Costco Coming to Northland (Independence, Lee's Summit: sales, tenants, theater)

[Okey Dokie]

KCMO.gov » City announces major Northland economic development project

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by Okey Dokie

KCMO.gov » City announces major Northland economic development project

I never knew Costcos were such a big deal. I guess when you don't have one around it is though. I used to go to the midtown and Independence locations quite often, especially for fuel.

It's good that they choose a middle Northland location since they I take it they won't be opening a second Costco up north for some time. I guess Costco serves a rather large population. It looks like their stores tend to serve about 250,000-300,000 residents.

A little off topic, but I see a huge revival of the Metro North area in the next several years. I think what will make Metro North a destination again is when stores want a single location serving the northland (Crate and Barrel, Nordstroms, Trader Joes etc) and with all the growth, you will see a third super regional retail district sprout back up in the middle. The reason the middle sort of failed is when the Northland grew, it needed more retail, so everything went to Liberty/Shoal Creek and Zona Rosa/Tiffany Springs to have two major locations, but they left the middle vacant. Now that the northland continues to grow, I think you will see retail in the middle part of the upper Northland redevelop to match the growth.

[Ztonyg]

Originally Posted by kcmo

I never knew Costcos were such a big deal. I guess when you don't have one around it is though. I used to go to the midtown and Independence locations quite often, especially for fuel.

It's good that they choose a middle Northland location since they I take it they won't be opening a second Costco up north for some time. I guess Costco serves a rather large population. It looks like their stores tend to serve about 250,000-300,000 residents.

A little off topic, but I see a huge revival of the Metro North area in the next several years. I think what will make Metro North a destination again is when stores want a single location serving the northland (Crate and Barrel, Nordstroms, Trader Joes etc) and with all the growth, you will see a third super regional retail district sprout back up in the middle. The reason the middle sort of failed is when the Northland grew, it needed more retail, so everything went to Liberty/Shoal Creek and Zona Rosa/Tiffany Springs to have two major locations, but they left the middle vacant. Now that the northland continues to grow, I think you will see retail in the middle part of the upper Northland redevelop to match the growth.

The new Costco opening in Tulsa is also a big deal. Costco has an almost religious customer base and has a much higher sales volume per store than Sam's Club.

Here in Phoenix, Costco is king with 14 locations throughout the metro area (13 regular locations and 1 business center) versus 10 for Sams Club (11 if Casa Grande which is about as far from the main metro area as Lawrence is from KCMO) is counted.

I can't see how Metro North couldn't be revitalized. It's a great location with good freeway access (169/152) and there is a lot of nearby residential construction. It actually wouldn't be a bad location for some sort of mixed use development (although a true mixed use, and not the half baked mixed use projects that seem to be going up around the metro area).

[MLSFan]

Sweet, I was picking between costco or Sam's but kept going to Sam's because of location. Maybe I can switch since I can get free costco membership through ADP at work

[Bluefox]

Sweet! Now if they will just put a TJ's up there. Sucks having to drive all the way to SKC or JoCo.

[vinix1999]

Wasn't this supposed to be part of the Metro North Mall redevelopment? Since it's not, I wonder how that will affect the plans for it.

[luzianne]

That's great! I was just wondering not long ago why there was a Costco in midtown and two in Johnson County and none anywhere else in the metro.

[Okey Dokie]

Originally Posted by vinix1999

Wasn't this supposed to be part of the Metro North Mall redevelopment? Since it's not, I wonder how that will affect the plans for it.

Dunno about that, but read just the other day - don't remember where - that interior demolition has begun at Metro North.

And Luzianne, there's a Costco in Independence.

[luzianne]

Originally Posted by Okey Dokie

And Luzianne, there's a Costco in Independence.

Didn't realize that!

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by vinix1999

Wasn't this supposed to be part of the Metro North Mall redevelopment? Since it's not, I wonder how that will affect the plans for it.

I don't think Costco was ever a part of that. I have read several times where people would like Costco to be part of it, but Metro North will be going after different tenants. I don't think a gigantic warehouse store and parking lot is really what they want in that mixed use type development. I see Metro North landing tenants like Trader Joes, Nordstroms, Crate and Barrel and maybe a major outdoors superstore similar to Scheels or Gander Mountain and a major theater complex. There are a lot of retailers the Northland is still lacking and the population and demographics of the Northland are now about where it needs to be for these types of retailers taking notice.

Speaking of Costco, I read a rumor that they were looking at a site in SE Jackson County near Lee's Summit/Raymore/Raintree, but I don't know if that will happen or not.