Resilience pays off as retail incubator opens doors; Meet the first featured founders at PHKC

Launching a retail incubator in Midtown Kansas City — a physical space targeted for overlooked and under-resourced entrepreneurs — The Porter House KC faced many of the same challenges as emerging small businesses, said Miranda Schultz, but ultimately the effort made it to opening day.

Charon Thompson, Miranda Schultz, and Dan Smith, 811 Retail Incubator, The Porter House KC; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

“It’s been nice to go through our own trial and error, learning what works and what doesn’t,” said Schultz, PHKC’s programs director. “We’ve also seen what our business owners can go through during their own transitions after opening a brick-and-mortar store.”

The 811 Retail Incubator celebrated its grand opening Friday. The Porter House KC’s new innovative hub offers individual, rotating spaces for budding business owners to take their ideas from the drawing board to the storefront and test-run their retail concepts. The space is expected to be open to the public noon to 7 p.m. Wednesdays to Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays.

Click here to learn more about the 811 Retail Incubator’s journey from concept to fully-funded reality.

The first round of businesses to be featured within the retail incubator: Someday Sunday, Weirdo Nailz, CRWND Illustrations, and Thrift the Runway.

Business owners will join the Missouri Small Business Development Center’s GROWTH360 program for training and receive additional financial, networking, and mentoring support from PHKC.

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“Our resilience has paid off, and it’s rewarding to see this space provide what these businesses have been looking for,” said Schultz. 

Keliah Smith, CRWND Illustrations; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

CRWND Illustrations

Keliah Smith, founder of CRWND Illustrations, focuses her creative work on inclusive and empowering representations of Black women in stationary, wall art, and tote bags.

CRWND Illustrations; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

“I am combating a long period of Black people not being represented in the paper and card industry. Yes, we are represented but we are not represented with our voice,” she said.  

Smith’s inclusion in the 811 space’s debut was the reminder she needed that she was on the right path as an entrepreneur, she said.

“Being part of this incubator is a tremendous boost for our business. It feels like a validation of our hard work and perseverance,” said Smith.

During a rough patch in her life — balancing entrepreneurship with being a single mom — drawing became therapeutic to Smith, who is both an artist and a designer. Her passion for creating canvas art and greeting cards for friends and family became the start of CRWND. 

Her breakthrough to keep going came when a customer’s emotional response to a custom greeting card she designed confirmed her calling, she said. 

“The customer and her sister both broke down crying when they saw it,” said Smith. “Seeing how much the card touched them was incredibly validating for me.”

Latoya Sirls, Someday Sunday; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News

Someday Sunday

Latoya Sirls’ skincare line, Someday Sunday, is about transcending skincare to prioritize self-care, spa-like tranquility, and serene living through your beauty routine. 

The name Someday Sunday embodies the essence and ritual of self-care as an everyday routine.

“Sunday is the day of rest or relaxation,” said Sirls. “It’s about finding those little moments throughout their day where you can take your time and tell yourself this is mine.”

She creates moments for self-care through her products such as the Tone and Tighten Body Cream, lip butters, and the body butters Vanilla Embrace and Jasmine Lullaby.

“I wanted to make products that people would be excited to try and keep it simple to start with,” said Sirls.

All of her products are vegan and plant-based, with unscented options for those with sensitive skin. Reflecting on her experience in the skincare industry and working at Sephora, Sirls wanted to create a clean line that would benefit the skin. 

“I thought, ‘I don’t want to introduce another product with synthetic ingredients. Let me make it with natural organic ingredients with natural fragrances,’” she recalled, aiming for formulations that people can trust.

Ciara Barton, Thrift the Runway; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

Thrift the Runway

Thrift the Runway found a home at the retail incubator after founder Ciara Barton turned her hobby of shopping on a budget into a thriving business where people can find her thrifted finds all in one place. 

The move to a physical retail space at Porter House KC has been a significant milestone for Barton, she said.

“It’s an answered prayer. It has been a desire in my heart that came to pass,” Barton said. 

She previously operated from a studio space, but the demand from the local community pushed her to find a more permanent retail solution. Barton has a long history in sustainable fashion, she said, having hosted eco-friendly fashion parties since 2011. 

Now, with Thrift the Runway, she aims to bridge the gap between online and in-person retail experiences.

 “We also just launched KC Thrift Tours, our way of patronizing and supporting local, sustainable businesses while bringing the sustainable fashion community together,” she added.

The Porter House KC space not only allows Barton to showcase her curated collections, but also provides educational and mentorship opportunities. 

“Now, not only am I getting this education, but I have mentorship and coaching in the exact thing that I’m trying to do,” she said.

This support has been crucial, especially after Barton took a break to care for her mother during her battle with cancer.

“After she was in remission and clear and free, I was here, and that’s when this opportunity came,” she said. “It was like a symphony — God knew.”

Check out a photo gallery from the grand opening event below.