KC-area restaurant, once a James Beard Award semifinalist, has closed
Story — a Prairie Village restaurant with James Beard Award acclaim — has closed.
The American restaurant at 3931 W. 69th Terrace in the Shops of Prairie Village is saying goodbye, according to its website.
“Thank you for 15 wonderful years!” the banner reads. Its social media pages have been wiped.
Neither owners Carl and Susan Thorne-Thomsen nor the Shops of Prairie Village responded to The Star’s requests for comment Wednesday afternoon.
Tyler Morrison, owner of Scratch Gourmet Kitchen, said Wednesday night that his restaurant had taken over the lease of the Prairie Village restaurant, but not its business or name. He said Scratch plans to expand in the space.
Story first opened in May 2011, becoming an 11-time Wine Spectator “Best of Award of Excellence” winner and landing on OpenTable’s list of top 100 American fare restaurants in the country.
Carl Thorne-Thomsen was a James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef Midwest in 2013 and 2022.
The spot boasted thoughtfully curated food with the best-sourced ingredients. Each dish, the owners say on the restaurant’s website, has a story to tell.
Its entrees included lamb loin, mahi mahi, Alaskan halibut, veal tenderloin, pork belly and soft shell crab.
This story was originally published January 28, 2026 at 3:50 PM.