Plaza owners promise big changes after longtime restaurant closes

Yahoo

22-05-2025

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Seasons 52, a longtime Country Club Plaza restaurant, permanently closed earlier this week.
There are plenty of other vacant stores around the shopping district, which has some wondering what's next for the historic property.
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'This is a tradition, and it's been here forever, so hopefully we can restore that,' said Country Club Plaza visitor Denise Dixon.
A spokesperson for Seasons 52 told FOX4 in a statement.
'Closing this restaurant is a difficult business decision, and one that we made carefully and thoughtfully, particularly because it impacts our team members and guests.'
They said that all team members will have the opportunity to relocate to one of the other Darden restaurants in the area.
'I was kind of shocked, because it's been around for a bit. So that makes me kind of sad. But I like change, so I'm excited to see what we'll go in that location,' said Nicole Brinkman, who works at a store in the Plaza.
So what's next for the Plaza?
A spokesperson for the Country Club Plaza told FOX4 in part, 'We are proud of the behind-the-scenes progress being made and are committed to these necessary improvements that will support our long-term vision for the Plaza.'
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Visitors have some of their own ideas about what they'd like to see added to the shopping district.
'A locally owned art co-op with local artists and things that you could go home and say this is a unique piece from someone who lived in Kansas City, that's what I would look for,' said Plaza visitor Diane Rodwell. 'You don't see the specialty shops. You don't see a lot of the uniqueness that used to be the Plaza.'
'I would love to see another grocery store here. There used to be one back in the day. For residents living on the Plaza, a grocery store would benefit everyone,' Brinkman said. 'I do appreciate the security that's been going around on the Plaza since the new owner took over, so that's a good thing.'
Denise Dixon frequents the plaza and says bringing on armed security guards was a step in the right direction.
'Like Burberry, they were here for years and then they left but I think with the new security system that they have set up now it's going to attract more people back to the plaza because they are going to begin to feel safe and I think that was the number one concern was safety,' Nixon said. 'So I'm just optimistic and I hope things work out.'
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Here is the full statement from a spokesperson for the Country Club Plaza:
'Country Club Plaza is focused on shaping a stronger future with plans to enhance the property and overall experience for our visitors. We are disappointed to see Seasons 52 leave the historic property, but as we progress, we realize that it may be a natural transition time for some tenants. We are proud of the behind-the-scenes progress being made and are committed to these necessary improvements that will support our long-term vision for the Plaza.'
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