West Bottoms is the site of the former downtown Kansas City. Old photos show it to have been a very rich architectural area with the centerpiece building the magnificent Union Depot. This is a low lying area and was always subject to flooding. After a disastrous flood in 1906 it was the last straw. Many buildings were razed including the depot and a new downtown was built where it is now. Many historical buildings still remain and there was a resurgence of businesses moving in. We visited on Wednesday, March 8, 2023 and were excitedly interested in exploring the area. What we found was that there are maybe 20 stores selling at least some antiques, but none were open and a few have closed permanently including the one we came to shop at. We found 1 coffee shop open and next door upstairs was another closed antique shop, but adjoining it was a proprietor of sauces and rubs for BBQ amongst other goods and a few miscellaneous vintage items... that's it! That was the sum of our shopping experience here. The streets are rutty and potholed as many buildings show signs of deteriorating as well. We were told that most places here that are still in business only open on weekends. It is a sad state of affairs but I hope this area can be saved.

A fun place to visit if you are looking for an interesting and unusual antique. Quite a number of stores in the area. Only open the first weekend in the month.

Visited the Historic West Bottoms antique district for First Friday; WOW! So much fun! The antique, vintage, and decor shops were all so awesome. It was neat to be inside and see the structures of these old warehouses. All of the shops were amazing, lots of vintage finds, antiques, and old stuff repurposed into something new. Lots of walking, so wear comfy shoes, and dress for the weather, as a lot of these old warehouse shops do not have a/c. Lots of steps to climb, a good walking workout for the day! Food trucks, kettle corn, vendors around to get something to eat or drink. We didn't stay past 4pm as we were very exhausted! We parked at a lot near the Painted Sofa, cost $5 for the day, but not knowing the area, we were happy to park here. We actually started in the Painted Sofa then went to the far side and started at Godd JuJu's and worked our way back to the car.

Enjoyed walking around to the various shops. Fun atmosphere. Great variety of shops. Attended the first weekend in April. Second trip for a girls weekend getaway. Plan to visits again.

Walk through the West Bottoms antiques wharehouse district and you will see it all. Masterful one of a kind furniture made from reclaimed wood at The Alley Cat to odds and ends of every kind at Good JuJu. Tresures of every type and category await you at this antique lovers paradise.