Postcard of Christmas crowns and decorations at 11th Street and Walnut, 1962. | Photo via Missouri Valley Special Collections
Petticoat Lane.
Long-time Kansas Citians may remember the name. Others might just know the bus stop.
The modern-day stretch of 11th Street between Main and Grand resembles the rest of downtown — skyscrapers housing office space and apartments galore — but it holds a glamorous history.
The inconspicuous street was once home to Kansas City’s premier shopping and fashion district, long before big-box malls and the Country Club Plaza stole its thunder.
No one is sure why it’s named Petticoat Lane, but I bet it was a pretty good place to find a petticoat back in the day. | Photo via Missouri Valley Special Collections
Stroll down memory lane
In 1889, construction began on KC’s first department store, Emery, Bird, Thayer & Co. (EBT). It was a six-story mega-storefront on 11th Street featuring the turn-of-the-century’s most fashionable shopping experiences:
403 windows
485 decorative columns
10,000 ft of counter space
Ladies reception parlor
Grand staircase
Three elevators
Tea room
Pneumatic tube cash system
Soon, other stores started popping up on this small stretch of street. The Parisian Cloak Company, later known as Harzfeld’s, opened in 1891 to sell the finest ready-made women’s and children’s clothing. Hallmark also got its department store start here in 1916, creating modern-day wrapping paper.
Makers Social | 5:30 p.m. | National WWI Museum and Memorial | Free, RSVP | Enjoy history, handcrafts and hors d’oeuvres as KC’s craft community il-loom-inates the vibrant legacy of wartime artistry in this knot-so typical happy hour hang.
Friday, Dec. 13
Rec Deck The Halls | Friday, Dec. 13-Saturday, Dec. 28 | 5-10 p.m. | Boulevard Brewing Tours & Recreation Center | $5 | With keepsake glassware, retro fare, and shimmering shuffleboard courts, this seasonal pop-up has more holiday spirit than a claymation movie marathon.
Holiday Sh*t Show | 6-9 p.m. | The Ship | $20+ | Sail in to this restored 1935 vintage lounge for the day’s best catch: 20 artists covering 20 holiday songs, all supporting Care Beyond the Boulevard.
Interactive Hanukkah Dinner | 6-9 p.m. | Convergence Point, Independence | $20+ | Dress in your best blue, white, and silver for a candlelit dinner featuring traditional Hanukkah dishes, cultural games + an international market.
Sunday, Dec. 15
Great Santa Run 5K | 8 a.m. | Park Place, Leawood | $12+ | Whether you trot like a one horse open sleigh or prefer to walk in a winter wonderland, your registration fee supports the life-changing mission of Operation Breakthrough.
Sober Holiday Sip and Social | 4:30-6:30 p.m. | Splitlog Coffee Co., KCK | $12 | Celebrate the season with delicious mocktails, raffles, and warm company in a festive, alcohol-free setting.
Monday, Dec. 16
Leg Lamp Paint Party | 6-8:30 p.m. | 25110 E. Strode Rd., Blue Springs | $35 | Bring a bevvy and paint your own “fra-gee-lay” leg lamp from “A Christmas Story” with step-by-step instructions. Hmm,must be Italian...
The saga continues. Royals leadership has met with local firm VanTrust Real Estate LLC about a possible Washington Square Park ballpark, though the team has yet to publicly comment. If the name sound familiar, there’s good reason — VanTrust was also behind the previous East Village stadium pitch. (KCBJ)
Try This
Another local run club is landing on its feet. The folks behind James Beard Award-nominated bar Drastic Measures are forming Run Shawnee (or RUN DTS, you decide), kicking off weekly Saturday “jaunts” starting 2025. Need more motivation? Attend one week and earn 20% off your tab until the next run.
Eat
Hungrier than a $10 lunch budget allows? Consider diving in to Spice of Bombay’s all-you-can-eat lunch buffet, featuring unlimited portions of dishes like chicken tikka masala and mango lassi for $20. Dine in for lunch and dinner daily at the new OP Indian restaurant’s 9940 College Blvd. location. (Kansas City Star)
Announced
Former patrons + employees are bringing recently shuttered Pawn & Pint back to life. Its new ownership, For Nerds LLC, plans to reopen the board game pub at the same 613 Walnut St. location, though no date has been announced. (KCBJ)
Arts
Make the movies even better by keeping your hands busy. This Sunday, Dec. 15, NKC’s Screenland Armour is hosting a crafting club viewing of “Love Actually.” Simply buy a ticket for the 3 p.m. showing, bring a project, and enjoy this cult-classic holiday hit with the lights half-on.
Development
Two more multi-family housing projects are coming to vacant lots around the Plaza, following financing approval for major 279-unit development “The Madison.” The sites at 4511 Summit St. and 4438 Washington St. will offer units ranging from studios to three-bedrooms. Construction could begin as early as next year. (Kansas City Star)
Cause
From prom pics to wedding proposals, Loose Park’s rose garden has been an iconic local backdrop for nearly a century — but its idyllic landscape is under threat. With 12 of its stone structures in critical condition, the Kansas City Rose Society has launched a Save the Pillars campaign aiming to raise $20,000 by Dec. 31. (KCUR)
Feel Good
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Shop
Looking for a gift the kiddos will actually use? Enter: Dribbleup’s Smart Basketball. It features guided coaching sessions so they can train anytime, anywhere. Psst — it’s 60% for the holidays.*
The Buy
The Buy
Not sure what to gift for the holidays? Browse ideas from this year’s top 100 gifts on Amazon:
As promised. Last night’s Grand Opening event for Enjoy Pure Food + Drink was — as patrons of its Leawood location already know — absolutely delicious. My personal favorite was its green apple, lemon + ginger “Cleanzing” cold-pressed juice, and (while I didn’t get to try it myself) I have it on good authority that its “Classico” salad is a must-try.
Answered
Answered
What park is considered Kansas City’s oldest?
Though it began under a different name in 1895, Northeast KC’s Kessler Park is the official oldest sibling of the city’s green spaces — beating out KCMO’s largest, Swope Park, by only one year.
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