The Southridge Market

The building now known as the Buena Vista Art Studio has been part of the Roeland Park community for nearly 100 years. In 1925, Kansas City grocers Harold and Peggy Bown moved to the then village of Southridge, a stop on the Kansas-Missouri Interurban Railroad, the "Strang Line." Here they built the Southridge Market, which provided groceries, vegetables and meats. It is the oldest commercial building in Roeland Park and has served the neighborhood in a variety of capacities over the decades.

 In 1925, Harold and Peggy Bown moved from Kansas City, Missouri to the rural Johnson County community of Southridge in order to be closer to Harold’s parents, who had moved nearby years earlier. Southridge was platted in 1909 and was one of the planned towns of William Strang along his Kansas-Missouri Interurban Railroad, which ran from Olathe to Rosedale, Ks.

Harold had been the manager of a grocery store in Kansas City and decided to go into business for himself. The Bowns built the Southridge Market to serve the needs of the growing community of Southridge on the Strang Line. Previously, Southridge residents had to take the Strang Line or drive into Rosedale near today's KU Med Center in order to shop for groceries. The family originally lived in the apartment above the store but eventually purchased a house nearby. The Bowns were prominent in the community and were active in various civic organizations and the Southridge Presbyterian Church, which was located just to the north.

     The Bowns sold the store in 1940 but would remain lifelong residents of Roeland Park. The new owner ran a butcher shop in the 1940s. However, when the Roeland Park Shopping Center opened in 1951 with a supermarket, it put the corner Southridge Market out of business. Over the decades, successive owners adapted the building for a variety of businesses. The various generations of Roeland Park residents have different memories. Older residents will remember when it was a convenience store called The Little Store in the 1950s and 1960s. It had a soda fountain, pinball machines and penny candy. In the late 70's and early 80's it was a record store. It has also been a hair salon and hobby store. Today it is the Buena Vista Art Studio, which provides painting and drawing courses for the community. In front of the store is a statue called "Penny Candy," created by local artist Melanie Stone, who has fond memories of buying candy at the Little Store.

Kelly, Dan. "Johnson County's Little Store is no more, but KCQ find vivid memories 60 years later." The Kansas City Star (Kansas City) October 27th, 2020. .34.