These Kansas City buildings, like Dime Store, are empty. Now we know who is moving in

Readers have been asking for updates on some empty — but high profile — Kansas City retail spaces. Here’s what we know:

▪ Brookside’s famed The (New) Dime Store closed at 314 W. 63rd St. after a December 2020 fire.

Now a CycleBar franchisee plans to open one of the boutique cycling studios in half of the space this summer.

“We loved the vibe of Brookside. It is a really fun, eclectic neighborhood and we thought CycleBar would do really well there and be a great addition to the community,” said Rachel Hilton, owner with her husband, Andy. They also have a Lee’s Summit location.

Officials with landlord First Washington Realty Inc. said, “At this time, we have no comment.”

▪ South Kansas City’s longtime Red Snapper restaurant “temporarily” closed in October, blaming the pandemic and “other difficult circumstances.”

Now a new group is taking over the space. They plan to open a ramen restaurant in the spot at 8430 Ward Parkway in early April. The owners declined further comment.

Red Snapper opened in late 2003 in the strip center just north of Ward Parkway Center. The restaurant was known for its deep-fried red snapper and other dishes including pan-grilled teriyaki salmon.

In late April, its landlord, Greensboro Property Co. LLC, sued the restaurant for back rent of $111,197, late fees and other charges.

▪ After more than four decades, Gojo Japanese Steak House “temporarily” closed at the start of the pandemic but never reopened.

Now the Savannah, Georgia-based Circa Lighting plans an August opening in the building at 4163 Broadway in the Westport area. It was founded in 1998 and offers decorative and architectural lighting.

▪ The redevelopment of Waldo’s former BrandsMart at 211 W. Gregory Blvd. has been an ongoing project since mid-2005. But work on the 20,000-square-foot, two-story brick building has picked up in recent weeks, and owner Nicholas Abnos is looking for restaurant tenants.

Abnos demolished a building to the south and will use the parcel for parking. He put in a platform for a 55-foot outdoor fountain, which will have colored lights synchronized to music, along with a smaller fountain. Stones and pavers are in place for the sidewalks and patio, along with new iron benches and lighting fixtures. Now he is finishing the inside.

“This is custom work and I’m not using taxpayer money. I’m not going to do that,” Abnos said. “I apologize to the public. But I will make it up to them. When it is done at the end, this project will be exceptional.”

He is tentatively dubbing it The Ice House. The American Ice Co. opened there in 1927. It also housed lumber, paint and pottery companies within the 18-inch thick walls. BrandsMart took the space in 1979, selling audio and video equipment, and closed in early 2004.