Here are 12 of the metro's hottest neighborhoods and what you can expect for your money in each.
Money sure doesn’t buy what it used to, but it never did, so get used to it, as Yogi Berra or Redd Foxx (probably) said.
If you can accept the repeating theme over the last few years that housing prices in the KC metro are much higher than 12 or even six months ago, you can focus on the state of the current situation. Before the snapshot changes again.
In January, the National Association of Realtors put the “national median existing-home price for all housing types” at $379,100. The average in the metro varies depending on where you look, but KC’s median figure of around $250,000, supposedly well within the range of first-time home buyers’ FHA loan range, is quite a bit lower than $380K.
Kansas City, the metro’s most populated city, with an estimated 510,000 people, experienced a median sale price of $255,000 in January, according to Redfin, and the median home listing price in KC was $247,500 in February, according to NAR’s Realtor.com.
That’s pretty good in comparison to other areas around the nation. Good luck trying to buy in Dallas for under the $380K national average. Our southern neighbor’s February median listing price was $439,000, states Realtor.com. Meanwhile, Denver clocked in at an even $600K median in February while smaller Omaha sported higher values at $335,000.
But even though KC’s median housing prices are well below that of the country’s and some of its peer cities, don’t expect to find a slew of homes under that $380K mark.
While buyers seeking a house at the national median might find a lot of variety in some locales, $380,000 will get you laughed out of other towns and neighborhoods around KC. Homebuyers in the hunt feeling bummed that they’re priced out of their first-choice location can take heart that they’re not going through the same process in Atlanta or Nashville, where prices have truly skyrocketed.
Beyond that, there’s always St. Louis.
BLUE SPRINGS
Back in the day, meaning the 1990s and before, people used to move to Blue Springs for the scenery. About 20 miles east of downtown KC, off Interstate 70, the city of just under 60,000 people is surrounded by lakes Jacomo, Lotawana, Tapawingo and then, of course, Blue Springs Lake.
The lakes are still there, but prospective home buyers are looking at Blue Springs for different reasons nowadays, says Jim May, an associate broker with Zuvers Real Estate Services. May, who is also a former city councilman and a member of the Blue Springs Planning Commission, says now new residents come to the city simply for affordability.
“Blue Springs is one of the few suburbs that I still think has rapid growth,” May says. “For those folks that don’t want to live downtown, it’s a good, safe area that people are trying to move into.”
Young people and first-time buyers are attracted to the area because of its growing restaurant and entertainment options.
Blue Springs has its own school district, with about 15,000 students spread over 22 facilities. The district also serves some families in neighboring Independence and Lee’s Summit.
What $380k will buy you
Buyers can find newly constructed homes in Blue Springs and still slide under the $380,000 mark, Jim May, associate broker with Zuvers Real Estate Services, says. A recent Trulia search shows several new three-bedroom houses in the city for less than the national average.
local perk
Blue Springs is getting yet another water feature, but this time it’s not a lake. The city plans to open the $41.5 million Blue Surf Bay Waterpark this spring. Voters in 2021 approved a sales tax initiative for the indoor-outdoor facility, which includes a 40-foot tower with four slides attached, a wave pool, surf simulators and more. A lap pool, rock-climbing wall, diving platform and more attractions are set for indoor areas.
Where to Grab a Cup of Coffee
Bean Counter Café recently relocated to Blue Springs’ Main Street from a different longtime location. It’s a favorite among breakfast diners and caffeine fans.
Beacon Hill/Ivanhoe Northeast
What $380k will buy you
You’re not going to find a house in Beacon Hill proper for $380,000, says May, who sells houses in this area, but you might find houses in the $380,000 range in Ivanhoe Northeast or another East Side neighborhood.
Beacon Hill’s development is already plotted, and some of the newly built homes are standout designs that tend to go for at least $500,000, so buyers looking for the national average will have to look in the neighboring area for a deal.
The problem buyers face on the East Side is a lack of product that’s ready for purchase without a significant costly overhaul, May says. You might find a “deal” on a $300,000 house, but homes built in the 1920s that aren’t well-maintained could cost another $200,000 to renovate.
At the same time, there is a considerable push for housing to remain affordable for the East Side’s low-income residents, but a climate of ever-increasing housing and land prices makes the area’s future uncertain.
local perks
The 18th & Vine Historic Jazz District is just north of the area. New entertainment venues and residences are opening around the commercial strip that was once home to a portion of the clubs where Kansas City’s rich jazz history percolated over the first part of the 20th century, thanks to musical masters like Charlie “Bird” Parker, Mary Lou Williams, Count Basie and many others.
