rOOTS KC grows into third location, planting shop in River Market ahead of World Cup
November 4, 2025 | Jocelyn Heckman
Initially setting its roots as a pop-up plant shop in 2020, Dee Ferguson’s leafy business has grown to three Kansas City locations. The secret is in the soil, she said, describing a strategy for cultivating customers through free, evergreen plant care support and “community-rooted spirit.”
The name rOOTS comes from Dee Ferguson’s surname: Oots.
Born and raised in Kansas City, she earned an appreciation of plants at a young age alongside her grandparents. Branding for the business allows her to honor their contribution to her life.
“2025 has been a difficult year for all of retail,” said Ferguson, who first launched rOOTS KC as a brick-and-mortar storefront in Kansas City’s Westside neighborhood before expanding to both Zona Rosa and The River Market. “So we’re rolling with the punches and ensuring we are always customer experience focused. That’s really been our success story.”
The stores specialize in matching each customer with the right plant for their lifestyle, she said, noting the team offers free in-store potting, professional repotting help, plant health checks, and expert advice so plants can thrive in their new homes.
They even make their own special soil — Plant Bimbo Potting Soil — using compost sourced in Kansas City.
Click here to shop rOOTS KC.
Place also is important to the woman-owned venture, Ferguson said, describing an intentional push to create space for neighborhood engagement in each store. The Westside location, for example, doubles as an art gallery, featuring work from local artists, which rotate each month. The stores also host workshops and seasonal events like terrarium-building nights and holiday crafts.
Such gatherings bring people together physically, but also show how plants can help plug people into their communities in a deeper and more meaningful way, Ferguson said, noting the most difficult element of expanding into more stores is balancing growth and maintaining the personal and neighborhood focus that makes the brand successful.
“Even though we’ve grown into storefronts, we’ve never stopped being a pop-up at heart,” she said. “It’s always been about people helping them find a plant that fits their life and bringing Kansas City together.”
The rOOTS KC store in River Market at 412 Delaware St.; photo by Jocelyn Heckman, Startland News
The brand’s newest store in River Market is growing squarely within the shadow of the the coming FIFA World Cup, a region-redefining moment that’s set to bring as many as 650,000 visitors to Kansas City in June and July 2026.
RELATED: Here’s how KCMO plans to turn empty storefronts into a World Cup stage for local talent
“As Kansas City works to revitalize retail spaces ahead of the World Cup, rOOTS KC stands as a proud example of local resilience, reinvestment, and helping KC grow — in every sense of the word,” Ferguson said.
Click here to follow rOOTS KC on Instagram.
Jocelyn Heckman is a Park Hill South High School journalism student and an intern for Startland News.
2025 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
‘Why would you put that on a cake?’ The C Word Cakery frosts the boundaries of good taste
The C Word Cakery is a reflection of the baker behind the business, Savannah Brady shared. “It doesn’t take itself too seriously,” she explained. Brady — a southwest Missouri native who moved to Kansas City during the pandemic — specializes in, as she puts it, “good cake, bad words” — vintage-looking, classic, floral cakes that…
CRWND as a KC pitch contest winner, Keliah Smith expands her product line (and comfort zone)
Keliah Smith was nervous. She’d never been a fan of speaking in front of a crowd, but knew exposing her discomfort and weakness through the Alchemy Sandbox pitch competition was just part of the ongoing journey of an entrepreneur, she said. Avoiding that spotlight, Smith noted, already had kept her — and her business, CRWND…
DeBruce integrates career toolbox into HBCU’s programming for Black and Brown entrepreneurs
A new partnership between The DeBruce Foundation and Harris-Stowe State University showcases a shared goal of unlocking the potential within individuals and equipping them for bright careers and bright futures, said Leigh Anne Taylor Knight. “This is one of those relationships that reminds us that partnerships don’t need to be complicated,” said Taylor Knight, executive…
Heart by hand: Paper illustrator crafts intricate designs with an evocative pop of culture
Andrea Cira can trace the inspiration for her hand-crafted, colorful, paper illustrations back to her upbringing in Mexico, she shared. “You see a lot of things that are done by hand or by scratch,” she explained. “I’ve lived in different places in Mexico, so I got to see a few things from artisans. I always…