McDonald’s makeover in North Kansas City

McDonald's is bringing its newest modern look, called an arcade design, to several locations around the metro, as well as adding double drive-through lanes.

Its North Kansas City restaurant (circa 1982) at 2200 Vernon St. was demolished this spring and a new McDonald’s has opened in the spot. It features an 8-foot community table with interactive sparkle lights that change colors when customers touch the table, a digital menu board, two plasma TV’s, free Wi-Fi, and electrical outlets throughout for laptop and other devices.

Owners John and Mary Bell are longtime Northland residents. They keep the McDonald’s dining room open around the clock for their customers who include overnight employees of North Kansas City Hospital, as well as late-night employees and customers at Northland casinos.

As for the new design, the Bells said their customers like the ease with which they can get in and out of the drive-through and the new digital menu boards that show a high-definition picture of the menu items.

The Bells, who have been McDonald’s franchisees since 1996, also own two other Northland McDonald’s as well as one McDonald’s in Kansas City, Kan.

New on 63rd

A new retail and restaurant area at 63rd and Oak streets is being dubbed East Brookside.

▪ Andrea and Christian Joseph, owners of the new Season + Square culinary shop at 6205 Oak St., are now working on a restaurant concept called Plate, which will open next door to their shop next summer.

Plate, which will be at 6201 Oak St., will use many locally sourced ingredients in its menu.

Season + Square sells high-quality kitchen and bar items from mom-and-pop vendors across the country, including linens, eco-friendly soaps and specialty foods.

▪ Bona Terra Salon, an Aveda concept salon, is scheduled to open Oct. 15 at 414 E. 63rd St. It will offer salon services like cuts and color, manicures, pedicures and facials, and have a retail area for Aveda products. Bona Terra is taking 2,240-square-feet in the former Blockbuster building. Part of the remaining space will be for an office tenant and about 5,000 square feet is still available.

▪ Heirloom Bakery & Hearth is now scheduled to open at 401 E. 63rd St. in November.

The company will bake its breads each morning in small batches. Breads will include whole wheat, multigrain wheat, molasses raisin walnut, rosemary wheat, cheesy pesto, cinnamon swirl brioche, and challah. The shop also will have a quiche of the day, build-your-own biscuit sandwiches (like a cheddar scallion, mixed herb, jalapeno and cheddar chive), a galette of the day, granola and granola parfaits, and muffins, pies, cookies and scones, as well as soups and salads.

Openings

▪ Arby’s plans to open in North Oak Village, 4841 N. Oak Trafficway, in mid-November.

▪ Dew Yah’s, a locally owned urban homestead supply store, has opened at 109 Main St., Parkville. It sells chicken and beekeeping supplies, equipment for growing microgreens, canning and fermenting supplies, cultures for sourdough starters, cheese making kits and more.

This story was originally published October 10, 2014 at 4:31 PM with the headline "McDonald’s makeover in North Kansas City."