An original Keith Haring poster. A first-generation chaise from Charles and Ray Eames. A sculptural chandelier by Ernesto Gismondi. You may find these coveted mid-century modern wares on display in contemporary art museums or while flipping through the pages of Architectural Digest. Or at Retro Inferno, a showroom in Kansas City’s Crossroads district.
Although Rod Parks, owner of Retro Inferno, is certainly an expert on mid-century interiors, he’s not an interior designer or art historian by trade. A former schoolteacher, Parks says he “got the bug” for this sleek design movement more than 30 years ago while pursuing a Ph.D. in counseling and psychology at UMKC. By chance, he stumbled upon a nearby estate sale.
“I always liked unusual stuff,” Parks says. “I started to buy things, and when people would come to my house they’d say ‘wow, that’s cool.’ I started to trust my eye.”
Over the next five years, Parks began learning about manufacturers and designers, filling his garage and basement with unique wares before renting a storage unit. In 1998, Retro Inferno opened its first storefront, and after six years, the business expanded to its current 11,000-square-foot showroom in the East Crossroads.
When it comes to Park’s favorite designers and styles, he says his taste has evolved over the years. He’s long been a fan of designer George Nelson—a desk by this designer was one of the “first good design pieces” he purchased. “Something told me it was special,” he says.
From there, he was drawn to pop art items from the ’60s, followed by what he calls “space age kind of things” from Danish designers like Arne Jacobsen. Most recently, he’s been collecting bold, post-modern pieces for his own home. “They dominate a room,” he says.
With two floors of rare finds, the showroom reflects Parks’ ever-evolving tastes and the eye for design he learned to trust decades ago, bringing together decades of design history under one roof.
Browse the collection online or book an appointment to shop in person (1500 Grand Blvd., KCMO) at retroinferno.com
