Can you guess what retailer occupied this space before Spirit Halloween? | Photo via 6AM City
Do you remember the Bed Bath & Beyond on Shawnee Mission Parkway? What about Lee’s Summit’s former Tuesday Morning? Those retail spaces have something in common — they’re getting dressed up as Spirit Halloween stores.
The seasonal chain has converted nine vacant retail spaces in the Kansas City metro area into Spirit Halloween stores. This includes three in KCMO, and one each in Independence, Lee’s Summit, Belton, Mission, Shawnee, and Lenexa.
Spirits’ lore
Let’s pull the mask off and learn more. Spirit Halloween finds temporary leases and moves into retail spaces that would otherwise be vacant. This is why there are so many — to the point it’s become a meme — and they might be in different locations next year.
Did you know? The chain is owned by Spencer Gifts LLC, you know, that quirky novelty store from the mall.
Asked
Asked
Concoct your own KC-inspired costume...
We already know Halloween will be crawling with Taylors + Travises — but what KC-inspired costume would you dream up instead? Drop your idea below and we’ll round up our favorites.
We’ll go first: a giant Shuttlecock at the Nelson — don orange sneakers and an all-white fit to hang on your lawn.
Hudspeth & Taylor | 7-10 p.m. | B.B.'s Lawnside BBQ | $5 | Dig into smoked jalapeno cheddar sausage + brisket chili while this blues duo keeps the roadhouse vibes rolling.
Thursday, Sept. 4
Plein Air For Beginners | 6 p.m. | 118 N. Main St., Liberty | $60 | Learn watercolor basics from a pro and experience the freedom of painting in the open air.
Friday, Sept. 5
Chiefs’ Red Friday Pep Rally | 11 a.m.-1 p.m. | Mill Creek Park | Free | Kick off the season with KC Wolf, Chiefs Cheer + the Rumble as six city fountains turn red.
Kansas City Symphony Presents “La nuit sombre” | 8 p.m. | Helzberg Hall | $49 | One night only: breathtaking visual design and immersive choreography from Quixotic, set to a soundtrack of Aureliano Cattaneo’s mysterious score.
Saturday, Sept. 6
Lenexa Spinach Festival | 9 a.m.-4 p.m. | Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park, Lenexa, KS | Free | Hailed as the Spinach Capital of the World in the 1930s, this city festival features everything from specialty themed concessions to a spinach dip showdown.
Riverfront Park is getting a second act — and no, we’re not talking Berkley Riverfront Park. The long-overlooked East Bottoms greenspace, once sidelined by chemical cleanup, is now on PortKC’s radar for upgrades like fishing docks, camping areas, and trail connections that could eventually link to the West Bottoms + Blue River. (Kansas City Star)
Festival
We meant festivals, plural. Cooler temps mean celebrating comes easy to weather-worn locals, so pack your calendar with Kansas City Magazine’s top 11 festival picks of the season.
Lee’s Summit is kicking privatized trash to the curb. A new city-wide service could mean fewer bills + less truck noise. With garbage handled, see what the city’s public works department says is next on the docket. (Kansas City Star)
Try This
As the old saying goes, “You don’t know a man until you run a mile in his hot dog suit,” or something like that... Test your buns of steel with the Royals’ Hot Dog Race championship on Sunday, Sept. 20 — a nine-dog, single-elimination battle set for the season’s final homestand. Apply by Friday, Sept. 12 for a chance to taste glory.
Biz
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The Buy
Your go-to item for upping fall runs and workouts: a top-selling weighted strength training vest. Choose from six pounds up to 30 pounds and add the weighted vest to runs, classes, or gym sessions to enhance calorie burning, improve your core, and increase muscle gains.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
I hope your Labor Day weekend was as restful or adventurous as you wanted. Mine? I spent Sunday morning at my very first roller derby bout — and somehow skated away with the MVP award for scoring (plus a few bruises as souvenirs).
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