Vine Street Brewing Co. is billed as the first African American-owned brewery in Missouri. Located at 20th and Vine streets, the brewery is next to The Prospect, a daytime cafe and nonprofit offering food-access programs for underserved Kansas Citians.
Where to Grab a Cup of Coffee
Anchor Island, on the corner of Troost and 41st Street, is an LGBTQ-friendly environment with tropical-themed lattes and standard coffee drinks. On 31st Street, just west of Troost, is Sister Anne’s Records & Coffee, where you can get expertly made coffee drinks while browsing used and new vinyl.
The process of gentrification is now a constant on the Troost Avenue thoroughfare just south of downtown KC, where there’s ongoing construction on high-rise apartment buildings and commercial endeavors.
Beacon Hill and Ivanhoe Northeast are two neighborhoods on the east side of Troost, and, not surprisingly, there’s significant interest in historic homes around the area, including the much-loved Kansas City Shirtwaist houses.
The flagship location of Ruby Jean’s Juicery, which has outposts in metro Whole Foods Markets, is a neighborhood destination located at 30th Street and Troost Avenue (a campaign is underway to change the name of Troost to Truth). Kansas City Public Schools headquarters is also at the intersection and next to The Wonder Shops and Flats, an historic bread factory building turned mixed-use development.
Liberty
You’re not in the country in Liberty, Missouri, but it can feel that way. The town’s center is surrounded by relaxed, hilly terrain.
Liberty’s quaint business-lined historic downtown bolsters the small-town mindset, despite being surrounded by new housing projects. Also the seat of Clay County, Liberty has just over 30,000 residents within about 30 square miles and is served by Liberty Public Schools.
About 25 minutes north of downtown KC, just east of Interstate 35, Liberty is also home to the private William Jewell College and a short drive from the Worlds of Fun theme park.
The biggest attraction might be the affordable housing landscape for homebuyers who don’t mind not being in the center of everything, says Shannon Stumpenhaus, an agent with Compass who’s sold houses in the area.
What $380k will buy you
“There’s a lot of two-car garages out there, four bedrooms, three baths,” Shannon Stumpenhaus, an agent with Compass Stumpenhaus says, referring to the new-housing marketing under the $380,000 price tag. Stumpenhaus says most of the homebuyers she’s seeing are younger families who like Liberty’s schools and are looking for affordable homes.
“This is such a popular place for people who have kids,” she says. “I’ve seen parents moving back to the area because they want to be by their grandkids.”
Coming housing stock includes dozens of planned new lots, and Montage Liberty, a 1,000-acre mixed-used development with single-family housing, is in the planning stages.
local perks
Founded in 1822, downtown Liberty attracts regional residents on weekend trips who admire the area for its historical preservation and small businesses. Attractions include boutiques, art galleries and restaurants. The walkable town square also hosts regular community events.
Several homebuyers also pick Liberty because it’s close to the Kansas City International airport, says Stumpenhaus. The growing workforce of full-time remote employees creates a demand for housing with easy access to KCI without having to drive through downtown KC.
Where to Grab a Cup of Coffee
Just southwest of the downtown area on Mill Street is Hammerhead Coffee, an outfit that roasts small batches of single-origin beans. North of the downtown square is Holy Grounds Coffee and Book Shoppe, located in the 180-year-old St. James Church, where proceeds go toward restorating its steeple.
Into tea instead? Check out Anna Marie’s Teas, which offers a huge variety of teas and hosts tea-time events that regularly sell out.
Property Taxes You’ll Pay at the $380K Price Point
By County, Annual Payment, Percentage of Assessed Value
Johnson, KS
$4,721, 1.24 percent
Jackson, MO
$4,864, 1.28 percent
Clay, MO
$4,940, 1.3 percent
Platte, Mo
$4,332, 1.14 percent
Wyandotte, KS
$6,156 1.62 percent
by State,
Annual Payment,
Percentage of Assessed Value
mo
$3,712, 0.98 percent
ks
$5.434, 1.43 percent
Source: Smartasset.com
Parkville/Riverside
What $380k will buy you
To get in under $380,000 in either of these cities is going to be a challenge. Realtor.com recently had Riverside’s median listing price at $749,000, while Redfin posted a $720,000 median sales price for Parkville.
