SHAWNEE, Kan. — KSHB 41 reporter Elyse Schoenig covers Johnson County. She also focuses on issues surrounding the cost of healthcare, saving for retirement and personal debt. Share your story idea with Elyse.
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El Mercado Fresco opened its doors this week at 75th Street and Quivira Road in Shawnee. It's the anchor of the new Westbrooke Green shopping center, a development that neighbors had been waiting more than a decade to see it through.
About 16 months ago, I first met Melissa Sabin at our Let's Talk event in Shawnee. She came wanting to know if she would ever see her neighborhood shopping center open its doors.
"I had been living here for a couple of years already, and was like, 'Hey, what's going on with the development next door?' And then you guys looked into it for us," Sabin said.
We've stayed in touch since then. In June 2025, Sabin described the long-empty development plainly.
"It's been kind of an eyesore," Sabin said.
By February 2026, she said she was still holding out hope.
"Maybe if they all open by this year, we'll be renewing again in another year," Sabin said.
The city of Shawnee first approved plans for the site's redevelopment in 2017. At the time, the city approved the use of funding in the forms of a community improvement district (CID) and tax increment financing (TIF).
The Shawnee City Council voted on a new agreement for the site's project, called Westbrooke Green, in 2024. That's when developer PJ Guastello took over the redevelopment.
"I took over someone else's defunct plan and turned it into what you see today," Guastello said.
With the grocery store now open, Guastello said he's looking ahead to six other businesses coming here.
"Over the next year, we'll see this continue to transform," Guastello said.
KD Tan was among the hundreds of neighbors who filled the store on opening day.
"It's been empty for more than 10 years," Tan said. "Very big deal. Close location...very convenient."
With the grocery store now open, the wait is finally over. Together, Melissa Sabin and I revisited the store Thursday.
"And now here we are," Sabin said.
She said she's excited to make El Mercado Fresco a regular spot for her and her son.
"As a single mom who does have a disabled son that uses a wheelchair, getting out and doing errands can seem like a task," Sabin said.
And she hopes the development continues to grow.
"The more we can build here, the more people will come here, the more people want to live in this community," Sabin said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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