Community Leaders Celebrate 50th Anniversary & Renovation of Parker Plaza

Plano Mayor John Muns joined city officials, business leaders, tenants, investors, and community members yesterday to celebrate the 50th anniversary and grand re-opening of Parker Plaza West following completion of a $4.5 million renovation of the landmark neighborhood shopping center at Parker Road and Custer Road. The ceremony included remarks from city officials, a ribbon cutting, recognition of longtime tenants, and a look back at five decades of Plano history.

The renovation was supported by a $300,000 grant from the City of Plano through its Shopping Center Revitalization Program—the first grant awarded under the program—and reflects a shared commitment between the City and Harkinson Investment Corporation (HIC) to reinvest in established neighborhood retail centers.

“The grand re-opening of Parker Plaza represents more than the revitalization of a shopping center—it reflects Plano’s continued investment in strengthening the places where our community gathers, shops, and dines," said Mayor Muns. "Through the City’s Retail Revitalization Program, we are partnering with property owners to modernize aging retail centers, attract new businesses, and create destinations that better serve our residents and enhance the customer experience. Parker Plaza is an outstanding example of how strategic public-private partnerships can breathe new life into existing commercial corridors, preserve the long-term vitality of our neighborhoods, and ensure Plano remains a premier place to live, work, and do business.”

Throughout the event, HIC presented a historical look at Parker Plaza's evolution since opening in 1976. Using archival newspaper articles, photographs, and historical records, the presentation showed how the shopping center has evolved alongside Plano itself—from a city of roughly 30,000 residents to one of the nation's premier suburban communities. Guests also learned how the Parker Road and Custer Road corridor has reflected many of the city's broader demographic, economic, and cultural changes over the past five decades. Since Harkinson acquired the center in 1991, the center’s 5-mile trade area has become older, wealthier, and move diverse, with the Asian demographic growing from 1% to 25% of the population.

The celebration also honored the businesses that have helped define Parker Plaza's history. Don Khuu, an immigrant from Vietnam and the owner of DK Clock Shop, received Harkinson Investment Corporation's inaugural "Standing the Test of Time" Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of more than thirty years of serving the Plano community. DK Clock Shop has operated at Parker Plaza since 1995 and is the shopping center's longest-tenured tenant. The event also welcomed the opening of Parker Plaza's newest tenant, Craftmeds Compounding Pharmacy.

The completed renovation modernized the 104,000-square-foot center with new building facades, enhanced landscaping, outdoor gathering areas, public art, upgraded lighting, improved accessibility, and new retail space. The project positions Parker Plaza to better serve one of North Texas's most affluent and rapidly evolving trade areas while preserving one of Plano's longstanding neighborhood shopping destinations.

“Over the years many tenants have come and gone at Parker Plaza West," said HIC President Jeff Harkinson, "but what endures is its irreplaceable location in the heart of Plano. Hopefully with this significant financial reinvestment in upgrading Parker Plaza West, it will not only survive for the next 30 to 50 years but thrive.”

The renovation was led by HIC executive vice-president Josh Harkinson. "The best real estate investments don't just appreciate in value—they become part of the community's story," Josh Harkinson said. "After fifty years, Parker Plaza West has earned that distinction, and today we're investing in its next chapter."

Related media coverage: WFAA: Plano city leaders celebrate 50th anniversary, reopening of Parker Plaza West after $4.5 million renovation Dallasites101: A historic Plano shopping center just got a $4.5 million makeover

Dallas Business Journal: Plano shopping center reopens after $4.5 million renovation