Openings & Closings

Another retailer on Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza has closed

Johnny Was, then Johnny wasn’t.

South California-based clothing retailer Johnny Was has closed its only metro location, located on the Country Club Plaza. Employees inside the shop at 320 Nichols Road told The Star on Tuesday that its last day had been Sunday.

“It’s sad,” one remarked before heading back in the empty store and locking the doors.

Reached by phone, a Johnny Was customer service representative confirmed to The Star that it had permanently closed its Plaza location.

Johnny Was opened on the Plaza three years ago, in a space formerly home to Matches Boutique, which held a popup there for about a year.

Before that, the space was home to Mac Cosmetics for several years.

Johnny Was, known for its colorful, vibrant style, has closed on the Plaza.
Johnny Was, known for its colorful, vibrant style, has closed on the Plaza. Jenna Thompson jthompson@kcstar.com

Johnny Was began in 1987, named after Bob Marley’s song “Johnny Was.” It offers women’s clothing with bright prints and bold designs.

Clothes can still be purchased online at johnnywas.com.

Several other stores at The Plaza have closed recently, including Madewell at 309 Nichols Road and Nickel and Suede at 232 Nichols Road.

Francesca’s is also closing a location at 4724 Broadway Blvd., a part of a nationwide shutdown for the clothing brand targeting young women .

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Jenna Thompson
The Kansas City Star
Jenna Thompson covers retail news for The Kansas City Star. A native of Lincoln, Nebraska, she previously reported for the Lincoln Journal Star and graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she studied journalism and English.
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