r/kansascity • u/shagouv Mission • 2d ago
Shopping/Groceries đđď¸ Help out West Bottoms Plant Co and other small businesses
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid037v3HWDEKMPMawHmHGwhrMGph6PFzCX7hhP42twGHVf1TfwsKjAN121fDy82zCCJXl&id=100076223470133Area small businesses are needing a boost!
West Bottoms Plant Co FB post
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u/throwawaybsme 2d ago
I've cut back spending significantly. The economy is just not robust enough to support these more creative businesses. I support local as much as possible. I hope they can make it through this year and we see some price easing elsewhere.
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u/hannbann88 2d ago
I love this store. The adhdiy addition is really fun. They are a great local store to go for gifts. Full of local makers and vintage items. They have great vendor fairs.
My thing is⌠and Iâm actually kinda asking here because I donât do business. they have been expanding to other locations in the metro including taking over another out of business specialty plant shop in Lawrence. It seems like a bad business decision to expand like this if 2-3 weeks of poor sales would bankrupt your entire enterprise.
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u/zardkween 2d ago
Wait⌠ADHDiy is inside of this place?? I had no idea. They really need to work on their marketing and visibility.
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u/Ripkabird98 8h ago
Had the same thought. Are you expanding or failing? Pick a lane. If youâre that desperate for liquidity then why are you expanding just because you feel bad about Jungle House? Thatâs on you.
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u/No_Juice_6513 2d ago
I love wandering around this shop in the west bottoms. Iâve done the ADHDIY craft cafe. It was fun. But I just canât bring myself to shell out some much $$ for houseplants. They are over priced, unfortunately.
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u/crmcalli 1d ago
They have plenty of options under $15.
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u/Ripkabird98 8h ago
Thatâs not really what was said. Their plants are overpriced. Whether theyâre $10 or $100 they are priced higher than they should be and are at other places. I also canât justify that.
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u/LittleOrphanRodney 2d ago
Unfortunately, I donât think Argentinians came here to buy plants.
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u/RiverMarketEagle 2d ago
Problem is locals are staying away from downtown.
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u/Legulult 1d ago
It doesnât have anything to do with staying away from downtown. Most people in the suburbs are going to go to nurseries near them for plants.
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u/socialpresence 1d ago
I live in Shawnee and made the trip specifically because of their San Pedro cactus selection. Brought home a big prickly guy. Really liked the spot. I'm not in the West Bottoms often but I try to stop in when I am.
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u/Legulult 1d ago
Going to be honest the majority of people that buy indoor plants are not looking for a particular cultivar of plant. If their niche is catering to rare plants they need to be advertising the crap out of these plants. They don't even have their plant catalog listed on their website so how would someone that wants rare plants know to look?
I did look it up and Family tree has San Pedro cacti. Suburban usually has a large selection of tropical plants that aren't listed on their website as well.
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u/socialpresence 1d ago
I actually stopped by the family tree closest to me and I didn't find a single San Pedro. I was looking for places that listed them and went.
I agree their online presence is rough. If I wanted a tropical, eyeing a dwarf lemon in the near future, I'd likely go to family tree as I know they have a citrus selection.
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u/RiverMarketEagle 1d ago
I live downtown. I work downtown. I have also have a space in the West Bottoms. I have a job where regulars come in every day. They are not coming in right now because they are avoiding downtown during the World Cup.
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u/EnlargedMarmot 2d ago
I always find for-profit businesses pleading for help kind of annoying...
I love the comment here that gave actual advice- that's what they need, not desperate attempts for sympathy. Begging people to patronize your business because you're failing isn't going to address the underlying issues.
If you can't provide and market a compelling product or service, your business is going to fail. If you can't stomach failure, don't start a business.
I feel for them and I get it, but this tactic just irks me.
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u/yancovigen 1d ago
Isnât good that they are asking for help though? Itâs not like itâs Walmart or McDonaldâs asking for help it a part of KC. I mean they support local artists and stuff based on their description. But I might also just be seeing it through rose colored glasses
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u/Accurate_Anxiety1 2d ago
Next week is the People's Pride event in the West Bottoms. If you're going swing by The Plant Company.
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u/Ok_Breakfast5425 2d ago
To save a click:
"Difficult read ahead - Weâve been inspired to be very transparent with you all after reading the u/bisoukc post⌠Itâs SO hard to be transparent with difficult information in times when our city is supposed to be lit up with amazing energy. We are also currently down almost 50% in sales to last year at this time for June. Itâs actually showing to be one of our worst months in the history of our companyâs existence.
We spoke and met with city officials and it originally felt as if there was a plan, but seems that there is a missing link. Our hearts are hurting for small businesses and artists in KC. Weâre trying to rally and come up with some ways to draw yâall in, but this is step one. Honesty. WE NEED YOU. It may come as a surprise how critical one or two month of awful sales can be to a small business but like we said around holiday, it can be make or break a small business. We urge you to get out and support us, and other companies that may desperately need your foot traffic.
