The Country Club Plaza
At A Glance
Hours: Daily 10am until 7pm
Price: Free
History/Overview
The Country Club Plaza, often referred to simply as “The Plaza,” is a privately-owned shopping center located in the Country Club District of Kansas City, Missouri. Opened in 1923, it was the first planned suburban shopping center and the first regional shopping center to accommodate shoppers arriving by car. The Plaza was designed in a Baroque Revival and Moorish Revival style, and comprises high-end retail establishments, restaurants, and entertainment venues, as well as offices. The Country Club Plaza is named in the Project for Public Spaces’ list of the World’s Great Places.
The center consists of 18 separate buildings representing 784,000 square feet of retail space and 219,000 square feet of office space. The Plaza was named for the associated Country Club District, the neighborhood developed by J.C. Nichols which surrounded the Kansas City Country Club. It is situated at the northern terminus of Ward Parkway, a boulevard known for its wide, manicured median lined with fountains and statuary that traverses the Country Club District.
Nichols began acquiring the land for the Plaza in 1907, in an area of Kansas City that was then known as Brush Creek Valley. When his plans were first announced, the project was dubbed ‘Nichols’ Folly’ because of the then seemingly undesirable location. Nichols employed architect Edward Buehler Delk to design the new shopping district. The Plaza opened in 1923 to immediate success, and has lasted with little interruption since that year.
For its first four decades, the Plaza combined some higher-end shops with more mid-level retailers such as Sears and Woolworth’s, as well as more quotidian enterprises. From around 1970, competition from newer suburban shopping malls led management to reposition the Plaza with luxury hotels such as the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, higher-end restaurants, and upscale retailers including Gucci, Polo Ralph Lauren, FAO Schwarz, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bally, and Swanson’s. Today, the Plaza is home to a number of high-end and unique-to-market stores including Tiffany & Co., Michael Kors, Kate Spade New York, Eileen Fisher, Indochino, Free People, Tommy Bahama and Vineyard Vines.
On September 12, 1977, a major flood of Brush Creek caused severe damage to the Plaza and resulted in a number of deaths. The flood prompted a vast renovation and revitalization of the area that has allowed it not only to survive but to thrive. In 1998, the J.C. Nichols Company merged with Raleigh, North Carolina-based real-estate investment trust Highwoods Properties, which now runs the Country Club Plaza. On February 19, 2013, a large explosion destroyed JJ’s Restaurant on the Plaza, but it was rebuilt and returned in November 2014.
What to Expect at The Country Club Plaza
Visitors to the Country Club Plaza can expect a variety of high-end retail establishments, including luxury brands such as Gucci, Polo Ralph Lauren, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Tiffany & Co. Additionally, the Plaza is home to a number of unique-to-market retailers such as Michael Kors, Kate Spade New York, Eileen Fisher, and Tommy Bahama.
Dining options include a variety of restaurants, from casual eateries to upscale dining establishments. The Plaza also features entertainment venues, such as movie theaters, and office spaces.
The Plaza is known for its beautiful architecture, with buildings designed in a Baroque Revival and Moorish Revival style. Additionally, the Plaza is situated along the scenic Ward Parkway, which features a wide, manicured median lined with fountains and statuary.
FAQs
What is the history of the Country Club Plaza?
The Country Club Plaza was planned in 1922 by J. C. Nichols and opened in 1923. It was the first planned suburban shopping center and the first regional shopping center to accommodate shoppers arriving by car. Nichols began acquiring the land for the Plaza in 1907, in an area of Kansas City that was then known as Brush Creek Valley. The Plaza was designed in a Baroque Revival and Moorish Revival style, and comprises high-end retail establishments, restaurants, and entertainment venues, as well as offices.
What types of stores and restaurants can be found at the Country Club Plaza?
The Country Club Plaza features a variety of high-end retail establishments, including luxury brands such as Gucci, Polo Ralph Lauren, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Tiffany & Co. Additionally, the Plaza is home to a number of unique-to-market retailers such as Michael Kors, Kate Spade New York, Eileen Fisher, and Tommy Bahama. Dining options include a variety of restaurants, from casual eateries to upscale dining establishments.
Are there any notable landmarks or features at the Country Club Plaza?
The Country Club Plaza is known for its beautiful architecture, with buildings designed in a Baroque Revival and Moorish Revival style. Additionally, the Plaza is situated along the scenic Ward Parkway, which features a wide, manicured median lined with fountains and statuary. The Plaza is also listed on the Project for Public Spaces’ list of the World’s Great Places. There is also a historical marker of J.C. Nichols, the developer, in the Plaza.