Those trying to get into either locale for around the national average aren’t going to get a lot of house—if you’re able to find one in the first place. Realtor.com recently posted the pending sale of a Riverside four-bedroom, two bath, 100-year-old home totaling just under 1,600 square feet for $310,000. Finding the right home in the slim inventory of homes priced under $380,0000 will take determination.
local perks
Parkville and Riverside residents both have access to the Missouri River. Right by the Argosy in Riverside is E.H. Young Riverfront Park. Along with eight pickleball courts, a skate park and an off-leash area for dogs, the park has a riverfront trail.
In Parkville, English Landing Park is a 68-acre destination containing trails that wind along the river, volleyball facilities and a disc golf course. There’s even a boat ramp, too.
Where to Grab a Cup of Coffee
Parkville Coffee has called downtown Parkville home for about 15 years and plans to expand its roasting business. The newer Ten & Two Coffee, also in Parkville, has coffee drinks in the morning and turns into more of a bar later in the afternoon.
Parkville and Riverside are two adjoining cities along the Missouri River just east of Kansas City and across the water from KCK.
Both in Platte County, the hilly towns, sought after for their laid-back vibes, total about 11,000 in population. Parkville, the larger of the two, has just over 7,000 residents. Although Parkville was established in 1844, the city of Riverside wasn’t incorporated until 1951. The Park Hill School District serves both communities.
Parkville is home to Park University, a liberal arts college offering select degrees. The university’s International Center for Music regularly hosts visiting master classical musicians from around the globe. Next to the university is the Parkville Nature Sanctuary, boasting 115 acres of wildlife preserve with three miles of hiking trails.
Parkville’s historic downtown is known for its boutiques, eateries and weekend farmer’s market.
Meanwhile, in Riverside, there’s the Argosy Casino Hotel & Spa, which has table games, slots and dining, if you want to pretend like you’re in Vegas after work.
Northeast KC
Fans of historic architecture who are scoping out homes in Kansas City’s Northeast neighborhood might prefer walking or biking certain blocks, where meticulously restored houses dating back to the late 1800s are randomly scattered next to those in lesser condition, causing people to brake frequently when sightseeing.
The Northeast’s neighborhoods—Columbus Park, Independence Plaza, Indian Mound, Lykins, Pendleton Heights and Scarritt Renaissance—are among the city’s oldest. Restoration is a constant in the area, as is a steady stream of immigrants, making the locale one of the city’s most ethnically diverse, as proven by a slew of eateries representing a good deal of the UN.
What $380k will buy you
There are several beautiful early 20th-century houses available at this price point, so it’s perfect for those willing to take on the challenges these artwork-like properties present. Zillow recently listed a 3,100-square-foot, four-bed, three-bath restored 1895 Victorian at slightly less than $330,000. Just east of downtown, the Northeast saw its economic fortunes fall partly due to the loss of thousands of manufacturing jobs at a now-defunct steel plant in the 1980s, so poverty and crime are present. But many homebuyers in the Northeast are first-time owners aware of these factors and striving to get involved to build a healthier community. Kansas City Public Schools educates the area, which is also home to the private University of Kansas City School of Medicine.
local perks
The Northeast is fittingly home to the Kansas City Museum, a 3.5-acre site first plotted in 1910 as a private residence that abuts Kessler Park, which serves as the area’s northern border. Named after famed 1800s city planner George Kessler, much of its narrow 303 acres sits atop a bluff above East Bottoms railroad tracks, providing a sprawling view of Kansas City’s communities north of the Missouri River. Certain sections of the park, such as the Colonnade and its Concourse, were built in the early 1900s but made to look older, and they serve as an interesting backdrop to today’s electric scooter and bike riders.
Where to Grab a Cup of Coffee
For an area of town underserved in some retail categories, the Northeast boasts quality cafes that double as their own versions of community centers. Core Coffee & Eatery and PH Coffee are both community-first spots in the Pendleton Heights neighborhood. And don’t let the gritty Independence Avenue storefront of Eleos Coffee House dissuade you from grabbing a cup of one of its fine single-origin roasts.
