One of Kansas City’s oldest retail shopping areas celebrates turning 100 years old
By Alan Shope
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KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KMBC) — One of Kansas City’s oldest retail shopping areas is turning 100 years old. The Crestwood Shops are using the special day to help the KC Pet Project.
Stacie Robertson owns the tea market near 55th and Crestwood.
“The first time I saw Crestwood I absolutely fell in love with it,” Robertson said.
The Crestwood shops are older than Kansas City staples like the Country Club Plaza shopping district.
“This is one of the places in Kansas City where you can see a set of buildings and they’re doing the same thing they’ve done for now 100 years,” Historian Bill Worley said.
In 1921 the Crestwood area was on the edge of town. Land developers wanted to find a way to get people living further out along the city’s streetcar route.
The Crestwood shops were ultimately the solution to developers’ problems.
“There’s really only about a dozen shops here and at one time three of them were grocery stores,” Worley said.
Worley says the success of the stores sparked the initial idea to build the Plaza.
16 shops, including one that’s been in KC 89 years, are all celebrating 100 years this weekend.
“A very traditional colonial style of architecture that has worn quite well,” Worley said.
The shops are holding a three-day celebration and are using the event to raise money for the KC Pet Project. Robertson is overjoyed for the centennial celebration.
“I really believe that Crestwood is the gem of Kansas City,” Robertson said.
The event starts Thursday with a roaring 20’s theme. Jazz and cocktails will be flowing all day. It wraps up Saturday with a street festival and food trucks.
Some of the celebrations proceeds and all the donations collected are going to the KC Pet Project.
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