Vintage isn’t always affordable: Look inside the new West Bottoms shop that puts focus on accessible fashion (and a new cafe concept)

RexKC has outgrown another home, the brothers behind the thriving Kansas City secondhand fashion brand said. They’re opening a 16,000-square-foot flagship Friday in the West Bottoms — doubling the business’ footprint and introducing a new Café Rex concept.

RexKC’s new flagship store at 1280 Liberty St. in the West Bottoms; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

“The core of the decision came from the brand growing and evolving,” said Thomas Rex, who co-founded the company with his brother, Reade. “It was time to change our setup and turn it into something more than just a retail store.”

An expanded space at 1280 Liberty St. allows more room for customers to browse, grab a coffee and spend the afternoon, he continued, noting the addition of lounge seating and space for community events.

The expansion comes nearly two years after RexKC outgrew its previous West Bottoms storefront, continuing a steady stretch of growth fueled by affordable secondhand fashion and a loyal local following.

Thomas Rex said the move was driven as much by customers as the business itself. Events at the previous location regularly packed the store, limiting what the team could host and signaling that people wanted more than a quick shopping trip.

“We wanted to become more of a hub,” he said.

Reade and Thomas Rex, co-founders of RexKC; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

A place to spend the afternoon

A larger space gives the brothers room to bring that vision to life. The first floor is dedicated to shopping. Upstairs, Café Rex will serve coffee, matcha and pastries alongside lounge seating, community tables and flexible space for local vendors, pop-ups and future events.

The café wasn’t part of the original plan, the brothers said. After signing the lease, they expected to live upstairs. But as RexKC kept growing, they realized the business needed both floors, opening the door for an entirely different idea.

“We want people to come hang out here,” said Thomas Rex. “Creating a lounge and café gives them a place where they can spend time and shop.”

The coffee program grew through a partnership with Marcell Coffee, the wholesale roaster behind coffee shop Take Care by OLEO. Reade Rex said he had known owner Christopher Oppenhuis through Kansas City’s vintage community, and when the brothers began looking for a local coffee partner, the fit came together naturally.

“We really wanted to add to the experience and create something people would remember,” said Reade Rex.

“The old store could be a little daunting for customers if they weren’t really used to the thrifting world,” he added. “We wanted to make sure anybody can walk in and have a good experience.”

Reade and Thomas Rex, co-founders of RexKC; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

Growing alongside the West Bottoms

As investment has picked up across the West Bottoms, the Rex brothers have watched weekend foot traffic grow well beyond First Fridays, bringing more shoppers into the district throughout the month.

“I think it fits our brand really well,” Thomas Rex of the neighborhood and their decision to stay in the West Bottoms. “There’s just a lot of potential down here.”

The Liberty Street space also opens the door for weekly Friday night events, live music, outdoor markets and collaborations with local vendors beginning in August.

The building’s two-story layout and private parking lot give RexKC ample room to keep expanding its community programming as it settles into the new flagship, said Thomas Rex.”Our events are going to get a little more ramped up as we get comfortable in the space every year,” he said. “There’s just a lot we can do.”

That same mindset has shaped what’s on the racks, too.

Over time, RexKC has expanded beyond curated vintage into a wider mix of affordable secondhand clothing and upcycled pieces, making it easier for newcomers to discover secondhand fashion without feeling priced out.

“The biggest thing people responded to was our focus on affordability and accessibility,” said Reade Rex. “Not everybody’s a vintage enthusiast. A lot of people are looking for something that feels individual to them.”

RexKC plans to celebrate its grand opening Friday, July 17, with local barbecue, live blues music, Café Rex’s debut and free swag bags for the first 100 customers. For the founders, it’s the start of a new chapter, one they hope becomes a gathering place for the neighborhood as much as a destination for secondhand shopping.

“I hope people are as excited about the space as I am,” said Reade Rex. “That’s what I’m looking for, just smiles on people’s faces.”