Lee’s Summit
What $380k will buy you
Get in while you still can at this price, stresses Rachel Kilmer, or “Rach the Realtor,” a ReeceNichols broker who says Lee’s Summit is in “a really transitional phase right now” and is averaging around $360,000 as a whole. First-time homebuyers and younger families are dominant buyers downtown, where there are still small houses under the national average. It’s tougher, but possible, to find homes in the homier suburbs, Kilmer says, mentioning Lakewood’s current favorable price selection.
local perks
Kilmer says a wave of Gen Z homebuyers and consumers are converging in and near downtown, bringing with them diverse tastes and creating a neighborhood of eclectic boutiques, cafes and brewpubs. “They want a place that’s walkable, but they still want something that’s relatively affordable and drivable,” Kilmer says. “Downtown is fitting that bill for several younger buyers in today’s market.” It’s not easy to find affordable similar locales in the metro, Kilmer says.
Where to Grab a Cup of Coffee
A downtown fixture for close to 30 years, Whistle Stop Coffee & Mercantile is a popular spot on Main Street, near the Lee’s Summit Amtrak train stop. Toward the west, near Longview Lake, Gusto Coffee Shop arrived in 2014 and continues to collect devoted customers.
Founded way back in 1865, Lee’s Summit—not named after the Confederate Civil War general as one might surmise—is an in-demand city of more than 103,000 people today. Its population has more than doubled since its sleepier, more recent past in 1990.
The revitalization of downtown Lee’s Summit, about 20 miles southeast of downtown KC, continues with a multi-use project that’s bringing a year-round farmers market and outdoor performance space to the area’s existing collection of eateries and boutiques.
Surrounding the downtown area are traditional suburban neighborhoods of varying price ranges that arch higher with new development toward the south. The eastern edge of Lee’s Summit is bordered by Blue Springs Lake, as well as lakes Lotawana and Jacomo. Insurer GEHA is a big employer, and Lee’s Summit residents are served by Lee’s Summit School District R-7 and the Lee’s Summit Police Department.
Red Bridge/Martin City
Red Bridge and Martin City are adjoining neighborhoods at KC’s southern end along the Kansas border. Here, residents can still live in the city yet reside in a suburban-feeling area near both green space and the 135th Street mega-retail corridor across the state line.
Interstate 435 borders Red Bridge to its north, where you will also find St. Joseph Medical Center. Grandview and Minor Park are toward the east. Cass County makes up the southern border next to Martin City, where you can find Walmart, Target and other big-box stores. Kansas City Public Schools serves the area, and Avila University, with its 50-acre campus, is also in Red Bridge.
What $380k will buy you
What a difference the state line makes. One can find several houses under $380,000 in Red Bridge (though you can go higher); meanwhile, you’d be lucky to find the same $350,000 three-bedroom house just a few blocks away in Kansas for less than $550,000. Most residents in Red Bridge and Martin City are homeowners.
local perks
The 200-acre Minor Park’s showcase is its eponymously named 18-hole municipal golf course, but it also boasts six pickleball courts. You’ll also find a retired antique bridge decorated with “love locks” and several nature trails along the Blue River. Just north are the Blue Ridge ballfields, where, during nice weather, visitors might stumble upon some intense amateur soccer matches.
South of the park, on 135th Street, is the original location of Martin City Brewing Company, a favorite of craft beer fans. Its patio fills up with locals on agreeable weekends.
Where to Grab a Cup of Coffee
The addition of a Crows Coffee location to Red Bridge Shopping Center gave the area a needed place to charge up away from the busier State Line Road. The same strip of shops includes a handful of restaurants. Later this year, a Farm Fresh Market grocery store is set to join as a tenant.
Mission/Roeland Park
What $380k will buy you
The average listed housing prices in both Roeland Park and Mission are under the nation’s norm. The median figure at the beginning of the year in Mission was $315,000, according to Redfin, which recently listed a three-bedroom, two-bath 1,200-square-foot dwelling for $300,000. In Roeland Park, the median sales price was $313,000, according to Realtor.com. Recently, a three-bedroom, two-bath at 2,000 square feet was “pending” on the site for $347,000.
local perks
Although homey neighborhoods characterize Mission and Roeland Park, shopping options are bountiful in both. Several small businesses and restaurants populate Mission’s downtown strip along Johnson Drive. Target, Hy-Vee and Natural Grocers are all options around the strip as well.
On Roe Boulevard, in Roeland Park, you’ll find three big stores lumped on one side of the street: Walmart, Lowe’s and—what many consider one of the metro’s best grocery stores—Price Chopper, with its house-made fresh tortillas and a large selection of produce and Latino foods. If Aldi is your jam, there’s one located on the other side of Roe.
