[3] It encompasses a 14-block area, and includes 40 statues, fountains and sculptures; 12 towers; carriage rides and sidewalk cafes; and at one time, 180 shops and restaurants.

It is situated at the northern terminus of Ward Parkway, a boulevard known for its wide, manicured median lined with fountains and statuary that traverses the Country Club District.

Nichols is responsible for "redlining" and residential covenants[8] that kept Blacks, Jews, and other marginalized people from purchasing homes and living in the more desirable areas of Kansas City.

For its first four decades, the Plaza combined some higher-end shops, such as Harzfeld's, with a mix of more mid-level retailers such as Sears and Woolworth's, as well such quotidian enterprises as a bowling alley, movie theater, and a grocery store to serve the daily needs of residents of the district.

Today, the Plaza is home to a number of high-end and unique-to-market stores including Tiffany & Co., Michael Kors, Kate Spade New York, Eileen Fisher, Indochino, Free People, Tommy Bahama and Vineyard Vines.

In 1998, the J.C. Nichols Company merged with Raleigh, North Carolina–based real-estate investment trust Highwoods Properties, which now runs the Country Club Plaza.

The initial explosion happened shortly after 6 p.m. and led to a four-alarm fire that caused the restaurant's complete destruction as well as damage to surrounding buildings.

[16] In July 2024, HP Village Management acquired Country Club Plaza in Kansas City from Macerich and Taubman Centers.

There are more than 30 statues, murals, and tile mosaics on display in the area, as well as major architectural reproductions, such as a half-sized Giralda Tower of Seville (the tallest building in the Plaza).

Other works of art celebrate the classics, nature, and historical American themes such as westward expansion, and a magnificent fountain featuring four horses rearing up on their hind legs, designed by Henri-Léon Gréber.

Several companies are based in the Country Club Plaza area, including American Century Investments, Russell Stover Candies, Inergy, Gates Bar-B-Q, Lockton,[18] Polsinelli,[19] and Block Real Estate Services.