‘I was blown away.’ KC-area development has brewery, Mexican place, coffee. Soon: BBQ

Parkville’s new Creekside development is setting up to be the “town hall” of the area at Interstate 435 and Missouri 45.

The 337-acre development has townhomes, apartments, multi-family and single family housing, baseball fields, a hotel, brewery, coffee house, restaurants and more.

It also has “The Infield,” an outdoor public meeting area with a Jumbotron to watch Kansas City Chiefs games and live entertainment. Its “Parkville Tree” is a large LED illuminated steel and fiberglass tree in the green space.

“The baseball complex brought in almost a million visitors from 19 different states last year,” said Brian Mertz, owner of Parkville Development, developer of Creekside.“I think we have about 2,000 residents now and more coming. What we need now is a grocery store.”

He said Creekside will be completed in three to five years and could cost as much as $350 million. It has 20 acres yet to be developed. A new elementary school is in the works. And coming soon: barbecue and pizza.

New openings

▪ Boho Brewing, 15425 Old Town Drive, Suite 118.

Robb Mann named his new brewery after his Bohemian great-great-grandfather who immigrated to New York in 1861 and later settled in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. A photo of Jan Pecenka with a full beard hangs on the back wall, along with black-and-white vintage photos of other Bohemians.

Mann softly opened the brewery in late December with 12 taps — 10 of his original German and Czech style beers, one with cider and one tap that will be used for wine.

“I always want to know a beer’s history, where did it come from and how can I make it better?” he said. “So I have not named my beers yet. I make them, see what their personalities are like, before I give them a name.”

Customers will be able to bring in food from Creekside restaurants.

Mann started home brewing in 1998 and had long wanted to open a brewery. He has a degree in hotel restaurant management from Kansas State University in Manhattan and has worked at upscale hotels and country clubs in the Kansas City metro.

When his broker first mentioned the new Creekside development as a possible location for the brewery, his response was, “OK, I guess.”

“I didn’t know the area. As far as I knew there was nothing out there,” Mann said. “When I got there I was blown away. Just Brian’s whole vision, and people are so excited to have a brewery north of the river.”

The space — with its soaring ceilings and natural light from expansive windows — was just how he had always pictured his brewery. And baseball fans attending games in the development were from craft beer towns such as Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Minneapolis and Chicago, he said.

“I also named it Boho because I want this to be a place people can be themselves. That sense of community where you can feel safe being yourself?” he said.

▪ Plaza Mariachi Mexican Restaurant,15325 Old Town Drive, Suite 119.

Brothers Felipe and Mario Garcia, and their friend Ricardo Cortes opened the restaurant on Jan. 19.

Menu items include salads such as the Mariachi chicken salad with grilled chicken on romaine lettuce, topped with avocado slices, black beans, corn and tortilla chips.

Under specialties, it has the Enchiladas Patria with one shredded chicken, one ground beef and once cheese enchilada, topped with green sauce, white cheese dip and red sauce; fried tacos; chimichangas and more.

Seafood dishes include Camarones a la Diabla — grilled shrimp dressed in a house-made spicy diablo sauce and served with rice, lettuce, avocado slices, diced tomato and tortillas.

It also has burritos, quesadillas, fajitas, soups, nachos, appetizers, burgers and lunch specials.

Cortes said he is pleased with the Creekside development: “Everything is new, it has the softball tournaments, the apartment complexes, the housing development and will have so many events going on to bring people in.”

▪ Gusto Coffee Shop, 15325 Old Town Drive, Suite 101.

Owner Emily Hula opened the shop in November, and her son-in-law, Adam Kintop, is manager. Her children and grandchildren also are on the payroll.

The drink menu includes espressos, lattes, a variety of tea lattes, smoothies, shakes, chai, hot chocolate, apple cider and Italian sodas.

It also has breakfast and lunch items served all day, including bagels, biscuits, croissants, burritos, chicken pesto sandwiches, Philly steak on ciabatta bread, and gluten-free items.

Gusto has a double-sided fireplace, board games and a children’s corner with puzzles and toys.

“It’s a destination, a community to bring people together, and we are always packed,“ she said. “This is going to be the ‘town hall’ of this area.”

She also has a Gusto Coffee Shop in Lee’s Summit.

Other tenants

▪ Bubbles Wine and Spirits, 6953 Elizabeth St. Locally owned and operated, its original location opened in Gladstone more than 35 years ago. It opened in Creekside in late October. It is doing tasting events on the weekends.

▪ Burger King, 16055 Round Tripper Drive.

▪ Johnny’s Tavern, 15249 N.W. Brink Meyer Road.

▪ Taco Bell, 7085 Elizabeth St.

▪ Ten & Two Coffee, 15309 N.W. Brink Meyer Road. It opened in May and offers premium coffees and pastries

▪ X-Golf Parkville, a Los Angeles-based indoor golf simulator, 15325 Old Town Drive, Suite 113. It opened in early December.

Coming soon

▪ Char Bar Smoked Meats & Amusements, with one location in Westport, is scheduled to open in Creekside in August.

▪ Smoothie King is scheduled to open in March.

▪ Whiskey River Pizza & Pub, 15425 Old Town Road, is scheduled to open in May. The locally owned and operated restaurant will offer pizzas, burgers, wings, fries and salads.