Antioch Crossing

Antioch Crossing is a shopping center in northern Kansas City, Missouri, near the municipal boundary with Gladstone. It occupies the site of Antioch Center, a retail complex that opened in 1956 as an open-air shopping center with approximately 80 store spaces arranged across two levels. The property later evolved into an enclosed mall and served as a significant suburban retail destination for the northern Kansas City area. The original Antioch Center combined department-store anchors, specialty shops, restaurants, entertainment, and service-oriented retailers. Macy's, representing the Kansas City division of the department-store chain, was an original anchor. A Sears store was added in 1974, and the property underwent a major renovation in 1978 that enclosed the mall. Even after enclosure, many tenants retained both interior and exterior entrances, reflecting the center's earlier open-air configuration. Other significant tenants over time included Levitz Furniture and Payless Cashways. The site also had local cultural and commercial associations: it hosted the first ShowBiz Pizza Place location, which later became a Chuck E. Cheese's in the early 1990s, and it contained the first suburban branch of Forum Cafeterias. Anchor succession reflected broader changes in the American department-store sector. Macy's became Dillard's in 1986, and the space was converted to Burlington Coat Factory in 1992. By the mid-1990s, Antioch Center had entered a prolonged decline. Vacancy increased, and the property eventually retained only a small number of operating tenants, principally Sears, Burlington Coat Factory, and Catherine's Plus Sizes. An ambitious plan announced in October 2004 proposed replacing the struggling mall with a roughly 450,000-square-foot open-air mixed-use development featuring several big-box stores. The proposal was delayed and ultimately did not proceed as planned, in part because of the economic recession of the late 2000s. The interior mall access was eventually closed, and the largely vacant property remained unused for several years. Most of the former mall was demolished in January 2012, although the Burlington Coat Factory and Sears buildings were initially retained. Redevelopment began in 2014, when the property was renamed Antioch Crossing. The new format shifted away from an enclosed regional mall toward an open-air shopping center organized around large-format retail and neighborhood-serving stores. Walmart Neighborhood Market opened at the redeveloped site in late 2014, while Vintage Stock and additional retailers followed from 2015 onward. Sears remained one of the surviving legacy buildings during the transition, but its continued operation was temporary. In May 2017, Sears announced that the location would close as part of a nationwide store-closing program, and the store ceased operations in July 2017. Antioch Crossing has continued as the active retail development, anchored by Burlington Coat Factory, Walmart Neighborhood Market, and Vintage Stock, with a vacant space occupying the former Sears location according to the referenced encyclopedia material. Its history illustrates the conversion of a mid-century enclosed mall into a smaller, open-air, big-box-oriented shopping center.

Antioch Crossing developed from Antioch Center, a mid-century shopping mall in northern Kansas City, Missouri, immediately south of Gladstone. Antioch Center began business in 1956 as an open-air shopping center containing about 80 store spaces spread over two levels. Its tenant mix reflected the suburban retail model of the period, combining a department-store anchor with specialty shops and local services. Macy's Kansas City division served as an original anchor. Sears joined the property in 1974, adding a major national department-store presence. A substantial renovation in 1978 enclosed the center and transformed it into a conventional indoor mall. The enclosure did not entirely erase the site's original configuration: many stores continued to provide both interior and exterior access. Through different periods, the center also included Levitz Furniture and Payless Cashways, as well as a Forum Cafeterias branch that was notable as the chain's first suburban location. The property had several entertainment and family-oriented associations. Antioch Center hosted the first ShowBiz Pizza Place location. That venue later converted to Chuck E. Cheese's in the early 1990s, following the consolidation of the two entertainment concepts. The center therefore functioned not only as a shopping destination but also as a location for dining and children's entertainment. Anchor changes became increasingly important as the retail environment shifted. Macy's was converted to the Dillard's nameplate in 1986, and the former department-store space became a Burlington Coat Factory in 1992. During the mid-1990s, the mall entered a sustained decline. Vacancies increased, and by the later period of its existence only Sears, Burlington Coat Factory, and Catherine's Plus Sizes were identified as remaining stores. The condition reflected the wider challenges faced by older enclosed malls as newer retail formats and competing shopping areas attracted shoppers and tenants. In October 2004, a redevelopment concept was announced for a roughly 450,000-square-foot open-air mixed-use complex containing several big-box stores. The proposal sought to replace the failing mall with a more contemporary retail format, but the project was impeded by the economic recession of the late 2000s and was not carried out in its originally announced form. Interior access to the mall was eventually blocked, and the vacant center remained in place for several years. Most of Antioch Center was demolished in January 2012. Burlington Coat Factory and Sears were left standing as surviving anchor buildings. A new redevelopment phase began in 2014, accompanied by the renaming of the property as Antioch Crossing. This phase replaced the enclosed-mall model with an open-air shopping-center format. Walmart Neighborhood Market opened in late 2014, and Vintage Stock and other retailers joined the project from 2015 onward. The remaining Sears operation did not survive the transition. In May 2017, Sears announced that the store would close under a nationwide store-closing plan, and the location shut in July 2017. The resulting Antioch Crossing tenant profile centered on Burlington Coat Factory, Walmart Neighborhood Market, and Vintage Stock, with the former Sears space vacant in the referenced account. The site's evolution—from an open-air center in 1956, to an enclosed mall, to a largely vacant property, and finally to an open-air redevelopment—shows how suburban retail real estate can be repeatedly reformatted in response to changing tenant economics and consumer behavior.

