In the heart of Downtown Kansas City, Missouri, there once stood a retail titan whose history stretched back to the city’s earliest days as Westport Landing. Emery, Bird, Thayer & Company, affectionately known as EBT, was more than just a department store; it was a cornerstone of commerce and culture, a symbol of elegance and progress, which sadly closed its doors in 1968, with its magnificent building demolished just four years later.
The Humble Beginnings of a Retail Giant
The origins of EBT trace back to the 1860s, when Kersey Coates and William Gillis established a modest store in what was then the Town of Kansas. Initially, this establishment served a vital purpose, outfitting traders, trappers, and pioneers embarking on the arduous journeys along the Oregon and Santa Fe Trails. As Kansas City grew, so did the store’s ambitions. It evolved into a more upscale enterprise, relocating to a grander three-story building at 7th and Main Streets.
Through a series of mergers and name changes, the store solidified its identity. It first became Coates and Bullene after merging with Thomas B. Bullene’s store, then transformed into the Bullene, Moore, and Emery Department Store. Finally, in the 1890s, with investments from W. E. Emery, Joseph Taylor Bird. Sr., and William B. Thayer, it adopted its enduring name: Emery, Bird, Thayer & Company.
The Architectural Marvel and Its Offerings
The company soon embarked on constructing its definitive home: a beautiful new building designed by the renowned architect Henry Van Brunt. Occupying an entire block along East 11th Street from Walnut to Grand, this five-story edifice was a prime example of the Free Romanesque style of the 1890s. Its striking arcades, brick columns, and neo-Romanesque capitals made it the undisputed attraction on the city’s main retail thoroughfare, popularly known as Petticoat Lane.
Inside, customers were treated to wide aisles, intricate latticed grillwork, and opulent brass elevator cages, all complemented by exceptional personal service. Beyond its luxurious merchandise, EBT was celebrated for its magnificent Tea Room on the third floor. This elegant space, with its soft carpets, linen tablecloths, and fine Limoges china from Theodore Haviland, hosted countless wedding breakfasts, luncheons, and afternoon teas. A cherished annual tradition was the children’s tea party, where each child received a souvenir doll’s tea set.
EBT truly lived up to its moniker, the
