Ward Parkway Center

Ward Parkway Center is a shopping center in Kansas City, Missouri, positioned along State Line Road near Ward Parkway and adjacent to the Kansas state line. The center occupies the area between approximately 85th Terrace and 89th Street and has served the surrounding residential communities since 1959. It is commonly referred to as Ward Parkway Center, Ward Parkway Mall, or Ward Parkway Shopping Center. The property began as a retail center associated with Montgomery Ward and originally included a small two-screen movie theater. That theater is historically significant because it is described as one of the first modern multiplex cinemas. The cinema operation expanded over time, and the original theater site ultimately became part of AMC Ward Parkway 14 Theatres. The present cinema includes fourteen screens and has been renovated with features such as leather seating and a bar, making entertainment a central part of the center's offer alongside traditional shopping. Ward Parkway Center was once configured as a two-level enclosed mall with a food court. Over time, its physical format changed substantially. The center was converted into a primarily single-level retail and dining destination, with enclosed first-floor space and a mixture of freestanding, inline, and restaurant buildings. This evolution reflects the broader shift in American retail real estate toward open-air dining, convenience-oriented tenants, entertainment, and smaller-format stores rather than a large enclosed mall anchored by several department stores. A major redevelopment phase followed ownership and repositioning activity in the early 2000s. Later plans focused on adding restaurants, patios, pedestrian circulation, and smaller retail spaces. In 2016, plans were approved for a roughly 31,000-square-foot U-shaped addition at the south end of the property. The proposed restaurant component included Smitty's Garage, Torchy's Tacos, Charleston's Restaurant, Hawaiian Bros, and Hurts Donuts, while the center's two middle buildings were expanded to create approximately 18,000 square feet for smaller tenants. The addition was designed with patios and a pedestrian plaza to encourage longer visits and a more active dining environment. The center's principal retail anchor is Target, which replaced Montgomery Ward in a new building at or near the earlier department-store location. A Chick-fil-A pad site fronts State Line Road near Target, adding a drive-oriented food component outside the main center. AMC Ward Parkway 14 remains the principal entertainment anchor. The tenant mix has changed over the years; former occupants mentioned in published descriptions include Sam Goody, Gap, TGI Friday's, The Limited, and Winstead's. Ward Parkway Center continues to operate while undergoing ongoing redevelopment and tenant turnover. The former Dillard's site was identified for future development after the department store closed, although the available reference material does not establish a final project scope or completion date. In June 2023, Peter Piper Pizzeria opened in the former Hurts Donuts space. That restaurant closed in June 2024, and Chuck E. Cheese was reported as opening in the same space in August 2024. The center therefore functions less as a conventional department-store mall than as a locally oriented mixed retail, dining, and entertainment destination serving Kansas City neighborhoods.

Ward Parkway Center opened in 1959 in Kansas City, Missouri, close to the Kansas–Missouri border. Its location between State Line Road and Ward Parkway gave it a strong connection to established residential neighborhoods on both sides of the state line. The center developed around a Montgomery Ward department store and was originally organized as a two-story enclosed mall with a food court and multiple specialty retailers. The property also became associated with an early modern multiplex cinema. Its original theater had two screens and was located near Montgomery Ward. As the center expanded and was renovated, the cinema grew to fourteen screens. The operation is now known as AMC Ward Parkway 14 Theatres and remains one of the site's best-known attractions. During its traditional enclosed-mall period, Ward Parkway Center hosted national and local tenants including Sam Goody, Gap, TGI Friday's, The Limited, and Winstead's. Montgomery Ward was eventually replaced by Target in a new building at the same general location, changing the center's principal retail anchor from a department store to a broad general-merchandise format. The center experienced repositioning and ownership-related activity in the early 2000s. By the later redevelopment period, its physical character had shifted from a two-floor enclosed mall to a mostly single-level center with enclosed retail space, freestanding buildings, restaurant pads, and more open circulation. The change was intended to support contemporary shopping patterns, including convenience retail, casual dining, patios, and entertainment. In 2016, redevelopment plans were approved for a U-shaped addition of approximately 31,000 square feet at the south end. The concept included six restaurant tenants, a pedestrian plaza, patios, and expanded buildings totaling about 18,000 square feet for smaller occupants. Restaurants identified in the plans included Smitty's Garage, Torchy's Tacos, Charleston's Restaurant, Hawaiian Bros, and Hurts Donuts. A Chick-fil-A pad site was also established outside Target along State Line Road. The property has continued to experience tenant replacement and development activity. The former Dillard's location was identified as a future redevelopment opportunity after the department store closed. In June 2023, Peter Piper Pizzeria opened in the space associated with Hurts Donuts. That operation closed in June 2024, followed by the reported opening of Chuck E. Cheese in August 2024. These changes illustrate the center's continuing transition toward food, family entertainment, and service-oriented uses. Ward Parkway Center remains active, although its redevelopment has not eliminated all vacancies and the available reference material does not establish a single completed final master plan. Its current identity is that of a neighborhood-serving retail and entertainment complex anchored by Target and AMC, supplemented by restaurants, drive-through or pad-site businesses, and smaller specialty tenants. It competes within a dense Kansas City retail environment that includes Country Club Plaza, Oak Park Mall, Waldo, Prairie Village Shopping Center, Independence Center, and other former or redeveloped shopping centers.

