Lowe's to add store serving western Independence

Eastern Jackson County is bracing for yet another home improvement store.

Lowe’s will build the area’s newest location at Interstate 70 and U.S. 40, near the former Blue Ridge Mall site, which is now a Wal-Mart. Lowe’s currently has 11 stores in the Kansas City area, with the most recent opening on Vivion Road and North Oak Trafficway.

The new store will open with 103,000 square feet of retail sales space and a 31,000-square-foot garden center and will employ about 120 people. Construction on the new store began recently and should open sometime this fall.

The new store will join an Independence store at U.S. 40 and Missouri 291. In addition, a Lowe’s is planned for Adams Dairy Parkway in Blue Springs, to be constructed during the summer of 2009.

 

Barbecue restaurant cutting the ribbon

Bandana’s Barbecue recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating not only the store’s opening, but also its first year of operation. The restaurant, at 4140 S. Noland Road, Independence, also is announcing the addition of new menu items, including burnt ends and barbecued chicken nachos, said Manager Richard O’Brien.

The restaurant features dry-rubbed meat with sauces chosen by the customer at the table. The restaurant’s corporate office is in St. Louis. Other area locations include St. Joseph and Shawnee.

 

New office space

Stewardship Capital, Ltd., an investment advisory firm, has relocated from the Independence Square location to the Blue Ridge Bank building at Little Blue Parkway and Interstate 70. A combination of factors led to the move, said vice president Greg Finke. The location is more central to the firm’s clientel, who hail from throughout Eastern Jackson County and as far away as Kansas, Finke said. The business previously was located in the Emporium building on the Square, at Maple and Main Streets. However, that building had open-air partitioned walls, instead of walls that extend to the ceiling. The walls didn’t offer enough privacy for the company.

“We love the Square,” Finke said, adding that the company hated to leave the historic area. “We really do.”

  

Dancers ready for Fringe

Kacico Dance, Kansas City Contemporary Dance, will host several upcoming performances, the first to be presented at their newly-opened Kacico Studios West. The previous studio location in Oak Grove will continue as a practice and performance arena in addition to the new downtown Kansas City location, said owner Michelle Brown, of Oak Grove. 

The company of professional dancers includes several who are contributing to the upcoming “Light, Movement, Shadow, Sound” show as part of the KC Fringe Festival. They include: Shandi Miller of Grain Valley, Lindsay Spilker Tate of Kearney, and choreographer Rebecca Bryant and composer Don Nichols, who now are on staff at Purdue University. The couple previously worked at Missouri State University in Springfield. 

Performances will be held at the studio’s new downtown/crossroads space, Kacico Studios West, second floor, 2540 W. Pennway, Kansas City. Performances will be at 9:30 p.m. Thursday; 11 p.m. Friday; 8 p.m. Saturday and 5 p.m. Sunday.

Tickets are $6 with a Fringe button, at KCFringe.org. or at the door.