A new restaurant and brewery proposed for the Shops of Prairie Village received the city’s official greenlight to move in.
The Prairie Village City Council last week unanimously approved a special use permit that clears the way for Big Grove Brewery, an Iowa-based restaurant and brewery, to open at the Shops.
Big Grove Brewery is the first known tenant taking up a space at the Macy’s redevelopment. That project envisions a two-story building anchored by Hen House, with four additional retail tenants — including the brewery.
Council OKs permit, alcohol waiver
In order to operate at the Shops, Big Grove needs a special use permit for the brewery part of the operation.
Additionally, the restaurant and brewery needed a waiver to serve alcohol within 200 feet of a church.
Colonial Church, located just across Mission Road, had no issues with Big Grove’s plans to bring its first Kansas location to Prairie Village.
The city council had some debate about the brewery coming to the Shops, but ultimately, they unanimously approved the special use permit and the alcohol waiver.
“I greatly appreciate what I hear in your willingness to work with the neighborhoods that surround, really, one of our premier commercial districts,” said Councilmember Dave Robinson. “There’s a lot of buzz for this opportunity.”
Watch the entire discussion online here, starting at 1:12:17.
“Something you’re proud of”
One nearby resident, Garrett Schmidt, said he and his family are worried about Big Grove being more of a bar than a restaurant, particularly in comparison to other businesses at the Shops.
Schmidt said he is particularly concerned about noise pollution from Big Grove.
“This sounds more like a bar,” Schmidt said. “We’re concerned with how we control that. That’s a big impact on our family.”
Schmidt’s comments sparked some conversation among the city council about the potential for reduced hours to limit noise pollution or additional landscaping to offer more screening.
Matt Swift, the founder and chief executive officer of Big Grove Brewery, told the city council that the restaurant and brewery is not a late-night bar.
Aside from Kansas City Chiefs games, Swift said, the establishment expects to wind down fairly early — with the kitchen closing around 9 p.m. on weekdays or as late as 10:30 p.m. on the weekends.
Swift said Big Grove plans to be a good neighbor.
“The idea is to be something you would point to as something you’re proud of and something you’d be excited to have in your community,” Swift told the city council. “We want to integrate deeper, and you can’t do that if you’re making people upset.”
Next steps:
- A representative from Big Grove Brewery previously told the Post it plans to open its first Kansas City location in Prairie Village by May 2026.
- There is already construction underway for the larger Macy’s redevelopment, as well, namely the removal of the third floor of that former department store.
- First Washington Realty, the owner of the Shops, previously noted plans to finish the redevelopment in 2026.
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