the metro area! I asked Erik if he was a bit exhausted and overwhelmed with the fast growth. “This location has been much busier than I expected. It’s far exceeded my expectations and we haven’t been open that long. However, I have a really good team and they keep everything running smoothly”.
There are a few unique things about this pizza to note. First, he offers one size of pie-18”. Most “large” size pizzas are smaller than that, so even though the cost is a little higher, you are getting more of a high quality product. These large pies are divided 8 ways for slices, and at Pizza Tascio you will get a large slice for as little as $5! The superior ingredients Erik uses make a big difference that you can taste: meats are sourced from Paradise Meats in Trimble MO; organic Napoli tomatoes from California, and he uses only 100% whole milk mozzarella. I asked Erik about the phrase “no BS added” to the cheese he uses as stated on the website. He explained that most cheese has a fungicide added to prevent mold; he only uses cheese without any chemicals added. It took a while but he found a source for his chemical free cheese…that is his strict dedication to perfection. The menu focuses on various pizza combos of course, including an “upside down” pizza; there’s a salad option, a dessert pizza and cheesy breadsticks. You can dine in or pick up curbside.
Pizza Tascio is located in the former Classic Cookie spot at 409 W Gregory. Hours are Sunday-Thursday 11am-9pm and Friday-Saturday 11am-10pm.
Waldo is welcoming yet another new, locally women owned shop just east of McLain’s Bakery! It’s exciting to report small businesses are thriving in our neighborhood! Read on to find out more about Ampersand Design Studio at 211 E Gregory. There are so many attractive and colorful items here for sale; you will see why the owners describe the shop “where color and pattern come to play”.
Owners Morgan Georgie and Carrie Kiefer met in design school at KU. Both got jobs with Hallmark, in the creative department for gift wrap, photo albums and party goods. After leaving the company, Morgan and Carrie started Ampersand, initially designing invitations and wall art and selling via their own website and Etsy. Eventually they sold their colorful art and prints to Crate and Barrel, West Elm, Minted and other national companies. They decided to open a storefront, and picked the Waldo location. “We really love the close knit neighborhood here, the constant flow of foot traffic and everyone has been so warm and accepting” says Morgan. They opened this space in April and business has been steady. Future plans include special classes and workshops plus pop up events.
So what can you find in Ampersand? There are useful and practical items like all cotton blankets, napkins, glassware, planters, KC branded tee shirts, some kids’ items and greeting cards, all featuring eye catching designs and bright colors. Here, you’ll find just the right special and unique gift: a decorative serving tray, pillows, hand towels, wall art, —or pick up a new pair of fun earrings! In the back of the store is where the magic happens—Morgan and Carrie have their design studio set up there. What inspires their art? “We are inspired by exposing ourselves to new things” Morgan says. “It could be an interiors magazine, a beautiful movie or even an artistically displayed plate at a favorite restaurant. We get inspired by color, pattern, and typography everywhere we go. We love what we do!”
Stop by Ampersand Design Studio the next time you need ideas for a gift or personal special something. Hours are 9am-6pm Monday through Friday; Saturday 9-5 and Sunday 9-4. Make a note to visit later this year when Morgan and Carrie promise “a lot of great holiday themed items.” Thank you for supporting our small businesses in Brookside and Waldo!
Did you make a career change due to the COVID 19 pandemic? Jessica and Alex Wood did—and Brookside is better off for it! Their new ice cream shop is called French Custard.
Pre pandemic, the Woods were living in Manhattan NYC; the couple had their own e- commerce clothing line, Discourse NYC. Jessica says they always like to “make our own stuff: we bake our own bread, make our own pizza, we ferment stuff” so when COVID hit and they reassessed priorities, the pair moved to Kansas City (where they are both from) and decided to make their own ice cream. “It was a COVID project” Jessica explains, “we love French custard ice cream, which is very popular in New York. There are so many artisan ice cream shops there and we missed being able to walk to our favorite spot for a treat”. Alex’s grandmother found an old 1980s ice cream maker in her basement (complete with instructions on a video cassette!!) and they started experimenting. They gave samples to friends, hosted several pop ups and based on the enthusiastic response, decided to open a storefront.
There are two different styles of ice cream, Jessica explains. The “Philadelphia style” is most common in the US—this style does not use eggs and does use a lot of stabilizers for consistency. Jessica and Alex prefer the French custard style, which uses only eggs, milk, cream, and sugar— no other additives. You can really tell the difference too: French Custard tastes very natural, fresh, and clean—rich and smooth with that special homemade burst of flavor. All of their ice cream is made in the back of the store and the flavors change often. Right now their best selling scoop is Salted Caramel Pretzel; other flavors include Brookside Butter Pecan, Fruity Pebbles, Mint Chocolate Chip, Cinnamon Churro, Cookies and Cream and French Vanilla. Alex and Jessica also have quite a few collaborations going on with other local businesses; Heirloom Bakery sells their ice cream during their Wednesday Summer happy hour and Bacaro Primo (Italian restaurant in the Crestwood Shops) features French Custard ice cream on their menu.
