Welcome to the ultimate guide to shopping in Kansas City. This city has many places to do it, including one of the oldest shopping centers in America. Here you will find out which are the best malls in Kansas City, which stores you can find in each one, where you can buy cheap clothes, everything about the outlets in Kansas and where to find your favorite brands.
Best Malls in Kansas City
Country Club Plaza
Country Club Plaza is much more than just one of the best malls in Kansas City. This place is a must for all retail fans as it is pure history. It was one of the first malls in America, as we know them today, having been operating for almost 100 years. That is not all, since it is also one of the most beautiful shopping centers, not only in the area, but throughout the country. It has an Iberian style architecture that includes a replica of the Giralda tower from Seville, Spain as well as fantastic fountains. But besides being a historical place, you will find plenty of shops.
There are a large number of famous stores, some of the most relevant being Coach, Tiffany & Co, Free People, J.Crew, Lululemon and the Apple Store. Also here are The North Face, Madewell, Tommy Bahama and Altar’d State. And in addition to these big national brands, there are several locally owned stores that might interest you. You can go to stores like Matches Boutique, Charlie Hustle, Kindred or you can also go to Made in KC, which as its name says, sells only products made in the city.
If you get hungry while shopping, there will be no problem as this is one of the malls in Kansas City with the largest number of restaurants. There are national chain restaurants like The Cheesecake Factory, Brio and McCormick & Schmick’s as well as local options that offer exquisite food and drinks like Rye, O’Dowd’s or The Granfalloon sports bar. Another interesting fact is that Country Club Plaza was one of the first shopping centers in the world to offer parking for its customers and that it is still free today.
- Other Stores: Anthropologie, Banana Republic, Barnes & Noble, Indochino, Kendra Scott, Sephora, Untuckit, West Elm, Urban Outfiters
- Hours: Monday to Saturday 10AM to 7PM, Sunday 12PM to 6PM
Oak Park Mall
Now we move on to another place that may have less history, but it is the largest mall in Kansas City. Oak Park Mall has a huge shopping and dinner options variety. This shopping center is gigantic since, in addition to more than 100 fashion, shoe, jewelry and accessories stores, it has 4 department stores. These are Macy’s, Dillard’s (which is divided into two buildings), JCPenney and the luxury store Nordstrom (with its only store in the city and where you can buy clothes from the best high-end brands).
And as we said before there are also dozens of major fashion brands like Coach, H&M, White House Black Market, Forever 21 and Abercrombie & Fitch. You can also go to FYE, Hot Topic, Evereve, some local stores, numerous shoe stores (such as Johnston & Murphy) or the Lego Store. There is a food court with several options as well as restaurants such as On The Border, Cheddar’s or Café Nordstrom (the latter inside the department store).
- Other Stores: Academy Sports, Barnes & Noble, Build-a-Bear, Chico´s, DryGoods, Express, Hallmark, Locker Room
- Hours: Monday to Saturday 10AM to 7PM, Sunday 12PM to 6PM
Town Center Plaza
There are several malls in Kansas City that have great design (as well as good stores) with Town Center Plaza being one of them. It is located in the southern part of Kansas City near other small malls such as The Fountains (which has stores like Kohl’s, buybuyBaby or Whole Foods). This shopping center is divided into several sections, each with different stores. You can buy everything here since its shopping offer is very diverse. There are clothing stores like Vineyard Vines, J.Jill, GAP and Brooks Brothers plus you can shop for kitchen items at Williams Sonoma, glasses at Warby Parker and even visit the clothing and gift shop owned by Robert Redford: Sundance.
Also here you will find the stores of the best athleisure brands such as Fabletics, Athleta or Lululemon. Town Center Plaza also stands out for its selection of furniture stores that includes excellent options such as Restoration Hardware, Arhaus or Pottery Barn (which also includes its children’s furniture store). And don’t think that you won’t find many places to eat because the restaurants in this mall in Kansas City are wonderful. We recommend Bristol Bar & Grill if you want to eat seafood or a good steak, or if you prefer pizza or pasta you can go to North Italia.
- Other Stores: Apple Store, Chico´s, Dick´s Sporting Goods, Macy´s, Rally House, Sephora, Trader Joe´s
- Hours: Monday to Saturday 10AM to 8PM, Sunday 12PM to 5PM
Zona Rosa
And if you are north of the city, there are also incredible shopping options, with Zona Rosa being one of the best. Among all the malls in Kansas City, this is the one closest to the airport, being an excellent option to buy something before your flight or if you are dying to go shopping when you arrive in the city. Zona Rosa is a lifestyle center, so in addition to shops you can find apartments and offices. Some of its most important stores are Forever 21, Old Navy, Men´s Wearhouse, American Eagle and Altar’d State.
In the case of restaurants there is also a good variety, standing out Bravo! Cucina Italiana, Smokehouse Barbecue or Swagat if you want to try Indian food. Although there are mostly clothing stores you can also go to the bookstore Barnes & Noble, as well as the cosmetics store Sephora or Build-a-Bear which the kids will love to visit. If you want to have some fun, there is an aarcade at this mall or you can go see a local comedian at the Improv Club. There are no movie theaters in this mall, but within walking distance you can go to AMC Barrywoods (as well as other stores like Ross, Shoe Carnival or Walmart).
- Other Stores: Barnes & Noble, DSW, Hot Topic, Journeys, Spencer´s, Torrid, Victoria´s Secret
- Hours: Monday to Thursday: 11AM to 7PM, Friday 11AM to 8PM, Saturday 10AM to 8PM, Sunday 12PM to 6PM
Independence Center
Although affected by the closure of two of its anchor stores, Independence Center is home to many big-name clothing stores. Yes, Macy’s and Sears have closed in recent years but you can still find the Dillard’s department store as well as Dick’s Sporting Goods. But above all, this mall in Kansas City has several good fashion brands where you can renew your wardrobe such as H&M, Earthbound, Forever 21, Torrid, Old Navy and Rue21. There’s also the pop culture products store Hot Topic and the home decor store Kirkland´s.