• 2024

  Chuck E. Cheese replaces Peter Piper Pizzeria

  [1]Ward Parkway Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Peter Piper Pizzeria closes in June, with Chuck E. Cheese reported to open in the space in August.

• 2023

  Peter Piper Pizzeria opens

  [1]Ward Parkway Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Peter Piper Pizzeria opens in June in a former Hurts Donuts space.

• 2016

  South-end redevelopment plans approved

  [1]Ward Parkway Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Plans called for a restaurant-focused addition, pedestrian plaza, patios, and expanded space for smaller tenants.

• 2003

  Ownership and redevelopment activity receives public attention

  [1]Ward Parkway Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Contemporary reporting discussed a possible sale and the outlook under new owners as the center entered a repositioning period.

• 1959

  Ward Parkway Center opens

  [1]Ward Parkway Centeren.wikipedia.org

  The shopping center begins operating in Kansas City near the Kansas–Missouri border.

• Two-screen multiplex theater begins operation

  [1]Ward Parkway Centeren.wikipedia.org

  A small two-screen cinema near Montgomery Ward becomes an early modern multiplex and later expands into the AMC Ward Parkway 14 complex.

• Target replaces Montgomery Ward

  [1]Ward Parkway Centeren.wikipedia.org

  Target becomes the principal general-merchandise anchor in a new building at the former Montgomery Ward location.

A neighborhood and regional shopping center repositioned around everyday retail, restaurants, outdoor dining, and multiplex entertainment rather than a traditional enclosed department-store mall.

• General merchandise and specialty retail · 1959

  Retail shopping

  Ward Parkway Center provides a mix of everyday shopping and specialty retail rather than manufacturing products under its own brand. Target is the principal anchor, complemented by smaller stores and former national tenants that have included apparel, music, accessories, and other mall-oriented categories.

• Dining and food service · 2016

  Restaurant district

  The center's redevelopment added a concentration of casual and fast-casual restaurants, with patios and pedestrian-oriented space. Identified tenants have included Smitty's Garage, Torchy's Tacos, Charleston's Restaurant, Hawaiian Bros, and Hurts Donuts, alongside other food-service businesses and a Chick-fil-A pad site.

• Cinema and entertainment

  AMC Ward Parkway 14 Theatres

  The cinema is the successor to the center's original two-screen theater, described as one of the first modern multiplexes. It expanded to fourteen screens and operates as AMC Ward Parkway 14, with renovated auditoriums that include leather seating and a bar.

• General merchandise

  Target

  Target serves as Ward Parkway Center's principal retail anchor. It replaced Montgomery Ward in a new building at the same general site and supplies groceries, household merchandise, apparel, consumer goods, and related everyday categories.

• 2024

  Replace Peter Piper Pizzeria with Chuck E. CheeseProduct launch

  Background

  Peter Piper Pizzeria closed after a relatively short operating period.

  Action taken

  Chuck E. Cheese was reported as opening in the former restaurant space in August 2024.

  Aftermath

  The tenant change further emphasized family entertainment and food as components of the center's current mix.

  Source

• 2023

  Add Peter Piper PizzeriaProduct launch

  Background

  A former Hurts Donuts space became available within the center's food-oriented tenant mix.

  Action taken

  Peter Piper Pizzeria opened in the space in June 2023.

  Aftermath

  The concept closed in June 2024 and the space was subsequently associated with a Chuck E. Cheese opening.

  Source

• 2016

  Approve restaurant-led south-end redevelopmentStrategy

  Background

  The center was being repositioned from a traditional enclosed mall toward a more flexible retail, dining, and entertainment property.

  Action taken

  Plans were approved for a U-shaped addition of approximately 31,000 square feet, six restaurant tenants, patios, a pedestrian plaza, and expanded space for smaller tenants.

  Aftermath

  The plan reinforced restaurants and outdoor-oriented visits as central elements of the center's updated identity.

  Source

1. 1Ward Parkway Centeren.wikipedia.org
2. 2Ward Parkway Center official websitewardparkwaycenter.com