The Plaza is often derided for having too many chain restaurants, although in the past two years there has been an influx of locally owned businesses (Blanc, Ingredient, Cupcake a la Mode and the planned Zocalo and Natasha's Mulberry & Mott). How would you feel about a Panera in Brookside, and would it bother you if the neighborhood got a few more chains from out of town?
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I live in Brookside and for you who say there is plenty of parking I say BS. I have a bad knee and do not wish to use handicap parking because of it. But, I always have to hike a few blocks to go to the shops and restaurants. There are way too many shops and restaurants for the available parking spots. I love Panera, but I think it will only make this situation much worse. Also, I agree it can be very dangerous to try and cross the streets. Not many people stop for the people in the crosswalks and drive over the speed limit when traveling through the area. For goodness sakes there was a man killed trying to cross in a crosswalk in the middle of the day.
jesus, i hope you people who think BKS has a parking problem ever have to relocate to an actual congested city.
i suggest the following test: this saturday is going to be 75 and beautiful outside. go to BKS during the 10am-2pm time window, when you can experience the farmer's market, roasterie crowd, lunch crowd, grocery store traffic, etc. not only will there most likely be a few pull-in parking spots in the roasterie lot or in front of the BKS shops, but the surrounding residential streets will be almost completely devoid of cars. you can park at 62nd terrace/Brookside, near Main/62nd, Main south of 63rd, across Wornall on 63rd, etc. etc. etc. at ANY time. but even with this knowledge, i only have to resort to side-street parking during insane weekends like the art fair, which is 20x more congested than lunch hour. i have no idea what kind of crack you all are smoking! you must also be the same folks who complain about "there is no parking downtown" despite the presence of at least one enormous parking garage on every single city block.
This sucks on an epic level...Hate chain restaurants and would much rather have one of the locals open in this space. Parking will be an issue without a doubt.
@ Dark Lord - While I too would love to see Vietnamese, Thai, etc. in BKS, I don't think it's true that the neighborhood is underserved with dining options.
Julian, Bella Napoli, Domo, and Blue Grotto are all good. Carmen's and Avenues are decent. Roasterie is one of the better cafes in the city. The neighborhood spots like Hooper's, Sharp's, etc. are nothing spectacular but fill a need. Jalepeno's is pretty vile, but I will not begrudge anyone their gringo-Mex fix. I would rather see a local place, or at least a more food-forward restaurant than Panera come to BKS, but it's a decent fit for what it is. I don't know why Spin or Ingredient would open there when they both have locations within 1.5 miles. I would like to see more worthwhile drinking establishments in BKS - I think the area has grown past the Brooksider. A nice beer-geek bar or wine bar would do very well I think.
And not every place has to have its own dedicated parking lot. Has anyone here every been to a vibrant urban area where there was a parking lot in front of every business? No, because parking lots kill the vibe of a place. I can't think of a fun, desirable urban neighborhood anywhere in America where parking is as easy as pulling into a Home Depot in Olathe. That said, there is absolutely not a parking shortage in BKS or anywhere else in KC. Anyone who says otherwise is either too lazy to walk a block or two, incapable of parallel parking, or blind. I live near the 63rd/BKS area and frequently visit the businesses around there and have for many years and have never once had a problem finding a parking spot, including during busy weekends and during the BKS art fair.
what about the blockbuster space? it has it's own parking. i would much rather see something local (spin pizza, ingredient, etc) go into either of these spaces. and i agree, vietnamese or thai would be perfect here. there are hardly any options between westport and 435 (no vietnamese south of 39th street at all that i'm aware of). even pho hoa (being a chain) would be great in this area.
Considering the overall level of education and income of Brookside I've never understood why the area has such poor restaurant choices. I'd rather see a great Vietnamese/Thai/Mexican/Mediterranean joint open than any place selling bread bowls.
The Beauty Express store did NOT have its own parking lot, only street parking. Again, the report that it did, comes from someone who doesn't live in Brookside.
Parking is VERY MUCH an issue in Brookside. For you to say it isn't, just goes to show you don't live here. If they can't provide their own parking, go elsewhere.
I don't think parking in Brookside is such an issue. Panera is one of the least offensive of the chains that might go in there. Hey, better than Chick-fil-A or suchlike.
I really wish Brookside would add a Burger King and Cricket Wireless, maybe a new concept from TGI Mc Slathered in Cheese (don't worry, it will be "classy").
KC is full to the gills with chains. Think we would be fine without any more. Visit the locals!
people who complain about parking in KC are wusses. even at peak times, there are probably 50+ free, open parking spaces around the 63rd/Brookside Blvd area. hello people, park on a side street and, gasp, walk a block or two. we could at least pretend we live in a big city every once in a while. even during the BKS art fair, no doubt the biggest parking weekend of the year, it's easy as pie to find parking within 2-3 blocks of the fair. i've never seen a city as obsessed with free, effortless parking as KC.
I bet some of the comments to this post will be written from inside your neighborhood Panera.
I live and work in Brookside and can tell you that parking is already a nightmare here...especially at the lunch hour. Yes, there is parking behind the shops on Brookside Plaza and north of 63rd St - but good luck crossing the street...despite having crosswalks the motorists do not care and would rather run you over than slow down.
The building Panera is taking over does not have a dedicated parking lot.
It is disappointing that a national chain is taking over that space.
the building the panera is taking over (the beauty warehouse or whatever) has its own parking lot. there is also a parking lot behind the roasterie shops that is typically open except on busy weekends. the parking will be just fine - no reason to have a KC-style freakout, unless you're the type who circles the block for several minutes until a spot opens up directly in front of your destination.
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