• 2017

  Sears closes

  [1]Antioch Crossingen.wikipedia.org

  The Sears store closes in July after being included in a nationwide store-closing plan announced in May.

• 2015

  Additional retailers open at the redeveloped center

  [1]Antioch Crossingen.wikipedia.org

  Vintage Stock and other retailers begin joining the new open-air shopping-center format.

• 2014

  The property becomes Antioch Crossing

  [1]Antioch Crossingen.wikipedia.org

  Redevelopment begins under the Antioch Crossing name, with Walmart Neighborhood Market opening later in the year.

• 2012

  Most of the former mall is demolished

  [1]Antioch Crossingen.wikipedia.org

  Demolition removes most of Antioch Center, leaving Sears and Burlington Coat Factory standing.

• 2004

  Open-air mixed-use redevelopment is proposed

  [1]Antioch Crossingen.wikipedia.org

  A plan is announced to replace the declining mall with a roughly 450,000-square-foot mixed-use complex featuring big-box stores.

• 1992

  The former department-store space becomes Burlington Coat Factory

  [1]Antioch Crossingen.wikipedia.org

  Burlington Coat Factory takes over the former Macy's/Dillard's anchor space.

• 1986

  Macy's becomes Dillard's

  [1]Antioch Crossingen.wikipedia.org

  The original Macy's Kansas City division anchor is converted to the Dillard's nameplate.

• 1978

  The shopping center is enclosed

  [1]Antioch Crossingen.wikipedia.org

  A major renovation converts the open-air center into an enclosed mall while many tenants retain exterior entrances.

• 1974

  Sears is added as an anchor

  [1]Antioch Crossingen.wikipedia.org

  A Sears store joins the center, strengthening its department-store anchor lineup.

• 1956

  Antioch Center opens as an open-air shopping center

  [1]Antioch Crossingen.wikipedia.org

  The original Antioch Center begins operations in northern Kansas City with approximately 80 store spaces on two levels.

A neighborhood-oriented open-air shopping center serving northern Kansas City, developed as the successor to a declining enclosed mall and focused on discount apparel, groceries, entertainment, and other large-format or value-oriented retail.

• Discount apparel and department-store retail · 1992

  Burlington Coat Factory

  Burlington Coat Factory is a principal anchor at Antioch Crossing. It occupies the former department-store space associated with Macy's and later Dillard's. The store represents the value-oriented apparel and home-goods segment of the center's current retail mix and was one of the two major buildings retained when most of the former mall was demolished.

• Grocery and neighborhood retail · 2014

  Walmart Neighborhood Market

  Walmart Neighborhood Market opened at the redeveloped property in late 2014. Its grocery-focused format helped shift Antioch Crossing toward regular, neighborhood-serving trips rather than the destination shopping associated with the former enclosed mall.

• Used media, games, books, and collectibles · 2015

  Vintage Stock

  Vintage Stock became one of the retailers associated with the post-2014 Antioch Crossing redevelopment. Its assortment of used and collectible entertainment merchandise complements the center's value-oriented and convenience-focused tenant mix.

• Department-store retail · 1974

  Sears

  Sears was added to Antioch Center in 1974 and remained in a surviving anchor building after most of the mall was demolished. The store closed in July 2017 after being included in a nationwide Sears closure program.

• 2017

  Closure of the Sears anchorOther

  Background

  Sears included the Antioch location in a nationwide program to close 30 stores.

  Action taken

  The Sears store closed in July 2017.

  Aftermath

  The former Sears space became vacant, leaving Burlington Coat Factory, Walmart Neighborhood Market, and Vintage Stock as the principal identified anchors or retailers.

  Source

• 2014

  Rebranding and conversion to Antioch CrossingStrategy

  Background

  The original enclosed-mall format had declined and the earlier redevelopment proposal had not been completed.

  Action taken

  The site was renamed Antioch Crossing and redevelopment began around an open-air, large-format retail model. Walmart Neighborhood Market opened at the site later in 2014.

  Aftermath

  Vintage Stock and other retailers subsequently joined the center, establishing the current successor format.

  Source

• 2012

  Demolition of the enclosed mallStrategy

  Background

  The interior mall had been closed off and the property had remained largely empty for several years.

  Action taken

  Most of the former Antioch Center was demolished in January 2012, while the Sears and Burlington Coat Factory buildings were retained.

  Aftermath

  The retained buildings provided a starting point for a new open-air retail development.

  Source

• 2004

  Proposal to replace the failing mall with an open-air mixed-use complexStrategy

  Background

  Antioch Center had become increasingly vacant by the mid-1990s and was approaching the condition of a largely inactive mall. A redevelopment concept was announced in October 2004 to create a much larger open-air complex with big-box stores.

  Action taken

  The proposed project called for approximately 450,000 square feet of mixed-use retail space, but the plan was delayed and ultimately did not proceed as initially announced.

  Aftermath

  The property remained substantially vacant until a later redevelopment effort began after demolition of most of the mall.

  Source

1. 1Antioch Crossingen.wikipedia.org