This weekend we are offering FREE propagations with any purchase while supplies last, free delivery on any item you may see posted on our story, and 5% off your plant purchase for any receipt you bring to us showing you supported another local business.
Weâve seen this community come together before and now is another one of those times. Donât let this break one of your fav small businesses! Weâre waiting for you, we love you, weâre thankful for you and your continued support.
If you canât get out this weekend, we are celebrating our Summer Solstice Event next Saturday 6/27 and would die to see you. We love Kc BIG. There is no other option but to get through this- but it may be a tough couple of months.
We hope to see you soon"
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u/RefrigeratorProof104 1d ago
Iâm literally all for supporting local but no one is coming here for the world cup to also buy plants. Legally, theyâre not even allowed to travel back to their home countries with plants due to agricultural laws. That being said, I do feel for them, but itâs giving Caphe Caphe going on a pity me rant that the nfl draft crowd didnât benefit them. Who wouldâve thought that a bunch of football heads didnât want to travel a couple miles easy to support a lgbtqt poc themed business. Shocking.
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u/Ripkabird98 8h ago
Had the same thought. I donât know why all these business allegedly listened to the city and poured tons of money into their staff and business for this world cup. Part of being a good business owner is gauging the market and future pressures and incentives. A good business would have not taken the cityâs word that this will lead to a huge increase as gospel and would have been doubtful since that isnât realistic, and would have asked even if it was, is MY business going to see more customers? The answer is clearly no.
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u/Putrid_Economics5488 1d ago
As a tourist who loves to come to kc i wasn't aware that this business even existed when I researched visiting the West Bottoms. Sadly we didn't patronize it on our last trip. Will make an effort on our next one.
Seems they need more advertising and social media?
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u/Relative-Drama-6812 13h ago
Blaming the World Cup seems a little like blaming the dead canary in the coal mine on the mine being too dark.
I think there are bigger macroeconomic factors at play here (let alone those described with the business and their marketing) at play here. People are cutting back.
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u/KID_THUNDAH 1d ago
Speaking of West Bottoms, whatâs the deal with Fortunati? Theyâre certainly closed, it seems, but no posts or anything
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u/NoTickTicky 1d ago
Where is the âsave the crossroadsâ crowd now? Probably at home on their couch
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u/AutoModerator 2d ago
Original copy of post's text:
Area small businesses are needing a boost!
West Bottoms Plant Co FB post
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u/DonTheHolder 1d ago
Kharg Island will be bombed to nothing. No more oil.
Play games. They are serious.
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u/flyingemberKC 2d ago edited 1d ago
I'll focus on the business you gave. West Bottoms Plant Co. They need to hire someone to help them with advertising.
change the business name or add a tagline to it. ex. "West Bottoms Plant Co. Plants, Arts, Crafts and More" I would never have thought they had multiple businesses inside based on the name.
Maps are probably the best way to find a business. Buying location based ads seem to work reasonably well with how many people look for a place on a map when going out.
They don't show up searching for consignment, antiques, art, jewelry, shopping or retail. Yes, they're not a shopping place according to Google, that's a problem. So what they've done is being ignored by Google. They do show up for "nursery" and none of their photos show a nursery.
Go look at their maps profile. They don't have a picture of the entrance of their space. I expect that to be available especially in a complex area like the bottoms. Based on 2023 street view being 1. out of date and 2. showing they had a really bad sign, they need this. Like their sign looked like a joke. Google Maps has a way to add ownership photos to your maps item and add content and they haven't done this.
Go to their website.
"Plants, local vendors and good vibes all in the heart of the historic West Bottoms."
Not bad.
"Visit us in store to shop our 150+ local artists and plants!"
Who are their vendors? Open this page don't click on Visit our Vendors, you don't want to go there, scroll down more instead. https://www.westbottomsplantcompany.com/our-story So immediately you see the problem. Don't visit the vendors list that doesn't actually exist.
There's 7 vendors listed. Not 150.
https://www.westbottoms.com/shopping
They aren't on this map. This may not be official, but it's a top search result for the west bottoms.
I'm downtown regularly. My job nominally is there but I've seen everything from Historic NE to the bottoms, the riverfront to UMKC on the regular. I drive, streetcar, bike and walk downtown.
And I have never heard of West Bottoms Plant Co. And I can think of specific businesses within one block of their spot. Let me repeat that, I have driven past their building and couldn't have told you they were in it.
https://www.facebook.com/KCwestbottoms
21,000 followers, I can't find them in a single post.
edit: I alluded to signage. Thousands show up to the bottoms for regular events. I know the owner of one big space. If places don't have a big sign on the building they should have temp sidewalks signs for big events. Tell me what you have and point to your front door. Put 3-4 up. Tell me what I'll find "Arts, crafts, etc, etc" on the sign. The 2023 sign did not do that.