Spring on the Plaza News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, March 16
For More Information, Contact:
Gayle Terry
Director of Marketing
Highwoods Properties
816-960-6232
Jenny Stasi
Trozzolo Communications Group
jstasi@trozzolo.com
816-842-8111
Spring is in Full Bloom on the Country Club Plaza
Celebrate spring in Kansas City on the Country Club Plaza with the Plaza Easter Bunnies,
seasonal flowers and custom street banners from FarmDog Studios
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (March 16, 2015) – Spring arrives on the Country Club Plaza today and
there is more than enough to see and do. Today marks the arrival of the annual Plaza Easter
Bunnies and Wonderland Animals. Coupled with seasonal flower displays and vibrant banners
designed by local artist FarmDog Studios, it is officially time to get outside and enjoy Kansas
City’s crown jewel.
“The arrival of the bunnies and spring on the Plaza is one of our favorite times of year,” says
Gayle Terry, marketing director at Highwoods Properties in Kansas City. “Everyone is ready to
be outside, and we love that the Plaza is a place where people want to spend time welcoming
the new season.”
Plaza Easter Bunnies and Wonderland Animals
A favorite Kansas City tradition, the Plaza Easter Bunnies and Wonderland Animals will be on
display from today through Sunday, April 12, 2015. The nine super-sized bunnies and other
springtime animals have been a beloved tradition on the Plaza for more than 70 years.
The bunnies are placed throughout the courtyards and sidewalks of the Plaza, while the lively
collection of Wonderland Animals, popular with children of all ages, will be placed in Mermaid
and Pomona Courtyards, along Nichols Road between Broadway and Ward Parkway near
Seasons 52 and Michael Kors. The nine Plaza Easter bunnies can be found in the following
locations:
Kate and Brian – Pomona Courtyard, near Seasons 52 at Broadway and Ward Parkway
Sue and Peter – Chandler Courtyard, at The Cheesecake Factory at 47th and Wyandotte
Lee – outside Plaza III at Pennsylvania and Ward Parkway
Nicholas – Southwest corner of 47th & J.C. Nichols Parkway, by XXI Forever
Bess – west side of Victoria’s Secret on Pennsylvania
Amy – Neptune Courtyard, near Houston’s on 47th Street
Ellyn – by Barnes & Noble on 47th Street west of Broadway
The Plaza Bunnies tradition began in the 1930s. The bunnies originally made their debut at
another J.C. Nichols development, the Crestwood Shops on 55th Street between Oak Street and
Brookside. The bunnies were created to battle a Depression-induced sales slump. Three years
later they were moved to the Plaza, where they quickly became a springtime tradition.
For a printable map of where the 2015 Plaza bunnies are located, visit
http://countryclubplaza.com/event/plaza-bunnies/.
FarmDog Studios Spring Banners
New for spring this year, the Country Club Plaza partnered with Leslie Beck and Amy January of
FarmDog Studios to create custom spring-themed banners that now adorn the streets of the
Country Club Plaza.
“We practically grew up on the Plaza and our company mission is to create art for the people
and places we love,” says January. “This is really a dream come true for us.”
The FarmDog Studios banners are one-of-a-kind pieces and were designed specifically to
highlight the best parts about spring in Kansas City. The banners went up overnight and will
hang on the Plaza until late-May.
Kansas City-based FarmDog Studios makes art and home décor by hand for high-end
boutiques throughout the country.
At the end of May, the FarmDog Studios Plaza banners will be available for purchase at the
Country Club Plaza Customer Service office.
About Highwoods Properties
Highwoods Properties, headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, is a publicly traded
(NYSE:HIW) real estate investment trust (REIT) and a member of the S&P MidCap 400
Index. The Company is a fully integrated office REIT that owns, develops, acquires, leases and
manages properties primarily in the best business districts (BBDs) of Atlanta, Greensboro,
Kansas City, Memphis, Nashville, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, Richmond and Tampa. For
more information about Highwoods Properties, please visit our website at www.highwoods.com.
About the Country Club Plaza
The Country Club Plaza was developed in 1922 and was the country’s first suburban shopping
center. Today, totaling nearly one a million square feet of retail and restaurant space, the openair, Spanish-inspired district continues to serve both the local and regional customer with a
collection of exclusive national tenants and original local businesses. Owned by Highwoods
Properties, Inc. since 1998, the Plaza offers over 150 upscale retailers and specialty
restaurants. www.countryclubplaza.com
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