Business1 min read

1874 Kansas City landmark saved from demolition, to house restaurant and flats

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The former fur shop at 935 Broadway, originally opened in 1874 as the Brackett Brothers Drug Store, is undergoing extensive stabilization, including new roofing and restored historic windows. Spearheaded by chef Rick Mullins and Candice Moore, the planned restaurant Loretta Jean's and basement venue Josephine's will feature preserved relics like an antique safe and original mannequins. Prior to Sally's acquisition, Jackson County valued the long-neglected building at $316,135, while engineering assessments estimated repairs would reach roughly $2.1 million. The revitalization effort earned a 2025 Historic Kansas City Preservation Award for Neighborhood Stabilization ahead of a planned autum…

Key points

  • The project successfully rescues the oldest surviving commercial building located inside…: The project successfully rescues the oldest surviving commercial building located inside Kansas City's Downtown Loop from an emergency demolition order.
  • Extensive rehabilitation efforts include basement water removal, masonry repointing, and…: Extensive rehabilitation efforts include basement water removal, masonry repointing, and the reconstruction of second-floor windows back to their original 1874 dimensions.
  • The mixed-use transformation earned a 2025 Historic Kansas City Preservation Award for Ne…: The mixed-use transformation earned a 2025 Historic Kansas City Preservation Award for Neighborhood Stabilization ahead of its anticipated autumn 2026 opening.

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A historic building in Kansas City, dating back to 1874, has been saved from demolition after part of its roof collapsed and city inspectors ordered its emergency removal. The former Seiden's Furs building at 935 Broadway is widely considered the oldest surviving commercial building in downtown Kansas City's Downtown Loop. It is now being renovated into a Midwestern restaurant called Loretta Jean's, with apartments planned for the upper floors. The rescue was led by local developer Chris Sally, who stepped in to buy the property in October 2023, shortly after city officials issued an emergency demolition order. This was reported by the Kansas City Business Journal and Flatland KC. The project required major cleaning and structural repairs. Workers removed more than 20 dumpsters of abandoned stock and rubbish that had built up over several decades. They also pumped out dangerous standing water that had collected in the basement.

Collapse and municipal action

The building began falling into serious disrepair in July 2021, when heavy rainfall caused a large section of its roof to collapse. After the damage, city building inspectors…

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