Where to Grab a Cup of Coffee
Urban Prairie Coffee on Mission’s Johnson Drive strip is a popular meeting spot with outdoor seating. Filling Station on Johnson Drive across from Shawnee Mission North High School (technically in Overland Park) is an opportune place to work and spy on your teenager.
Mission and Roeland Park are two small tree-lined suburban cities in Johnson County where you can still get in under the national average.
Both towns are less than 15 non-peak minutes to downtown Kansas City, with Interstate 35 to the west. They also offer distinct retail corridors, so no need to stray far to shop.
Within Shawnee Mission School District’s borders, Roeland Park and Mission are obvious choices for first-time homebuyers and younger families who are seeking the suburban Kansas lifestyle but are priced out of the larger homes and spendy areas to the south.
Lenexa/Shawnee
Lenexa and Shawnee linger together in western Johnson County, where the two cities have about 80,000 residents combined. Despite increasing populations, they still feel spread out, with open-sky views toward the west, where new housing development is underway.
Although both are distinctly suburban cities, Lenexa and Shawnee have revitalized downtown areas that attract residents during downtime. A short stretch of Johnson Drive is home to several breweries in Shawnee, and it can have a street-fair atmosphere on some weekends. The revitalized Art Deco-style Aztec Shawnee Theater is a downtown draw with regular films, music and other events. Lenexa City Center, located at 87th Street Parkway and Renner Road, is the result of a public-private partnership called Vision 2020 that has brought a public market, housing, eateries and retail stores near Lenexa’s City Hall.
The two cities, which span about 75 square miles combined, are served by public school districts Shawnee Mission and Olathe further south. Lenexa is home to several large employers, including Cboe Global Markets, Kiewit Corporation and Quest Diagnostics, to name a few. And coming soon is a 300-acre Panasonic electric battery plant in nearby De Soto that will add hundreds of jobs to the greater area.
What $380k will buy you
Finding houses at or under the national average is a difficult task in both Lenexa and Shawnee, warns the founder and CEO of Compass Realty Group’s Journey Home Team, Jennifer Harvey, who calculated the average active listing at $513,000 in both locales (after withdrawing a couple mega-mansion listings). So if you’re looking for new housing, “you might get some condos and townhomes, and in all honesty, those are where you’re going to hit that $380K price point,” Harvey says.
Two types of dominant buyers in the market right now are empty nesters who might have lived in larger homes and want to downsize and families who have outgrown their first home and want an upgrade, Harvey says.
local perks
Johnson County’s answer to Swope Park, Shawnee Mission Park totals 1,600 acres, with a 120-acre lake as its centerpiece. The park offers activities from golf to archery to horseback riding, and there are off-leash parks for four-legged visitors. Over the summer, Theatre in the Park performs familiar outdoor musicals.
Where to Grab a Cup of Coffee
McClain’s Market, the Shawnee location of the KC bakery institution, opened in a former garage on Nieman Road in 2020 and is always busy. Black Dog Coffeehouse in Lenexa is affiliated with Ibis Bakery, which also has a popular Crossroads location.
Brookside/Waldo
What $380k will buy you
Patience is vital to break into either of these neighborhoods at $380K, says Missy Price, associate with Price Curry & Hess, a Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate affiliate. The wait will be shorter in Waldo, since the average housing price is lower due to smaller footprints. The average home in Waldo is 1,300 square feet compared to 2,100 square feet in Brookside, according to research firm CoStar Group.
“When people couldn’t afford to live in the Brookside area proper, they went a little further south and still found that charm,” Price says. “What’s happening in Waldo is we’re getting a lot more restaurants and bars and activities,” which further increases competition and attracts empty nesters and single young professionals. If you’re willing to go the condo or duplex route—and many are for the location—your options increase.
local perks
Brookside’s downtown shopping area, a Tudor-style collection of buildings on a few blocks around Wornall Road and 63rd Street, debuted as the centerpiece of the neighborhood in 1919. A collection of mostly small businesses and restaurants, the commercial buildings mimic some of the interior streets’ Tudor homes. An upscale Cosentino’s grocery store and Price Chopper are on either end of the business district.
A remodeled Price Chopper grocery store in Waldo has joined a growing number of restaurants of all kinds working their way south along Wornall’s strip of small businesses. For non-commercial strolling, Waldo boasts the Harry Wiggins Trolley Track Trail, which provides an urban nature break.
Further west in Waldo is Ward Parkway Center, a shopping center with a coveted Trader Joe’s store, AMC Theatre, Target and even indoor stores for mall walkers.
