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
LaunchKC shines spotlight on founders as first social venture studio cohort takes the stage
Tying Jerren Thornhill’s social venture to the footwear industry jogs a logical path, the founder said: re-selling used shoes was a $2 billion industry in 2021, and more importantly: “Kids love shoes.” His startup, One Pair — founded in 2020 to provide teenagers with a pathway to financial security through entrepreneurship while simultaneously minimizing their…
System set up to ‘suck the life’ out of formerly incarcerated people takes a hit with new microloan deal
A recently announced agreement is expected to help returning citizens break a cycle of struggle that’s historically been reinforced by a criminal justice system advocates say is set up to make them fail, said Kyle J. Benson-Smith. The Kansas City District SBA Office and two local nonprofit organizations held a public signing ceremony Wednesday afternoon…
Is Wichita the next tech hotspot? Startup week organizer says pieces are falling into place
Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro. This series is possible thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which leads a collaborative, nationwide effort to identify and remove large and small barriers to new business creation. After…
‘You Belong Here’: Add these 10 GEW events to your calendar (then keep clicking)
Global Entrepreneurship Week is returning to Kansas City in November with the ability for attendees to build their own week-long schedules from more than 150 planned virtual and in-person sessions. With a theme focused on inclusion, the wide-ranging options offer resources and insight for solopreneurs and small business to scaling startups — regardless of geography.…