Bottoms Up Antique Market

Still a favorite! A couple of things need to be updated, however.There's now a fourth floor! It's primarily furniture made from reclaimed wood, and it's glorious. Plus it's always fun to see more of these old buildings.Also, it seems that Pandolfi's Deli has set up shop in here for First Weekends. That's a big get, as they're just ridiculously good in their own right. One tiny ding (though not worth removing a star) - we met a ridiculously racist stall owner who was selling minstrel show memorabilia and asked if I liked "her Dancing Obamas". Wow lady, you suck. But nobody else seemed to be a Klan member, so I think that's just an isolated incident. Wouldn't mind seeing her stall go away, though.

I'm not the biggest fan of antique malls. I know I know gay men are supposed to love all things antique and all things mall, but this one gets overwhelmed, tired and visually overstimulated. I'm not as much a scavenger when it comes to shopping, I like a nice organized store with good visual displays. But today I actually became a fan of an antique mall....Bottoms Up Antique Market. Stop laughing at the name Bottoms Up, it's in the West Bottoms up on the 2nd and 3rd floors! It's only open on the first Friday and Saturday of the month, therefore it's not filled with a lot of crap. It's filled with some of the finest antique dealers better stuff. Places like Nick Carter & Co., Chistopher FIlley Antiques, Morning Glory Antiques and Prize were all represented here. It's not over stuffed or overflowing which I personally like. Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of stuff in here, but they don't fill it to just sit around and collect dust. It's a large two floors with a little cafe in the middle of the 3rd floor. I found out about it because I was in Nick Carter & Co. looking for a specific piece for my honey's birthday coming up and Nick himself turned me on to this place. I didn't yet find that one exact piece, but I made a contact with a vendor that was going to get back to his permanent shop, do some digging and get back with me soon. It was good day in the West Bottoms............and what a great area of town.

Fun place to explore on 1st Friday weekends. Good mix of antiques but not the same variety they used to have (same stuff each weekend). Still worth the trip. Be warned, parking is a rea pain.

Fun venue! Great booths with fantastic treasures to see! This has to be one of my favorite places in all of the West bottoms. We find that Bottoms Up has true antiques with the least amount of "shabby chic" mixed in... much preferred.

I must admit I have avoided the West Bottoms, probably because I don't love the "hype". But I love vintage and antique stuff and my friends kept raving about the stores down there and showed me some of the stuff they picked up, so I thought it would be best to go with an open mind and see if I could find anything cool.Bottoms Up is different from other stores in the West Bottoms for a few reasons.Firstly, they don't have a main register that you check out at. Vendors are working their booths and you can talk with them about their products which is really cool.Generally the inventory here is pricier than the other stores, but it's not due to an inflated ego. It's because they have legit antiques here. Of all the stores they probably hit the "antique store" description most closely.I spent a lot time walking through this store (HUGE STORE), just looking at everything. From the one of a kind finds to the gorgeous building (the stair case to their upper floors circles around an old elevator, it's like the stuff you'd see in a movie).This is a must see, even if you can't afford it because it puts all the other stores into perspective.

So the significant other and I have enjoyed the West Bottoms' "First Weekend" offerings for quite some time now. This past weekend was by far my favorite jaunt down there so far. Bottoms Up is one of the reasons that this particular trip was so much more memorable. Located over on 13th, the opposite side of the bridge than most of the other shops, this market is well worth the extra little walk. Located in one of the coolest buildings I have been to in Kansas City, this not-so-little store climbs three floors. To reach each of the second and third floors, you are taken on a stairwell that wraps around an ancient elevator. So beautiful in it's old charm. I love that the shaft is only enclosed in the old ornate metal grating allowing climbers to peer through the entire shaft. Each of the floors are packed with different stalls. Most are made up of items that one would actually want to purchase, not just crap that happens to be old. There is a selection of stalls that have salvaged wood workers showing in them, giving Bottoms Up an edge over your t ypical antique mall. On the third floor we found a caterer that had a little cafe set up, sweet little round tables and all. Restrooms were provided up there as well. Clean and spacious, a nice change to so many of the other offerings in the old West Bottoms' buildings restroom selections. After shopping for some time, we found some great old prints from the 1930's which made a perfect addition to our loft walls. The staff and booth operators are very friendly and not at all pushy. We had many questions about all kinds of items. All inquiries were answered without expectations of a purchase. There also seemed to be a large quantity of snacks and treats at many of the stands. I know that we will be back next month and would recommend that anyone shopping the West Bottoms during "First Weekends" make Bottoms Up a definite stop!

