KCRag Forum

The new Strang Chef Collective food hall planned for the Cascade Hotel being just north of the Country Club Plaza is considered by its operator a “bullish” vote of confidence in the venerable shopping district.
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The new food hall, which is expected to open in August, will occupy parts of two levels in the Cascade. It will feature four chef-driven concepts and two bars. Craft said commitments have been made for two restaurant spaces and a third is nearing completion.

There will be two food concepts and a bar on the ground level accessed by an entrance at the corner of 46th Terrace and Wornall. Upstairs on the lobby level, there will be two more food concepts and a bar that will open with an 80-seat outdoor patio overlooking the Plaza.

The Strang Chef Collective also will provide room service to guests at both hotels, the Aloft is connected to the Cascade, and also catering for activities at the Cascade’s event space. Chefs from the entire collective, not just the Cascade, will be able to cater there.

Strang Chef Collective also has operations at the Edison Building in Old Overland Park and the lightwell office tower in downtown Kansas City. The Collective will occupy about 11,000 square-feet in the Cascade hotel.
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FangKC wrote: ↑Sun Mar 19, 2023 12:31 am Societal changes are responsible for this. People in general don't dress up as much as they used to in the past. Casual clothing has seen the most growth.

In addition, people's incomes have not kept pace with inflation for 40 years so fewer and fewer people can afford upscale anything. More of their budgets go to needs than wants.

High-end shops have been affected the most. Many have closed stores in the hinterland cities. Many only do well in New York, Boston, Washington DC, Houston, Dallas, Chicago, Philadelphia, Miami, Palm Beach, Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

About 43 percent of the nation's household wealth is in four states; 50 percent of the wealth is in six states. Those numbers are skewed by a tiny fraction of the state residents who are multimillionaires or billionaires. It doesn't mean everyone in New York has money to blow. It just means there are more wealthy households in those states. These are the people who shop in high-end stores.

Some wealthy people live in more than one place. They may have a house where their business is, but live in another city a good deal of the time. They do their high-end shopping in the other city because their home city can't support the high-end shops.

Secondly, more Americans see Bloomingdale's Nordstrom's, Macy's, and Dillard's as out of reach for their budgets. They shop at stores like JC Penney, Walmart, Target, TJ Maxx, Marshall's, and Burlington Coat Factory. We are also seeing more people shopping online so physical stores don't see the foot traffic and are more expensive to operate.

The Plaza struggles because our Metro's affluent neighborhoods keep moving further outward. It can have some upscale businesses, but it needs to return to serving the neighborhoods around it, and building more density.

FangKC wrote: ↑Sun Mar 19, 2023 12:31 am Secondly, more Americans see Bloomingdale's Nordstrom's, Macy's, and Dillard's as out of reach for their budgets. They shop at stores like JC Penney, Walmart, Target, TJ Maxx, Marshall's, and Burlington Coat Factory.

msmith011 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 21, 2023 10:40 am I would argue that the reason we've lost luxury stores on the Plaza (St. John, Burberry) has more to do with the way the Plaza has been managed vs. people not willing to spend.

Highlander wrote: ↑Tue Mar 21, 2023 11:01 am As I have said before, the plaza needs gentrification on a fairly hefty scale in the neighborhoods to the north and east to survive as a retail area that offers higher end items.

beautyfromashes wrote: ↑Tue Mar 21, 2023 12:05 pm

Highlander wrote: ↑Tue Mar 21, 2023 11:01 am As I have said before, the plaza needs gentrification on a fairly hefty scale in the neighborhoods to the north and east to survive as a retail area that offers higher end items.

This is part of the problem. Walk north or east of the Plaza and you won't really find any real neighborhoods for many several blocks.

moderne wrote: ↑Tue Mar 21, 2023 2:27 pm A problem is that's the reason so much wealth in in SoJoCo. They do not want to live in greater density and gentrification. Maybe upgrade the single family homes areas in KC north of 63rd in the near east. Most high earners want more than a 1600 sq ft condo/apt.

smh wrote: ↑Tue Mar 21, 2023 4:00 pm

moderne wrote: ↑Tue Mar 21, 2023 2:27 pm A problem is that's the reason so much wealth in in SoJoCo. They do not want to live in greater density and gentrification. Maybe upgrade the single family homes areas in KC north of 63rd in the near east. Most high earners want more than a 1600 sq ft condo/apt.

