A Kansas City streetwear brand is extending its roots on the city’s east side, said owner Donnell Jamison.
Deep Rooted — which Jamison launched in 2018 out of the trunk of his car — has a new home in the shopping center at Troost Avenue and Emanuel Cleaver Boulevard.
“We just want to be that beacon of hope — if they can do it, we can do it — just to inspire somebody,” he said.
Deep Rooted signed a lease for the new, larger space in February after receiving a $15,000 grant from The Porter House KC. Over the past couple of months, Jamison and his team have been working to get the storefront ready — including adding a couple of murals painted by Remy Wherry — and plan to host a grand opening celebration in April once a new shipment of merchandise arrives.
The brand — which is currently undergoing a website refresh — previously operated for three years at a site just south on Troost in the New Landing Mall.
Jamison and David Ross — his uncle and partner on the new project — noted they are most excited for how the larger location will allow them to serve — and partner with — the community better, harkening back to the inspiration for the name of the brand.
“The deeper the roots, the more secure the foundation of the tree is going to be,” Ross explained. “It’s based on our community. It’s deeply rooted in the Kansas City culture and family culture.”
The larger space will accommodate events — like possibly partnering with a local bakery and hosting “muffins with moms” or “donuts with dads” — and bringing in other vendors, Jamison said.
“We can work together and both build our brands together,” he continued. “We’ll be doing vendor spots every Friday and Saturday. I’m inviting two vendors to come on up and set their tables up. So there’s just more space to do a lot of things.”
Working collectively with the community is important, Ross noted.
“We’re doing things with Grandview High School right now, Lincoln Prep, and Central High School,” he added. “So we’re starting to get more of a community environment type of scenario going on here because we grew up in this community. So we’ve always been about giving back.”
In the past year, the clothing company has started partnering with other organizations — like the Grandview High cheerleading squad — to manufacture shirts and other items for them.
“They really know Deep Rooted for having good quality,” Jamison noted. “They go hand in hand, so why not build that on top of building a brand? I’m amazed by how fast it’s taken off. We get new orders every day. God is good.”
In the near future, Jamison and Ross said they are hoping to branch out and expand the brand by adding casual and active wear, plus items for the Latino community. They also want to expand into other major cities like Chicago and New York.
“The sky’s the limit,” Ross added. “The opportunities are presenting themselves, so we want to take advantage of that.”
Whatever opportunities they pursue, Jamison shared, they want to be an inspiration, especially to the youth in the community who might identify with his story.
“It really doesn’t matter how you started, it’s how you finish,” he explained. “I’ve always been into fashion — and to be honest — before I started the brand, I was kind of going down the dark road. I started having kids and I was like, ‘I really need to do something to change, something for longevity, something I can leave behind to the kids.’”
This story was originally published on Startland News, a fellow member of the KC Media Collective.
