Main Street, KCMO between 3700 and 3900. Should I open business there?

Dear Panel of Experts,

I'm thinking about opening up on Main Street between 3700 and 3900. Dinner with some light entertainment and theater to draw, I hope, all ages, including families with older children

This seems like an area that may be on the bubble. But is the area too rough to expect people to visit?

Would you drive at night, park, walk a block or so leaving your car unattended for around three hours, going back to get the car at 9:30pm.

Say it鈥檚 something that you鈥檇 sort of like to attend. On a scale of one to ten, you鈥檇 give it a seven or eight.

So what goes through your head about this location when making your decision?

Thanks so much.

This is not a a favorable location (rough neighborhood) and you may want to reconsider this area for many reasons. To name only a few: 1)Too much competition from the plaza the Westport proper areas, other competitive areas to the south, and problematic areas to the immediate north. 3) Parking could be a problem. 3) Insurance? 4) Liquor license? 5) Can you afford a big draw, really hot band or some other special attraction, unique enough to draw a continuous crowd to such a location, assuming they would come to such an area after dark?

Initial investment value areas like, for example, Belton, MO or the Waldo area (75th street between Wornall and Ward Parkway) may be worth checking out. The Waldo area had a very successful dinner playhouse several years back. Grandview, MO along Blue Ridge south of 71 highway is worth checking out too (good location at 12400-02 Blue Ridge--really decent rent and parking front and back) and the shopping center (several vacancies) just NE of 71 highway and Main street: good location and lots of parking...check this place out!

Good Luck.

Main in Midtown is not very family friendly at all. Your best bet down there is a bar that appeals to the 25-35 crowd.

I do not travel downtown for much anymore! Not for safety...for Convenience. I would give it a 1 out of 10. I'd only go if a friend went and said it was awesome, then only once in a while

I'm not the best with direction. If its near the new Sprint Center I'd go for it. I hear the business are really doing good after it opened.
Good Luck to You!!

I wouldn't recommend it. You could go to Broadway or farther west and be ok, but that area of Main is not going to attract families. I know big, tough grown men who won't even get gas at the QT on Main.

I have to say it one more time "NO WAY!"

I lived in Overland Park (by 135th nall) my whole life... now I will say its more upper class, old money mostly. But I will say its spreading out in every direction out here.

135th and south is booming.

Towncenter 119th and nall is expanding big time.

Stateline and 132nd is adding a whole new shopping center.

open out here.. good biz and lots of people willing to pay

There really hasn't been much of anything in the last 30 years that has remained open for any length of time. I'm a KC native and still go back often, but I don't think I'd want to be walking along 37th and Main anytime after dark. It is not a family friendly neighborhood. Most people that live on the KS side don't go to the MO side for entertainment. That is never-never land. Too far from downtown and not close enough to the Plaza.