This...feels like it is missing a few reasons that people moved to JoCo...can't quite put my finger on it...

chrizow wrote: ↑Wed Mar 22, 2023 2:42 pm i dont particularly understand why we care whether the Plaza has stores like LV, Gucci, Prada, or whatever--and i completely agree KC could never support stores like that, unless it's maybe an LV store that sells basically nothing but purses. those stores thrive in places with, yes, more wealth, but also which attract international visitors who drop $ on luxury goods. also brick and mortar retail is circling the drain in all sectors. the plaza will need to undergo a complete vision change to survive or thrive. a "fancy mall in 100 year old buildings" isn't going to cut it.

chrizow wrote: ↑Wed Mar 22, 2023 2:42 pm i dont particularly understand why we care whether the Plaza has stores like LV, Gucci, Prada, or whatever--and i completely agree KC could never support stores like that, unless it's maybe an LV store that sells basically nothing but purses. those stores thrive in places with, yes, more wealth, but also which attract international visitors who drop $ on luxury goods. also brick and mortar retail is circling the drain in all sectors. the plaza will need to undergo a complete vision change to survive or thrive. a "fancy mall in 100 year old buildings" isn't going to cut it.

GRID wrote: ↑Sat Mar 18, 2023 1:17 pm

trailerkid wrote: ↑Sat Mar 18, 2023 10:56 am

GRID wrote: ↑Thu Mar 16, 2023 12:31 am

Yeah, okay, they don't even have an Eataly in DC.

That is the point.

My point is there is zero chance of them coming to KC. We have to go to the one in NYC. I have been to them in Italy too. I don't see KC being a large enough city to support a store like that. I mean the plaza can't even get Nordstrom's and I doubt Dillard's will happen. Pass by a gate at any airport with a flight going to KC an half the people look like they are going to a sporting event. So, maybe another rally house lol.

The people that run the plaza are lost. The plaza needs more density in its core. It needs more entertainment, outside dining, social areas. It's needs less pavement for cars and parked cars and more for pedestrians, cafes etc.

The design of the plaza is really out of date and out of touch with modern urban walkable areas. Till they fix that, it will struggle to remain relevant.

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Nashville-based The Escape Game is opening at 320 Ward Parkway next to Seasons 52. The space was formerly occupied by bridal boutique Ricca Sposa, which relocated to downtown Kansas City at 1914 Main St. The Escape Game plans a summer opening.
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Some of the other new tenants slated for the Plaza include a Levi's store, which plans to open at 441 Nichols Road, and Kura Revolving Sushi Bar, which plans to open at 200 W. 47th St. inside the former t.Loft eatery.

Kura combines Japanese cuisine with a high-tech and interactive experience. The restaurant delivers food to guests via a double-layer conveyer belt that weaves through the dining room, and robots drop off drink orders. The company owns more than 30 patents, including for its ventilated sushi lid.

Ear-piercing studio Rowan plans a spring opening for its first store in Missouri and the Kansas City metro at 225 Nichols Rd. The space previously was occupied by Pink Lipps Cosmetics.

chrizow wrote: ↑Wed Mar 22, 2023 2:42 pm i dont particularly understand why we care whether the Plaza has stores like LV, Gucci, Prada, or whatever--and i completely agree KC could never support stores like that, unless it's maybe an LV store that sells basically nothing but purses. those stores thrive in places with, yes, more wealth, but also which attract international visitors who drop $ on luxury goods. also brick and mortar retail is circling the drain in all sectors. the plaza will need to undergo a complete vision change to survive or thrive. a "fancy mall in 100 year old buildings" isn't going to cut it.