Alex and Jessica live in Brookside, within walking distance of the store. “We are so excited to be open in Brookside; this is where we wanted to be. We feel we have something very special to add to the flavor of Brookside” says Jessica. “Everyone here is so very nice and helpful; French custard ice cream shops in NYC are very, very competitive. Here, it’s a very friendly atmosphere”.
French Custard is currently open Tuesday/Wed/Thursday from 2pm-9pm; Fridays from 2-10pm; Saturday noon-10pm and Sunday noon-9pm. French Custard is located at 5905 Main St, along the Trolley Track Trail in the Morningside Shops. Treat yourself soon!
A few weeks ago I posted a blog after meeting up with the new Waldo Business Association Executive Director, Chelsea Kapka. I thought it would be a good idea to also chat with the Director of the Brookside Business Association Sean Ackerson, for an update on what’s going on in Brookside as well!
Sean reports that Brookside remains a healthy, desirable location for businesses (certainly home sales remain strong in the area!). Although World’s Window has closed, LADYCO recently moved into a larger location, and CYCLEBAR is now open. A new bank is going into the former Bank of America location, a few steps west of Mike’s Liquors, and Meddy’s, a Wichita chain of Mediterranean restaurants, is taking over the former Panera location. Nothing is happening that Sean is aware of in the former Fiddly Fig location; a member of Block Real Estate Services purchased the building and for some reason, staged a fire truck out in front. That was a surprise to Sean; he says many people walking the area end up using it as a photo op!
Another unexpected development was the “Brookside Local” shop at the new KCI. Described as “a thoughtful array of travel essentials, indulgences, and last minute giftable treats, presented in a space that pays homage to the vibrant neighborhood of Brookside”, Sean first learned about the space when merchants started calling, asking why they didn’t get a chance to display their local goods for sale in the space. Apparently the Las Vegas based company who coordinated the retail areas didn’t contact the Brookside association when planning: reps approached a couple of stores directly (SKIN and Topsy’s) to provide items in the shop, and they used the iconic Brookside awning colors and typeface during the build out. Other Brookside merchants were confused regarding the lack of communication and opportunity; Sean didn’t know what happened and technically, this is a rip off of the Brookside image without permission. Eventually the mystery was solved and Sean is in touch with KCI for better coordination.
One upcoming issue farther down the road: street improvements to Meyer Blvd and 63rd St. Meyer is under the KC Parks and Recreation department; 63rd is not, so two different entities at City Hall need to coordinate and agree…of course, any suggested plans move ….very…..slowly…..The Association would like to see changes that reduce traffic speed, create dedicated turn lanes, and add a bike lane along one side of 63rd.
Overall, “many businesses are thriving like never before” says Sean and although it hurts to lose World’s Window, there are new businesses coming in and this “isn’t the first time Brookside has been through a transition. The new places that open help everyone.”
The neighborhood residents are very, very supportive of local businesses and the fact that we have such unique shops and restaurants here –that’s a big part of Brookside’s charm and what draws outsiders to the area. THANK YOU for being loyal to our area Brookside merchants!
Another year of home buying in Brookside has come to a close…and even though our neighborhood is 100 years old, it remains quite popular! They don’t build houses like this anymore….
The first graph below outlines December 2022 single family home sales stats for Brookside (using the 64113 zip code); in the second graph, I’ve outlined sales for the past five years for comparison. Home values in Brookside…just keep rising!
| December 2022 | December 2021 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median list price: | $490,000 | $441,750 |
| Median sales price: | $501,000 | $436,750 |
| Days on market: | 15 | 4 |
| No. of homes sold: | 22 | 28 |
Last month, we had six homes sell for over $1,000,000- the top sales price was $1,395,000 (cash!) and the lowest was $290,000. Although some houses sat on the market a little longer, most buyers are paying at or over list price–even with higher interest rates. Now let’s look at the five year trend:
| 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median list price: | $495,000 | $465,000 | $419,000 | $389,950 | $405,000 |
| Median sales price: | $500,000 | $475,000 | $417,000 | $380,000 | $397,000 |
| Days on market: | 3 | 3 | 8 | 23 | 18 |
| No. of homes sold: | 293 | 337 | 325 | 300 | 285 |
Home values in Brookside have risen just under 26% since 2018; the number of homes that turn over each year is fairly consistent. Fewer homes sold in 2022 than the past two years, most likely due to the rapid rise in interest rates and the persistent problem of not enough inventory.
