06/14/2026
My Downtown Lee's Summit story is about the power of community and how this remarkable place transformed my life.
At the age of 15, I began working for the Scire Family, the owners of Springtime Garden Center. After a day of working alongside Vincent and Maria Scire at their Tudor location (which is now their sole location), Vincent invited me to meet him after school at their original spot on 4th and Douglas, where the Filling Station BBQ stands today. In his thick Sicilian accent, Vincent said, “This is the price list,” gesturing to a piece of paper in his hand. “Annuals go here,” he pointed. “Vegetables are over there.” “This is how you operate the cash register.” “Here are the telephone and the keys. I will see you later.” And just like that, I became the manager of the store.
We had recently relocated from South Kansas City, where life had become somewhat challenging. I was a guarded teenager, struggling to trust others.
A member from the VFW would always stand watch to ensure my mother picked me up from the store in the evenings. Neighbors frequently brought me treats from the Dairy Queen across the street.
One day, a woman came in to purchase one of our concrete bird baths. As I loaded the bowl into the back of her teal blue vintage pickup truck, I noticed the large drink she was enjoying. “It’s the new Cherry Limeade at Sonic,” she excitedly shared. It was a hot summer day, and that drink sounded incredibly refreshing. Not 15 minutes later, the woman, named Maria Castro, returned with a Cherry Limeade just for me. I was taken aback. After expressing my gratitude, I took a lawn chair, settled outside under the old gas station awning, and cried.
Thanks to the kindness of the Downtown neighbors, I finally felt safe, valued, and part of a genuine community for the first time in my life.
Downtown Lee’s Summit is where I bought my first house, met my husband, started Bel Fiore, and now own a store.
This past week, amidst the challenges we faced in Downtown, my mother fell and fractured her elbow. Shortly after, my father also had a fall.
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Downtown Lee's Summit
