Historic West Bottoms' Hits 15-Year Milestone of Hosting First Friday Weekends
Kansas City's West Bottoms Revitalization is a True Blessing in the Bottoms, Nov 4-6
KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Historic West Bottoms District is celebrating 15 years of the First Festival of the Full Moon this November 4-6 with the theme Blessings in the Bottoms. The festival wraps around First Friday Weekends to incorporate street entertainment, foods, and a different theme each month, often around the month's moon and the upcoming holiday, all put on by Full Moon Productions.
The blessing's theme connects to the Thanksgiving holiday and the blessings many shop owners express for their customers and fortune to sustain a quality inventory of vintage, antique, one-of-a-kind, and extraordinary items that interest shoppers. Themed photo opportunities within the 13 blocks of these "warehouse-size," multi-story buildings and their floors of shopping are plentiful.
In 2007, Good JuJu, the initial vintage store in the West Bottoms, wanted to create a retail experience that was more purposeful in its display. They went above and beyond the norm to display their wares in a way that achieved a collective "look," versus a flea market display which is more random and divided by cubicle walls.
Other stores, including Bottoms Up, with the same aesthetic, soon moved into the West Bottoms, and Full Moon Productions began hosting First Friday Weekend events. The owners of Serendipity KC began as a vendor inside the Good JuJu store and went from operating in the Bottoms from a booth to store owner for the past 13 years. Bella Patina celebrated 11 years and Ugly Glass 10 years in 2022. Dusted Attic has been in the area for seven years and Robins Nest for six years. Rustic Vintage Rose is also a favorite people seek out over the years.
Fans of the Bottoms also make it a tradition to visit stores that have a more masculine appeal, such as Stuffology, operating for 12 years, West Bottoms Whisky, and Stockyard BBQ Rub and Sauces. Some newer places to check out include Fountain City Winery, the boutique Treasures on 13th, and a new escape room added to the Full Moon Escape Games.
Many stores host various vendors, but the look is a seamless display that works together to create a cohesive, uncluttered shopping experience. There are over 30 storefronts in the Historic West Bottoms today, many that now mix in new items and things that artists have made to provide an eclectic mix of products with their vintage, antiques, and clothing.
Before the area was in vogue for its vast vintage and antique stores, the district was awakened from its post-1950s flooding slump in 1988 when the spirited Edge of Hell Haunted House moved in. The haunt moved from the City Market after it was rezoned. Now, 35 years later, the haunted attractions are still a pillar in the community, albeit at night, and the season is short. Due to high demand, Full Moon Productions announced the haunt season is extended to November 11 and 12 as the last weekend of the season for Beast, Edge of Hell, and Macabre Cinema Haunted Houses. They open at 7:30 pm and close once the crowds disappear.
"We go from Haunting Boos to Blessings," said Amber Arnett-Bequeath, spokesperson for the district and also known as the Queen of Haunts. "It's all in a day's work, but it was decades in the making. We are proud to be celebrating 15 years of the Festival of the Full Moon and the haunts' 35-year milestone in the West Bottoms, so don't be scared to come down. The Festival's November moon is the Frost Moon, named because it is typically the timing of the first hard frost. For us the frost will be a sprinkling of all the Christmas and holiday products available now too."
Many stores will also be open on most Fridays and Saturdays. The next West Bottoms' First Friday Weekend event is Bows in the Bottoms, which kicks off December 2-4 and each Friday and Saturday through Dec. 17.
- West Bottoms' Shopping – Festival of the Full Moon Weekends' theme is Blessings in the Bottoms November 4-6. Open Friday through Sunday – Most shops open on Fr/Sat at 9 am, close around 6 pm, and Sunday from 11 am to 4. Admission is free. Refer to individual store Facebook pages for specific store openings.
- Progressive Friendsgiving Dinner & Tour Giveaway – West Bottoms Facebook pages will promote a giveaway where people can enter to win a progressive Friendsgiving dinner, including drinks and prizes for 10 guests.
- Food Truck Wine & Dine
- Beast, Edge of Hell & Macabre Cinema Haunted Attractions – Season extended Nov. 11 & 12, opens at 7:30 pm
- Full Moon Escape – the Escape Games have slots available for groups under 11 people to test their wits and solve puzzles to find their way out of locked rooms within 60 minutes. While these games aren't frightening – they do thrill. See the website for open times.
The West Bottoms Historic Entertainment District, located just off the 12th Street Bridge, has 22 warehouses in a thirteen-block area with approximately 600 vendors and more than thirty stores and restaurants. Many of its large, multi-story buildings have histories starting over 120 years ago. These repurposed, vast spaces form the largest, year-round, indoor vintage entertainment district. The West Bottoms is the destination for visitors and shoppers, including interior decorators, designers, and collectors seeking stylish décor and gift options with history and patina that cannot be replicated. westbottoms.com
SOURCE West Bottoms Historic Entertainment District
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