By Joyce Smith
McGonigles no more: Fareway opens larger grocery store on Ward Parkway
Officials with Fareway Stores Inc. said they were “super, super excited” to open their new south Kansas City grocery store Monday night, just south of their former location.
Community leaders, neighborhood representatives, and customers gathered with Fareway employees for the Fareway Meat Market ribbon cutting around 5 p.m. and then the store softly opened.
The new building at 7921 Ward Parkway is bigger – 11,660-square-feet compared to the former 8,500. It has more parking, wider aisles, higher ceiling, and more of everything – produce, meats, smoked meats, seafood, staples, specialty items, expanded deli, and walk-up window for “ready-to-order meals for customers seeking quality, restaurant-inspired options on the go,” including its long popular barbecue.
It also has more than doubled its staff – 47 employees compared to 21 at the old spot.
Hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. It is closed Sundays.
The Iowa-based company acquired Waldo mainstay McGonigle’s Market in early 2020 and rebranded as Fareway Meat Market and McGonigle’s KC BBQ a few weeks later. The McGonigle name is no longer part of the branding.
The next phase in the redevelopment plan will include demolishing the old grocery store to make way for future development.
Fareway previously proposed a 10,000-square-foot multi-tenant commercial building for the corner of 79th and Ward Parkway, scheduled to start construction in 2027.
Fareway currently operates 143 stores in a seven-state region. It plans more stores in the metro and will disclose locations once development agreements are in place.
Jade and Ember opens
Ten months after beloved Waldo Thai closed its doors, a new locally-owned Pan-Asian restaurant has taken over the spot.
Jade & Ember Munchery (with an emphasis on Thai cuisine) is only open for carryout and DoorDash delivery for now. The dining room and bar will be open soon as the restaurant ramps up staffing and gets its liquor license.
The menu includes cheese Rangoons, Japanese poutine, wraps, noodles, fried rice, curries, specialities (including smothered crab omelets, and bulgogi beef), and kids meals.
The owners are chef David Suwanwisute (who is using some family recipes), and brother and sister Donny and Teresa Lo.
“We just want to bring some of our Asian classics to an inviting, welcoming space,” Donny said. “Sometimes people are just in the mood for a Pad Thai or fried rice for dinner. We want to be that place for our neighborhood.”
Donny opened Yoki in the City Market in 2014, offering Japanese-inspired gifts, housewares, snacks and novelties including character merchandise such as Pokémon and Hello Kitty.
The partners also plan to soon offer some Jade & Ember grab-and-go items at the nearby Chinatown Food Market in the River Market.
Soft opening hours for the restaurant, at 8431 Wornall Road, are currently 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays; and 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays. It is closed Tuesdays.
The space also was previously home to Swagger.
CAVA coming
CAVA, a fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant chain, plans an early 2027 opening for its new freestanding location in Leawood Village.
The 2,514-square-foot building is now under construction at 8680 State Line Road, and will include a dining room and drive-thru.
CAVA’s ordering system is much like Chipotle where customers can pick one of its specialty items, or customize their orders by picking out ingredients as they “walk the line.”
The menu includes pitas and bowls with a choice of greens or grains, dips and spreads, protein, toppings and sauces. It also has salads.
It also offers containers of its dips to-go (including Crazy Feta, Roasted Pepper Hummus, and Harissa), and dressings (such as Greek vinaigrette, and lemon herb tahini).
Doug Weltner, a partner in Leawood Village with Flint Development and New Street Partners, said they sold the site to CAVA.
“We are very excited to have them joining our project,” he said. “They will be a very popular addition with our residents and the surrounding neighborhoods.”
CAVA has area locations in Lee’s Summit; in Overland Park’s Oak Park Mall and Corbin Park; and in Merriam Grand Station in Merriam.
It was founded in January 2006 as a full-service restaurant in Maryland, CAVA Mezze. In 2011, the company started opening the fast-casual operations and now has more than 475 corporate-owned restaurants in 29 states and Washington, D.C. It plans to have 1,000 locations by 2032.
Fast Casual, a trade publication, recently named it as the “No. 1 Brand of 2026,” saying it secured the top honors following a year of monumental growth. While many competitors pivoted toward total automation, CAVA was recognized for its “human-centered” strategy, prioritizing Mediterranean hospitality and culinary integrity even as it scaled its national footprint.”
The new CAVA will offer competition to another fast-casual Mediterranean chain, Nick the Greek, which opened in 2023, just across State Line in Ward Parkway Center’s Restaurant Pavilion.
It plans more area locations, but said it is too soon to name the communities.
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