Plaza shops hit hard by pandemic, experts say adapting is key to survival

Visitors are still walking around the Country Club Plaza, though, there's fewer places that are open for the shoppers to walk into as 41 Action News noticed more empty store fronts.

A VISUAL INDICATOR YOUCAN SEE RIGHT NOW:EMPTY STOREFRONTS INONE OF KANSAS CITY'SMOST POPULARDESTINATIONS FORSHOPPING.AS 41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER NICK STARLINGFOUND OUT -- THEPANDEMIC MAY HAVEKICKSTARTED A TRENDRETAILERS WERE ALREADYSEEING.THE PLAZA IS ADESTINATION IN KANSASCITY-FULL OF RESTAURANTSAND RETAIL STOREBUT AS THE PANDEMICCONTINUES-MORE STOREFRONTS ARE LOOKING LIKETHIS-EMPTY.Tom O'Leary Senior VicePresidentof Lane 4 Property GroupPeople are still reluctant to goout, and rightly so.THE LACK OF CONSUMERCONFIDENCE HITS MAJORSHOPPING CENTERS LIKETHE COUNTRY CLUBPLAZA.Tom O'Leary Senior VicePresidentof Lane 4 Property GroLast year there were 23bankruptcies, retailbankruptcies, this year there's25 already.TOM O'LEARY IS THESENIOR VICE PRESIDENTOF LANE 4 PROPERTYGROUP ON THEPLAZAAND SAYS EVENBEFORE THE PANDEMICTHE TREND LEANEDTOWARDS MORE PEOPLEDOING THEIR SHOPPIONLINE-COVID-19 SHIFTSTHAT INTO ANOTHER GEAR.Tom O'Leary Senior VicePresidentof Lane 4 Property GroWith the pandemic it'sexcellerated the trend, thetrends we've already seeongoing, online shopping.41 ACTION NEWS NOTICEDDOZENS OF STOREFRONTS EMPTY ONTHURSDAY-SUCH AS THEART OF SHAVING-SPERRY-VOM FASS--ANDWHERE SEVERAL SHOPSUSED TO BE-NOW WITHBLACK COVERINGS ON THEWINDOWS.

WE ALSO SAW AFEW OTHERS THAT MAY BEMOVING IN.Keith Bradley-Co-owner of MadeInKansas CitWe've survived, I woulddefinitely says we're still insurvival mode.MADE IN KANSAS CITY'SLARGEST STORE IS ON THEPLAZA-AND TELL US-IT'S ATOUGH LANDSCAPE RIGHNOW AS BUSINESSESSURROUNDING THEM HAVEPACKED UP.Keith Bradley-Co-owner of MadeInKansas CityIt's a little unsettling forsure itdefiantly keeps you on yourtoes and kind of double downson your efforts to know thathey these bigger companiesthat certainly have moreresources and deeper pocketsthan ours are deciding thatessentially not able to surviveor not worth it to be abusiness.PPP LOANS HAVE HELPEDIN THE MEANTIME ANDBELIEVE THE GOOD WILLOF KANSAS CITIANS HAVEKEPT THEM AFLOAT.Keith Bradley-Co-owner of MadeInKansas CityWe defiantly have seen andfelt the appreciate from theKansas City community aboutsupporting local and buyinglocal products during this time.WHILE THERE'SUNCERTAINTY-EXPERTSSAY ADAPTING IS THE KEYFOR BUSINESSES TOSURVIVE DURING ANDAFTER THE PANDEMICTAG:WE DID REACH OUT TO THECOUNTRY CLUB PLAZA FORA COMMENT AND THEYDECLINED OUR REQUESTTO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE.REPORTING ON THE PLA