First Fridays in the West Bottoms

I don’t know about you, but I love any excuse to get together with the fabulous women in my life. I also love any excuse to shop and feed my itch to always be decorating! So, First Fridays in the West Bottoms are a perfect way for me to kill two birds with one stone!

I don’t know how familiar you are with the West Bottoms. Some people in Kansas City may have no idea what area a person is referring to when they say “The West Bottoms” while others likely think haunted houses, Kemper Arena, American Royal, and the 12th Street Bridge. Now, imagine the warehouses in that area booming with amazing stores selling re-purposed finds, handmade treasures, and, well, just about anything a gal could need … or not need! I first learned about the stores when my friend Amy of A. Wright Designs introduced me to Good Ju Ju, where she began selling her art and re-purposed furniture. My mom, and sometimes my sister-in-laws and I would head to Ju Ju after work on the first Friday of each month. We found so many great items that my husband was often nervous about what I would come home with after each trip. These days, the area has grown to be a happening place to be on the first weekend of each of the spring and summer months in KC. It’s a fun place to meet up with girlfriends for great shopping, great music, and great food and drinks! Some of our favorite stores are Good Ju Ju, ReStore, Nook and Cranny (love the Chick paint!), and Bella Patina, just to name a few.

Here are some of the fantastic finds we’ve scored for our homes on First Fridays in the West Bottoms:

Frames … lots of frames! Big, small, brightly colored or ready to paint. I snagged the blue, green, and red ones below from Good Ju Ju. IMG_1740IMG_1741Vintage luggage! Stack them up to make an end table or store them in a corner for decoration. Regardless, they make great storage and are fun to have! I bought this yellow suitcase from Good Ju Ju and use it to store fabric scraps and swatches. IMG_1738Chairs! All colors, shapes, and sizes. I snagged the great metal chair in the picture above. The cushion was already recovered and adorable! I also snagged this painted orange chair. I love having them in random corners throughout my home, making them handy to pull out when we’re entertaining. IMG_1736Chests and dressers! I found this chest (and the mirror) at Good Ju Ju. I love having it in our guest bedroom and use it to store all of my stationery supplies. My coworker and good friend, Bobbi, found this amazing chest of drawers in the Bottoms, too, and has it in her guest bathroom. Doesn’t it look like it’s right out of a magazine? IMG_1737IMG_1747Tables! Our cousin, Allison, found these two great tables on a First Fridays’ girls’ night! They look fantastic in her living room!  Carrie, another coworker and good friend, also brought this dining room table and great red bench home – perfect for her new house!
IMG_1749 IMG_1748 IMG_1750IMG_1751Antlers, guitars and everything in between! I have a thing right now for decorating with antlers (don’t be distracted by the glare of the smudges on the mirror!). I found this antler piece at ReStoration Emporium along with several other finds! The guitar was a cool West Bottoms find for my son, along with a little red stool used for washing little hands and a mini Radio Flyer wagon!  I’m telling you, there really IS something for everyone! IMG_1742 IMG_1743 So, if you don’t have plans this weekend, grab your girlfriends, your mom, your sisters – or even your husbands – and head to the West Bottoms for First Fridays. Let us know what your favorite shops are and what great finds you score!

Allison
Allison is wife to John and mom to three blue-eyed blondes: a six year-old son, a three-year old daughter and a four-month old baby girl. She spends her non-summer days teaching middle school reading and writing and is excited to be writing for an adult audience! When not teaching, she can be found at local parks, taking her children on stroller rides, pushing the car-carts at the grocery store, or ordering vanilla lattes or Diet Dr. Pepper fountain pops. Allison loves decorating her home and tries to keep a good balance between kid-friendly and not kid-run. She enjoys cooking and making meals that are taste bud-friendly for both adults and kids. She is always excited to throw a good party and loves any reason to host family and friends in her home. Allison also blogs for AWG's (Best Choice) Mom Blog and runs Sincerely Design Co .