KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Westport property owner’s plans to build three chain businesses on his parking lot, on the corner of Westport and Mill Street, has some other nearby business owners upset.
Some Westport business owners have started an online petition to get the owner of the parking lot to re-think his plan.
Several Westport business owners say they’re not opposed to developing the lot they just don’t like the idea of chain stores. They say big box stores take away from the locally owned establishments that make Westport eclectic.
“If they want to develop the lot let you develop it but let’s put in some businesses that make sense we’ve already got a Barito place we’ve already got a sandwich place we’ve got one right there there’s no need to bring incorporate chains that are on affiliated with the community,” said Westport business owner Jody Hendrix.
Some Westport patrons say the loss of the 76 parking spaces at the lot on Mills and Westport Road could make it more difficult to park at nearby popular establishments.
However John Engleman, the executive director of the Westport business league, says there is plenty of free parking throughout Westport. In addition to that, Engleman says it’s likely the developer will keep half of the parking spaces.