Where to Grab a Cup of Coffee
The Roasterie’s Brookside Café is one of the busier gathering spots in the area for coffee. A newer yet already very popular spot is retailer Made in KC’s Front Range Coffeehouse & Provisions on Gregory Boulevard and Oak Street.
South from downtown KC are Brookside and Waldo, attached neighborhoods with popular commercial districts centered around the busy thoroughfare, Wornall Road.
Brookside starts at 55th Street, goes south to Gregory Avenue, where Waldo starts, and ends on 91st Street. State Line Road is the western border of both, while KC’s East Side starts at Troost Avenue. Research Medical Center is on the eastern side of Brookside. Kansas City Public Schools serves the area, along with the KCPD.
Olathe/Overland Park
These two Kansas towns are the main population centers of Johnson County and make up more than half of JoCo’s total residents.
Although this part of Johnson County has its share of large employers, such as a regional division of John Deere and the headquarters of GPS giant Garmin International, most people come for the Blue Valley or Shawnee Mission school districts.
Overland Park is the second-largest city in Kansas, with 197,000 people, while Olathe is fourth, totaling just under 150,000. Still thought of as suburbs, this part of Kansas is its own destination that occasionally competes with KC proper for events.
The Overland Park Convention Center and the attached Sheraton Hotel are regularly booked with national and regional events. Meanwhile, Johnson County Community College, also in Overland Park, has an enrollment of about 17,000 and sits on a 200-acre campus near the Corporate Woods Office Park. JCCC’s Midwest Trust Center, which includes Yardley Hall and Polsky Theatre, often hosts jazz and classical music performances as well as theater and dance shows.
Olathe’s downtown is the county seat, with government offices of all types. Also within its borders is Ernie Miller Park, totaling 116 acres of hiking trails in natural habitats.
What $380k will buy you
Millions of people have gotten the memo about Johnson County’s schools over the years, so despite the high populations of both cities, there isn’t much supply at the national average, says Majid Ghavami of Ghavami Homes, a ReeceNichols outfit. “It’s sad because $380,000 does not get you even what it would three years ago,” Ghavami says, noting that the houses one does find at this price point are going to need some investment and aren’t turnkey.
What Ghavami has done more than once is worked with couples on the Missouri side for their first home and, when they are ready to have kids, helped them upgrade to Overland Park or Olathe.
local perks
The Johnson County Museum shows the area’s beginnings as a suburban mecca. On the JCCC campus, the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art offers a compelling collection of pieces by emerging artists. Just east of Olathe’s municipal square is the Museum of Deaf History, Arts and Culture.
Where to Grab a Cup of Coffee
Homer’s Coffee House in downtown Overland Park’s pedestrian-friendly commercial district is an oft-used second office and meeting place that features live music on the weekends. In Olathe, Sweet Tee’s Coffee Shop opened on Santa Fe Road in 2015 and now has outposts in two of the city’s libraries.
Prairie Village
What $380k will buy you
Demand in the area does not cease, in large part due to the Shawnee Mission School District. Zillow recently had a 0.34-acre lot listed in Prairie Village for $375,000. The majority of what you’ll find posted on the site are houses over $1 million, some of which have recently replaced former Cape Cods and mid-century modern homes that were PV’s 20th-century trademarks. It’s not uncommon for a house to sell for more than $500,000 only to be ripped down and replaced by a multimillion-dollar home.
local perk
The city has hosted the Prairie Village Jazz Festival in Harmon Park for more than a decade. Residents bring lawn chairs and kick back while world-class musicians from around the area continue the tradition of performing America’s original art form, accompanied by food vendors.
Where to Grab a Cup of Coffee
Hattie’s Fine Coffee in the Corinth Square shopping center is a busy place that roasts
its own beans from around the globe, with a homey feel and outdoor seating.
Everyone knows Whole Foods has the nickname “Whole Paycheck.” Prairie Village at one time earned a similarly unflattering moniker, “Perfect Village.”
Some might find the overly sincere architecture of the shopping centers along Mission Road too hoity-toity for the Midwest, but there’s something to be said for consistency, as their intentionally dated “village” facades are never-changing area landmarks for drivers lost in Johnson County.
Both shopping centers have Hen House Markets and several restaurants ranging from high-end to fast food. You can also find several specialty boutique stores in Prairie Village, like real-deal destination cheesemonger The Better Cheddar.
