KSHB 41 reporter Megan Abundis covers Kansas City, Missouri, including neighborhoods in the southern part of the city. Share your story idea with Megan.
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The future of a long-standing business that's been a staple of everyday life in Kansas City's Brookside neighborhood for decades appeared uncertain Friday.
KSHB 41 News reporter Megan Abundis stopped by the 7-Eleven location at 319 E. 63rd Street Friday afternoon and found the store's shelves and interior down to the bare bones and not accepting deliveries or restocking food, snacks, the ATM or lottery items.
CNN reported that the convenience store's parent company, Japan-based Seven & I Holdings, told investors during a conference call Thursday that it planned to close 444 of its more than 13,000 stores across North America.
The company cited several reasons it was closing some of its stores, including declining sales and traffic, inflation, and a decrease in the number of people buying cigarettes.
The company did not say which stores it planned to close, so it was unclear if the Brookside location's future is a part of the downsizing announced this week.
KSHB 41 contacted 7-Eleven Corporate Communications multiple times and did not receive a response about the future of its Brookside location.
The future of the store has the attention of the Brookside Neighborhood.
Sean Ackerson, district manager of the Brookside Community Improvement District, said he learned the store could be closed later this month.
Ackerson said the Brookside CID would “love to see a great reuse or redevelopment, but don't have any confirmation they'll be selling the building.”
City of Kansas City, Missouri, property records show the building is a leased property with an out-of-state owner registered in Seattle, Washington.
The Brookside 7-Eleven had been owned by Ted Burtin. Burtin gave the store back to 7-Eleven after he retired in January 2024 after 25 years of ownership.
Burtin said he wasn't privy to any news about the future of the store.
The business was recently closed for months while construction and remodeling work were completed.
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