‘Ecstatic’: Former Johnson County Macy’s site will become home to this brewery
Iowa-based Big Grove Brewery has found a home for its first Kansas City area location.
After announcing earlier this year that it was looking for a spot on the Kansas side of the metro, Big Grove has found a home in the former Prairie Village Macy’s site at West 71st Street and Mission Road.
The brewery hopes to open in fall 2026 and will be one of multiple tenants at the site.
“We’re ecstatic about opening a Big Grove taproom in the Kansas City Metro,” Matt Swift, CEO and co-founder of Big Grove, said in a media release. “The site itself at The Shops of Prairie Village is undergoing a transformation and we’re looking forward to being a catalyst of that change.”
The Macy’s building sat dormant for over a decade.
Months ago, developers with First Washington Realty hosted a “wall breaking” ceremony, announcing that it would become 80,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space.
The site will also be home to a Hen House, which is relocating from its aging, nearby spot at 6950 Mission Road.
Bryan Farrell, director of marketing with Big Grove, said the Johnson County location will be 12,000 to 13,000 square feet. It will have a full patio and kids’ play area. The company plans to hire local operators to run the space, which will hopefully give the brewery more of a neighborhood feel.
While menus vary location to location (some offering wings, salads and Parmesan fries), Farrell said they’re still developing a menu based on local interest.
“It will have a unique market flair depending on that chef,” he said.
Big Grove — which has spots in Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Des Moines and Solon — is opening a location in Omaha this week.
Big Grove distributes its products in six different states.
The brand boasts of being one of the “fastest-growing craft breweries” in the Midwest. It’s been on a steady path of expansion for the past few years, according to Iowa news outlet The Gazette.