Plano Mayor John Muns and other local leaders gathered Tuesday to celebrate the 50th anniversary and grand re-opening of Parker Plaza West, which was the first recipient of the city’s new grant program.

Under the Shopping Center Revitalization Program, the shopping center at Parker Road and Custer Road received a $300,000 grant to help support its $4.5 million renovation.

“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,” Muns said in a statement. “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.”

Several businesses at Parker Plano West were also celebrated during the event, with DK Clock Shop Owner Don Khuu receiving Harkinson Investment Corporation’s first “Standing the Test of Time” Lifetime Achievement Award, first opening the shop in 1995.

Renovations to the 1004,000-square-foot shopping center include new building facades, outdoor gathering areas, upgraded lighting, public art, improved accessibility and enhanced landscaping.

“The best real estate investments don’t just appreciate in value—they become part of the community’s story,” Harkinson Investment Corporation Executive Vice President Josh Harkinson, who led the renovations, said in a statement. “After fifty years, Parker Plaza West has earned that distinction, and today we’re investing in its next chapter.”

Harkinson Investment Corporation first acquired Parker Plaza West in 1995.

“Over the years many tenants have come and gone at Parker Plaza West, but what endures is its irreplaceable location in the heart of Plano.” Harkinson Investment Corporation President Jeff Harkinson said. “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.”