As a person who does not spend a lot of time looking for the next great antique 'find' for my home, I always stop by Bottoms Up every First Friday Weekend. Why? It's simple. This seems like one of the most eclectic mixes of vendors that I've found yet. Now, there are other parts of the Bottoms' antique offerings that I like in other shops, but I like to walk around Bottoms Up first. I haven't run into any rude or mean stall owners and no matter what I'm looking for, I've managed to find something to work at Bottom's Up. They also have Restoration Emporium on the bottom floor of their space which I also like. I can kill two birds with one stone, so to speak! (And if you're lucky, one of the boothes on the second floor has fresh made, local donuts every morning so you may even get a free breakfast out of the deal!)I recently learned about the 4th floor but only by chance. As I rounded the corner on the second floor to visit some friends at Pandolfi's Deli (they are there every first weekend) I stumbled upon an awesome couch and oversized chair set from the 1920's ish era. Now, I love this style but the colors were very, very wrong for my apartment but I have a friend who just purchased a house and they were perfect for his place. The man running the booth let me sit on the couch and chair and as my friend-who was out of town-relayed questions through me via text, the man was patient and helpful and told me all about this mysterious fourth floor, where these beauties had just been brought down from a few hours before. No wonder I'd never seen them before! He also knocked $50 off the price because of a slight ding to part of the wood frame so the couch and chair were under $400 combined. What a deal! After about 15 minutes, I left having purchased these pieces for my friend-with the promise that I'd be paid back the next day-and the contact information for the man running the booth in case there would be any problem with my friend getting back into town and picking up the set the next day. They were kind, patient with me playing messenger with all of my friend's questions, and did not try to pitch me to buy other things at their booth while I waited for my friend to decide. Thank you for not being pesky salesmen! Bottom's Up can be hit or miss for some people but for me it is a hit. I look forward to going back every month.

Deciding to make the most out of a cold, dreary weekend in February, my husband and I ventured to the west bottoms to explore the various antique venues. Wow, was I overwhelmed! 4 maybe 5 floors of beautiful antiques from every time period you could think of. You can easily get lost in all of the history that the items possess. Each booth/store has it's own unique character that draws you in in different ways. There are so many strange and beautiful things. The merchants really made our trip! I've never been to antique market where the merchants were so friendly and helpful. Many recommended other venues and activities for my husband and I to do for the rest of the day. Despite all of the awesome merchandise, I think I was most infatuated with the historical building that these shops were in. That's just me though. Old architecture and history mesmerize me. The stairwell was gorgeous in its old, unique way. It winds up and up, surrounding an old iron elevator shaft. I don't think I've ever enjoyed walking up a flight of stairs or 4 flights for that matter. I did think the prices were a little high for some of the antiques. Being from "small town" Missouri, I've been surrounded by antique markets and shops my entire life and am used to their pricing scales. Despite my only price complaint, this antique market is outstanding! I WILL be back!

Every year around the holidays I return to the Kansas City area (where I grew up) from California. I just discovered Bottoms Up two weeks ago. It is an amazing venue and shopping experience! It's a treasure trove of unique items and friendly vendors. The 4-story building is a step back into history. This area of the city has a lot of shops, so I left Bottoms Up after my initial "walkabout" to explore other options. The variety and vibe drew me back there quickly. If you are decorating your home or commercial business, shopping for unique gifts or collecting for yourself, don't miss Bottoms Up! My only problem now is how do I get all my "treasures" back to California!

This used to be a fantastic business. All the venders were asked to leave. A new venue is opening August 2018. Stayed tuned.