Emery, Bird, Thayer Dry Goods Company

Emery, Bird, Thayer & Company

Company type	Private
Industry	Retail (department store)
Founded	1860s
Founder	Kersey Coates, William Gillis
Defunct	1968
Fate	Ceased operations; building demolished in 1971
Headquarters	Kansas City , United States
Products	Department store goods

Emery, Bird, Thayer & Company was a department store located in Downtown Kansas City with roots extending back to the city's early days as Westport Landing.

History

The business was established in the 1860s by Kersey Coates and William Gillis at the intersection of Missouri Avenue and Main Street in what was then known as the Town of Kansas. Initially catering to travelers heading along the Oregon Trail and Santa Fe Trail, the store soon evolved into a more upscale retail establishment. It subsequently relocated to a newly constructed three-story building at Seventh and Main Streets.

Originally named Coates and Gillis, the store became Coates and Bullene following a merger with a shop owned by Thomas B. Bullene. Later, it was rebranded as Bullene, Moore and Emery. The final name, Emery, Bird, Thayer & Company, emerged in the 1890s, derived from key investors W. E. Emery, Joseph Taylor Bird. Sr., and William B. Thayer.

In the 1890s, the company unveiled a new flagship building spanning an entire block along East 11th Street between Walnut and Grand. This structure was designed by the architectural firm Van Brunt & Howe. The store quickly became a premier destination on the city’s main shopping corridor, colloquially known as "Petticoat Lane," and gained renown for its Tea Room.

Despite efforts to grow—such as opening a branch on the Country Club Plaza in 1925 (expanded in 1963) and acquiring the Bundschu store near the courthouse square in Independence—the business struggled to adapt to shifting retail trends and demographic shifts. Ultimately, it ceased operations in 1968, resulting in the loss of approximately 800 jobs.

Following its closure, the downtown building—which had been listed on the National Register of Historic Places—was demolished in 1971.

After demolition, UMB Financial Corporation developed a new building on the site while preserving select architectural features from the original EBT structure. Until December 2015, a restaurant named EBT located near 103rd Street and State Line Road by I-435 displayed memorabilia honoring the store’s legacy. Additionally, the company’s former warehouse at 16th and Walnut has been transformed into residential loft apartments. During renovation efforts, the "Emery Bird Thayer Warehouse" lettering on the warehouse exterior was restored with fresh paint.

External links

• Kansas City Public Library Historical Exhibit
• Entry in the National Register