The Future of Crown Center

[trailerkid]

the theater already serves liquor.

i'm thinking an espresso/martini bar. i know most live theatres have concessions serving alcohol.

[kard]

screenland crown center is opening on christmas day.

http://screenland.com/index.html

[DaveKCMO]

screenland crown center is opening on christmas day.

http://screenland.com/index.html

has anyone been yet?

[PumpkinStalker]

The movies right now don't interest us but we're watching for one that does.

[cknab1]

We went a few days ago and saw The Road.  It is kinda hard to sit in a movie without stadium seating, but it was fine.  A full bar fixes a lot of things.  At customer service in CC you can get a VIP pass that allows you and a guest tickets all next year for $4 each. Which is half price.  One person siad it was just for Hallmark employees, but the other 3 times I got cards for friends, nothing like that was said. 

[mudjack]

Is this VIP pass free? If not, how much is it?

[cknab1]

yes, It's free!

[LenexatoKCMO]

We went a few days ago and saw The Road. 

And you held off comitting post-movie suicide long enough to write this post?  What a depressing movie!

[cknab1]

yes, That movie is just the ticket to get rid of the festive Holiday spirit.

[KCMax]

Took my son to CC over the holidays and he absolutely loved it. That is truly CC's time to shine. The line for Fritz's and the Winter Wonderland were ridiculously long and the entire mall was packed. He loved the train exhibit, the playground by the fountains and of course the ice cream. We plan on making it a yearly tradition.

[Highlander]

Took my son to CC over the holidays and he absolutely loved it. That is truly CC's time to shine. The line for Fritz's and the Winter Wonderland were ridiculously long and the entire mall was packed. He loved the train exhibit, the playground by the fountains and of course the ice cream. We plan on making it a yearly tradition.

Yea, I was there too.  Delighted to see CC so busy.  Union Station was hopping too with the trains, Warhol and Chocolate exhibits. 

[Lenexan]

I do love Crown center as my wife and I go there for the American Heartland Theatre every couple months.  I also remember it fondly from my youth as my folks would always take us down there the day after thanksgiving.  It still has a unique charm, particularly in the atrium area where the shops are.  We also enjoy the unique restrauants and quality food court and have made it a bit of a tradition to do lunch there before a show on Sundays.

What's been sad over the past few months has been the closing of two institutions -- the Halls Station store and the Waldenbooks store, the only in KC.  For theater goers, both were fun ways to browse (and even buy) before and after a show.  It is a bit puzzling that the CC location wouldn't have been one of the 130 to survive nationwide, due to the unique status of Crown Center as it is not exactly a normal shopping mall.  Now Crown Center doesn't have a bookstore at all, so that's sad to see.

And who couldn't love watching the trains go?  Oh well.

[thesnowman21]

I took the kids to crown center on Saturday as they had that new kids exhibit. It was as busy as I have ever seen it, could barely move through the crowds. Very disappointed that the train place has closed as my 4 year old boy is train mad and loves going there. Also disappointed that Waldenbooks has closed, although it was never the best bookstore it was better than nothing. Spoke to some woman there and she said that they are turning all the waldenbooks in Borders, and Borders didn't want one in crown center.

New movie theater looks nice, but didnt have time to visit the bar as I had the kids. Downtown is now crying out for a book store, either in the P&L or Crown Center.

[zonk]

I'd love a Tattered Cover!  Bring them to town!

[DaveKCMO]

i thought the train store moved to union station?

[PumpkinStalker]

i thought the train store moved to union station?

Don't think so...and anyone who built trains has died.  Ok a bit harsh.  I apologize.  But from what I was told that train store had never turned a profit and it was just a "display".  So if Function Junction wanted to expand, why wouldn't they get rid of it?

[trailerkid]

Don't think so...and anyone who built trains has died.  Ok a bit harsh.  I apologize.  But from what I was told that train store had never turned a profit and it was just a "display".  So if Function Junction wanted to expand, why wouldn't they get rid of it?

I was skeptical of the expanded FJ, but it improved that store 100X. Much nicer space w/ the same cool product.

I'd like to see the mall become a little more unique and geared towards the city in addition to tourists. Amp up the Crayola level with bigger kids stores like Build-a-Bear & Lego, but also add more unique, local merchants.

[LenexatoKCMO]

Don't think so...and anyone who built trains has died.  Ok a bit harsh.  I apologize.  But from what I was told that train store had never turned a profit and it was just a "display".  So if Function Junction wanted to expand, why wouldn't they get rid of it?

Probably like a lot of niche hobby-related stores - very hard to compete with online retailers that can carry a huge diverse inventory and price on volume. 

[PumpkinStalker]

On a humorous note, I have a friend that works at FJ and when they moved the glass doors a couple yards down, people were smacking their faces into the full glass windows.  Wished I worked there to witness that.

[GRID]

I was skeptical of the expanded FJ, but it improved that store 100X. Much nicer space w/ the same cool product.

I'd like to see the mall become a little more unique and geared towards the city in addition to tourists. Amp up the Crayola level with bigger kids stores like Build-a-Bear & Lego, but also add more unique, local merchants.

Does CC have a Lego store now?  Always wondered why KC didn't have at least one Lego store and I never thought about it being at CC, what a great location for a Lego store.