Fund Me, KC: ULAH asks Kansas City to help save Westwood menswear store as pandemic debt looms
July 7, 2025 | Startland News Staff
Startland News is continuing its long-running “Fund Me, KC” series to highlight area entrepreneurs’ efforts to accelerate their businesses or lend a helping hand to others. This is an opportunity for business owners and innovators — like menswear retailers and trendsetters Joey Mendez and Buck Wimberly — to share their crowdfunding stories and potentially gain backing from new supporters.
The campaign is wholly led by the entrepreneur and not affiliated with or endorsed by Startland News.
Buck Wimberly and Joey Mendez at ULAH, 4707 Rainbow Blvd, Westwood; courtesy photo
Who are you?
We’re Joey Mendez and Buck Wimberly, life partners and co-owners of ULAH, a lifestyle boutique located in Westwood, Kansas. For nearly 9 years, we’ve curated apparel, gifts, and accessories, but more importantly, we’ve built a space where people feel seen, supported, and connected.
What does your campaign hope to accomplish?
We’re hoping to save ULAH from closure by giving our community the opportunity to help us rebuild and come back stronger. We’ve launched a GoFundMe as our last chance to stay open, recover from pandemic-related debt, and continue doing what we love, creating community through style, events, and storytelling.
Click here to watch a video announcement for the campaign on Instagram.
What’s your ‘why?’
ULAH has always been about more than just retail. It’s a space where we’ve hosted live concerts, Pride block parties, fundraisers, and pop-ups for local brands. We’ve loved supporting others over the years, and now we’re humbly asking for support in return. We believe Kansas City needs places like ULAH, spaces that reflect authenticity, creativity, and community.
How much do you hope to raise with the crowdfunding campaign?
Our goal is to raise $280,000.
How do you plan to use the funds?
The funds will help us:
- Pay down vendor debt and restock our curated inventory
- Cover essential operating expenses during recovery
- Reinvest in marketing to reconnect with our community
Anything else our readers should know about ULAH or this effort?
We know it’s a lot to ask, and we don’t take it lightly. But we also know that if enough people chip in, even just $20, we can reach our goal. ULAH has always been about lifting others up. We’ve made mistakes, we’ve learned a lot, and now we’re ready to rebuild the right way. We just need a little help to get there.
Click here to explore ULAH.
2025 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
LaunchKC pivoting from annual grants contest to supporting industry verticals, accelerators
LaunchKC is expected to focus on specific business verticals in 2019 — an effort to bring companies to Kansas City that can fill industry gaps, said Jim Malle. A revamped version of the annual grants competition eventually would grow those verticals into individual accelerator programs, said Malle, business development officer at the Economic Development Corporation…
Cowboy couture: WH Ranch lassos dream of making the ‘best blue jeans in the world’
Ryan Martin sold his best cowboy boots to buy high-quality denim for his western couture brand, said the founder of Kansas-based W.H. Ranch Dungarees. “I was always describing [my product as] ‘custom made’ but ‘couture’ really describes it best,” said Martin, detailing the laborious process that limits production to an average of four pairs of…
Keystone Award forecasts potential job growth thanks to soon-to-open iWerx-Gladstone
A still-in-the-works coworking space already is inspiring economic development north of the river, said Bob Martin, partner at iWerx, bolstered this week by a Keystone Award for business impact. “Before even opening our doors in Gladstone, we had commitments for nearly 30 percent of the more than 75 offices,” Martin said ahead of the entrepreneurial…
Experience unlocked: Aussie pop-up racing into KC in early 2019 with Mushroom Rally
Mushroom Rally — a real life Mario Kart race experience with roots in Australia — is expected to swerve into the Kansas City scene in early 2019, said James Harrison. “[Mushroom Rally] will hit 16 cities [next year], with Kansas City being one of them,” said Harrison, a race organizer for the experience pop-up. “We…