- Other Stores: American Eagle, Champs Sports, Finish Line, Maurices, Victoria´s Secret, Zumiez
- Hours: Monday to Thursday 11AM to 8PM, Friday & Saturday 11AM to 9PM, Sunday 12PM to 6PM
Summit Fair
Summit Fair is a small but beautiful open-air mall located in the southeastern part of the city. Some major stores have closed, such as Macy’s, but it continues to offer a good selection of stores to its shoppers. Its anchor stores are JCPenney and Dick’s Sporting Goods where you can get everything you need to play your favorite sport. Here you will also find fashion brands like H&M, White House Black Market or Chico’s as well as Sephora and the discount shoe store, DSW. There are also several gyms and good restaurants located here.
Just cross the street is another shopping center with several good stores. It is called SummitWoods Crossing and its main stores are Target, Lowe’s and the popular department store, Kohl’s. You can also find a Best Buy, as well as Old Navy and the discount store T.J.Maxx.
- Other Stores: Beauty Brands, Buckle, Francesca´s Maurices, Torrid, Victoria´s Secret
- Hours: Monday to Saturday 10AM to 9PM, Sunday 12PM to 6PM
Crown Center
If there are so many malls in Kansas City, why can one that only has a few stores and restaurants appear on a list of the best places to go shopping in the city? The answer is very simple: because it has an incredible department store that you will not find in another city, as well as several interesting attractions. Crown Center has a wonderful location in downtown Kansas City (very close to the WWI Museum and Union Station). It is owned by Hallmark, the famous card and gift shop company. Its flagship store is Halls, an upscale department store that is also owned by Hallmark. They sell clothing and accessories from major luxury fashion brands with first class decoration.
The various attractions are the biggest draw that Crown Center has. There is so much to do in this place and there are options for all ages. Children can have fun at Legoland Discovery Center, a place that houses rides, a 4D movie theater, as well as being able to create whatever they imagine with Lego blocks. There is also an aquarium, theaters and an ice rink. Also if you are a Hallmark fan you can learn more about the history of the company in its Visitors Center. In addition to all of this, the Crown Center hosts various events throughout the year. These range from live music and outdoor movies to art exhibitions and festivals (such as Hallmarket).
- Other Stores: Best of Kansas City, Crayola Store, Hallmark Store, Sportibles
- Hours: Monday to Saturday 10AM to 6PM, Sunday 12PM to 5PM
Best Outlets in Kansas City
Legends Outlets
Legends Outlet is the place to go to find clothes from the best fashion brands, always with discounts. This is the only outlet in Kansas City, but this great shopping place doesn’t need anything else. And that’s because there are more than 100 stores in this beautiful open-air mall, as well as restaurants and movie theaters. Among the brands you can find here are Michael Kors, Coach, Polo Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, J.Crew and Tory Burch. While you’re visiting the stores you can learn about the history of Kansas through murals, posters and more of prominent people who were born here.
You can also go to Chico’s, Express, Banana Republic or one of the various sports stores such as Adidas, Puma, Nike and Under Armour. There are always promotions in this outlet and you can get discounts of up to 70% off. You can spend the whole day here as there are several restaurants inside the outlet as well as in its surroundings. There are all kinds, whether you want a steak (you can do it in Longhorn), seafood (in Dancing Crab), Mexican food (in restaurants like El Toro Loco or Chipotle) or a burger, there are options for everyone.
- Other Stores: Ann Taylor, American Eagle, Carter´s, F21 Red, Eddie Bauer, GAP, JCPenney, Kate Spade, Rack Room Shoes
- Hours: Monday to Saturday 10AM to 9PM, Sunday 11AM to 6PM
Other Places to Go Shopping in Kansas City
Ward Parkway Center: This is one of the oldest malls in Kansas City, having been open since 1959. However, it has been totally renovated, and although it is not very big, it is worth visiting if you are in the area. Among its most important stores are Ross, T.J.Maxx as well as Trader Joes’s, the makeup store Ulta Beauty and Target. You can also go shopping at clothing stores like Rue21 and Lane Bryant or if you want sports shoes there is nothing like going to Foot Locker. Some of the best things about Ward Parkway Center are its movie theaters and several restaurants (such as Charleston’s and The Garage).
Olathe Pointe: This is a big box strip mall itself that houses several large format stores. In Olathe Pointe there is a little bit of everything including a Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, HomeGoods, Michaels and Five Below. There are also some clothing stores (such as Old Navy and the shop for baby clothes Carter’s) as well as the Amazon-owned supermarket Whole Foods Market. You can also buy cheap shoes here at Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse or if you prefer a western style you can go to Boot Barn. You can even stay to eat in this small mall in Kansas in restaurants like Red Lobster, or if you prefer a burger there are very good places like Five Guys and Walburgers.
Orchard Corner: Many of the best malls in Kansas City are surrounded by smaller malls. Orchard Corners is one of them, and it’s right across from Oak Park Mall. It doesn’t compare in size with the other one, but it does have several stores that might interest you. And here are two of the best discount stores in the country: Nordstrom Rack and T.J.Maxx (which also includes HomeGoods). In both you can find clothes, shoes and accessories from famous fashion brands with good discounts. You can also go here to the Skechers outlet store and there are other stores such as Best Buy, Ross, Shoe Carnival and Hobby Lobby very close by.
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