Plaza reversal: Things have changed since Tiffany said it was permanently closing

Less than a month after “permanently” closing its Country Club Plaza store, Tiffany & Co. is returning.

Officials with the luxury retail chain issued this statement: “After a brief hiatus, Tiffany & Co. is happy to reopen its Country Club Plaza store in Kansas City. ... With our recent change of ownership and management we have reassessed the decision and elected to re-enter the Kansas City market.”

It plans to reopen in March.

In early January, Tiffany confirmed that its last day of service would be Jan. 16. It directed customers to its website and to its closest brick-and-mortar store in St. Louis, but declined further comment.

Tiffany had previously opened a Plaza storefront in late 1983 but closed two years later.

It returned in 2004, opening in a 5,400-square-foot corner space at 301 Nichols Road.

In early January, it said it would close on January 31 but later moved the closing date to Jan. 16. As of Monday afternoon, its website still listed the Plaza location as “permanently closed.”

The Plaza has been particularly hard hit by the pandemic. It has about two dozen empty spaces. Recent closing include such tenants as Southern Charm Gelato Shoppe and longtime tenant Helzberg Diamonds.