As a Realtor, I am asked quite often: what’s happening with home sales? Here’s something that is always true: buyers want updated, well maintained homes that are priced at market value. The higher interest rates have affected some buyers’ purchasing power, but there is still a great demand for homes in the Brookside/Waldo neighborhood. Owning a home can be an excellent long term investment!
Home sales are definitely slowing down in Brookside as we head towards the end of the year; however, prices are still rising–just not quite as much as earlier in 2022. Let’s take a look at single family home sales for last month in Brookside, using the main zip code of 64113 for the stats:
| November 2022 | November 2021 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median list price: | $475,000 | $425,000 |
| Median sales price: | $472,500 | $425,000 |
| Days on market: | 8 | 4 |
| No. of homes sold: | 19 | 31 |
The lowest closed price last month was $200K and the highest was $1,055,000–which was over the asking price. Fewer homes sold compared to November 2021 and the median price was just under list price. Here are the year-to-date figures:
| Jan-Nov 2022 | Jan-Nov 2021 | |
|---|---|---|
| Median list price: | $492,450 | $467,725 |
| Median sales price: | $500,000 | $475,000 |
| Days on market: | 3 | 3 |
| No. of homes sold: | 272 | 310 |
For the year, most homes have been selling over the asking price and go under contract in a very short amount of time. Sales have slowed–12% fewer homes have sold this year so far. There is still a shortage of updated homes priced under $350K in Brookside–those days may be gone forever! Currently there are 15 active listings, with a median list price of $565,000. Most of the homes are priced over $500K, with three homes over $1,000,000.
(All stats taken from Heartland MLS; deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)
There are some iconic landmarks in Brookside and Waldo…places like Waldo Pizza, Roasterie Coffee, the Piano Room, McLain’s Bakery, Charlie Hoopers…and many more. It’s what makes our neighborhood unique; these are not cookie cutter chains. They are the kind of locally owned spots that you always enjoy going to; a place where you bring visitors and meet friends; often a place where the staff is consistent or you bump into someone you know. One of our landmarks is changing hands next year: Bier Station.
I first wrote about Bier Station ten years ago, shortly before it opened. Owner John Couture was at the very beginning of the craft beer explosion: he offered 21 taps of fresh, rotating beers and hundreds of bottled options for customers to create their own personalized six packs. He and his family lived close by, and welcomed kids who stopped in with their parents, offering games and puzzles. Eventually John added more food selections and an outdoor patio. The neighborhood embraced and supported Bier Station; it was becoming a landmark.
John did more than just sell beer; he started hosting events that supported local candidates and non-profit causes he believed in. Bier Station initiated Q&A sessions with our local city council reps, fundraisers for Animal Rescue Alliance, Moms Demand Action, homeless teen parents and various candidates for office; there were comedy nights, silent auctions and the infamous Josh Hawley Fun Run – the money raised from that event went to causes that the conservative Missouri senator is against. John has always been an activist at heart, and he invited the community to participate and make a difference, as they enjoyed a beverage and conversation.
When I visited with John last week, he emphasized how much he’s enjoyed having Bier Station but it was time to move on. “During the past decade, people’s drinking habits have changed. There were just a couple of craft beer places in KC when I opened; now there are at least 30 or 40 options. I’m proud to have opened the first craft beer/ tasting bar /bottle shop in the Midwest. The bar has won many national awards and we’ve raised over $300,000 for non profit causes and civic campaigns”. One of the events he’s most proud of: working with the dean of Pharmacy at KU to host a COVID 19 vaccine clinic last year, vaccinating over 1000 people. And in December 2020 when vandals smashed the front door of the building, locals came by with envelopes of money to help pay for the repair: McLain’s brought over goodies for the staff and business surged in support. “Our customers really are the best! They are very friendly, very generous with tips and they get to know our staff. Several close friendships between staff and patrons have developed over the years.”
City Barrel Brewery and Kitchen has purchased Bier Station and has a few changes planned: they will serve New York style pizza and redo the patio out front, adding a roof. There will still sell beer to go and have several local brews on tap. As for John, he is taking some time off- his family is “very excited” to see more of him as he figures out next steps that will include some sort of political activism. In the meantime, John invites you to stop in and enjoy a brew and say goodbye before Bier Station changes hands. There is a big staff reunion on Monday Dec 19 and a final celebration on New Year’s Eve—the last night of Bier Station. Mark your calendar! Bier Station is located at 120 E. Gregory. Thank you John, and Bier Station, for all you have done for our neighborhood and community!
Inside Brookside (And Waldo) 