Apparel, bookstore, furniture: More than a dozen retail updates around Kansas City

Shopping centers across the metro are bringing in new retailers — and some eateries — including locally owned operations and national chains.

Here’s a sampling:

Oak Park Mall

Overland Park

Melanie Mfuh was attending an event in Maryland and wanted to wear an outfit that would showcase her African culture.

When she couldn’t find anything that lived up to her vision, her friend suggested she start making her own. She took a sewing class before founding Uzuri Closet in 2015. Then, during trips back home to Cameroon, she would have local tailors whip up her designs.

She moved to Kansas City in 2016 and a year later partnered with Laura Nsoh-Awasom after seeing a coat she had designed and sewn. Mfuh knew Nsoh-Awasom’s brother from boarding school.

They have been selling their African-inspired designs online — dresses, tops, pants, skirts, headwraps, masks, backpacks, duffel bags and handbags.

Now they have their first retail shop. It opened Feb. 19 in Oak Park Mall, in the upper level of the Nordstrom wing.

“This is something I have been wanting for years. To see it come alive is an amazing feeling,” Mfuh said.

They may open additional locations: “We want to see what is working so we can replicate it.”

Adams Dairy Landing

Blue Springs

▪ Barnes & Noble plans a late spring opening for its new 7,500-square-foot store at 1030 N.E. Coronado Drive.

In a statement, the company said it was “thrilled to bring you a brand-new Barnes & Noble store with new furniture, a curated selection of books and gifts and our fantastic booksellers! We are very excited to be back in this market after having to close our store in Independence MO in February of 2021.”

▪ Crowley Furniture & Mattress plans a May opening for its 33,858-square-foot store at 1272 N.E. Coronado Drive. The family-owned furniture retailer, which was founded in 1954, also has locations in Lee’s Summit, Liberty and Overland Park.

▪ Nothing Bundt Cakes, a 2,225-square-foot shop at 1266 N.E. Coronado Ave. is scheduled to open in late spring.

The Streets of West Pryor

Lee’s Summit

▪ Nekter Juice Bar plans an early spring opening at 940 N.W. Pryor Road, Suite G.

The owner/operators, Marissa and Raymond Anden, also own locations in Overland Park, Prairie Village and the south Plaza. Another location is scheduled to open in Overland Park’s Bluhawk center in early 2023.

▪ Roots Seasonal Cuisine also plans to open in the center in April, as previously reported, offering an “elevated scratch-kitchen, seasonal menu.”

Prairiefire

Overland Park

▪ Veritas Whiskey & Wine plans a spring opening at 5621 W. 135th St., Suite 2620. It will be a “chef-driven, wood-fired grill with upper scale mixology” and extensive bourbon and wine lists, said Rolfe Loomis, partner with Michael Magner.

Menu items will include small plates such as baked brie with caramelized onion bacon jam, seared tri-tip with chimichurri, calamari with roasted red pepper aioli and lemon, and spinach artichoke dip.

It also will have salads and sandwiches, burgers, steaks, seafood including paella and wood-fired salmon, and desserts such as rum-soaked bread pudding with a crème anglaise and fresh whipped cream.

Hawthorne Plaza

Overland Park

▪ Clairvaux, a locally owned boutique selling women’s ready-to-wear apparel, accessories, shoes and gifts, plans a May opening at 11934 Roe Ave., Overland Park.

Joni Johnson and Nancy McCarthy opened the first Clairvaux in The Shops at Fairway in September 2020.

“We are so thrilled and excited to have a success story in the middle of the pandemic,” Johnson said.

Town Center Crossing

Leawood

▪ Cold Stone Creamery, 4535 W. 119th St., former home of locally owned Glace Artisan Ice Cream, as previously reported.

Town Center Plaza

Leawood

▪ The Babe Standard, locally owned fashion boutique, 4840 W. 119th St. The new shop also offers “permanent jewelry,” which is custom fitted and welded around the wrist, neck or ankle.

It also operated a pop-up on the Country Club Plaza for the holidays.

Park Place

Leawood

▪ Owen & Graham, a locally owned baby and toddler boutique, at 11531 Ash St. for a March 26 grand opening.

It is the first brick-and-mortar location for the company. It has been an online business and pop-up boutique offering pajama sets, princess tutus, leggings, T-shirts, dresses, jackets, sweatshirts, pillows, dolls, headbands, beanie hats and more.

Westport

▪ The Scrub Boutique of Kansas City, 1004 Westport Road. It sells medical uniforms and accessories.

Also coming to Overland Park

▪ Karats Jewelers, a family owned jewelry store in its sixth generation, plans a new 30,000-square-foot building at the northwest corner of 123rd Street and Blue Valley Parkway in Overland Park. It is scheduled for a late fall 2023 opening.

“This will be a jewelry retail experience like none other in Kansas City,” said Akshay Anand, owner.

This story was originally published March 1, 2022 at 5:00 AM.