Shoppers lined the block to visit their vintage clothing store; now they’ve curated a new, larger space in KC’s West Bottoms
August 23, 2024 | Taylor Wilmore
As brothers Thomas and Reade Rex open the doors to their relocated and expanded vintage clothing store this weekend in Kansas City’s West Bottoms, the event will be a culmination of years of hard work, passion, and a shared vision — plus significant customer support and loyalty, they said.
“We’ve always done things together,” said Reade Rex, co-owner of Rex Vintage, “from childhood projects to running this business, it’s something that’s always felt natural for us.”
Rex Vintage clothing shop in the West Bottoms; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
The duo’s move to the second floor of 1420 W. 13th Terrace — right above antique store Good Ju Ju — marks a milestone for their venture, which quickly outgrew its previous location in Westside. An overwhelming response from customers looking for unique fashion finds turned the quiet corner shop into a destination experience.
“We’re scaling our operation, and really honing in on what we do best,” said Reade.
“We’re excited to be in a much bigger space,” added Thomas Rex. “The last events we had at our old store were so crowded, people were waiting outside just to get in. Now, we can accommodate the same audience, but actually give them room to move around.”
Saturday’s grand opening is expected to feature a DJ, local vendors, and a sale that promises to draw in both new and returning customers, Thomas said, all in a new event space and the storefront upstairs. After the debut event, the brothers plan to use the event space for pop-ups and sales.
“Anyone who’s a fan of our current store will be impressed with this new space,” said Thomas. “We’re hoping to gain a lot of new customers from this grand opening. It’s going to be a good time.”
Click here to follow Rex Vintage on Instagram.
Rex Vintage clothing shop in the West Bottoms; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
New space, same vintage vibes
Rex Vintage’s new location not only offers more room inside for new upgrades like fitting rooms, but also aligns with the aesthetic for which the brothers’ brand has become known.
Raw brick walls, wooden beams, and a vintage industrial feel complement the store’s retro vibe.
Reade Rex adjusts a lightbulb ahead of the grand opening for Rex Vintage in the West Bottoms; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
“This space fits our aesthetic super well,” Reade said. “It’s rough around the edges, just like what we do, but we’re carrying over the same theme from our previous store: minimalist, retro, and always with a unique twist.”
The Rex’s journey to the new space began when they spotted a property listing on Craigslist.
“This space used to be a store called Porcelain Monkey. We took a tour, and we just knew it was the right fit for us,” said Thomas.
Rex Vintage originally began as a passion project during Reade’ high school years, inspired by his mother’s love of antiques and thrift shopping. Thomas joined later to help manage the business side, allowing Reade to focus on curating the one-of-a-kind selection of vintage clothing.
The brothers’ hard work and dedication quickly paid off, with their first store opening in October 2023 and a second location in Lawrence, Kansas, earlier this year.
Thomas Rex, Rex Vintage; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
Affordable, curated clothes
Entrance to the second-floor The Rex Catalog vintage clothing shop in the West Bottoms; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
Rex Vintage focuses on affordable, curated vintage items and caters to a niche market within Kansas City, Thomas and Reade said, noting it’s a demographic of consumers that previously wasn’t well served.
“There’s a gap in the market for what we sell,” said Thomas. “There are other vintage stores, but we definitely fit a niche that didn’t exist before. We’re kind of a mix between a thrift store and a vintage store; offering cool, curated items at an affordable price.”
Reade echoed his brother’s sentiment, emphasizing the store’s commitment to providing value.
“Our goal has always been to create a curated thrift store experience — where you can find cool vintage items at an affordable price,” he said. “That’s what people really like, and that’s what we’re continuing to offer in this new space.”
Taylor Wilmore
Taylor Wilmore, hailing from Lee’s Summit, is a dedicated reporter and a recent graduate of the University of Missouri, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Journalism. Taylor channels her deep-seated passion for writing and storytelling to create compelling narratives that shed light on the diverse residents of Kansas City.
Prior to her role at Startland News, Taylor made valuable contributions as a reporter for the Columbia Missourian newspaper, where she covered a wide range of community news and higher education stories.
2024 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
KC Velocity launches as re-imagined Lee’s Summit accelerator goes metro-wide
An entrepreneur-backed support organization for early stage founders and business leaders across Kansas City went live this week — the culmination of an intensive rebranding campaign for an accelerator previously geared specifically to Lee’s Summit. “KC Velocity is focused on matching growing businesses with experienced, invested experts in a variety of essential capacities including finance, accounting,…
WATCH NOW: Kansas City Community Builders to Watch
Join Startland News for a celebratory broadcast that showcases the work of six local leaders with exceptional stories of community impact. This mid-day broadcast — streaming at 11:30 a.m. as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) — features a musical performance by Golden Groves. This edition of Startland News Reports is presented in partnership with Fishtech Group.…
Demo day alert: 13 new Comeback KC Ventures fellows set for debut on GEW KC stage
The first crop of Comeback KC Ventures fellows — entrepreneurs offering solutions from healthtech and edtech products to sports evaluations and an animation academy emerging in response to COVID-19 — is expected to highlight more than a dozen companies Thursday during a GEW KC innovation showcase. “The demo day will allow early participants in the…
How Finotta emerged from 2020’s perils with a leap of faith, $3M investment banked
The through line of Parker Graham’s startup journey so far: resiliency. “People like to joke that cockroaches just don’t die,” laughed Graham, reflecting after his fintech company, Finotta — more pheonix rising than cockroach surviving — recently closed a $3 million seed funding round and completely changed the makeup of its team. “I feel like…