Minority-Led

Double-clicks to dollars: ULAH duo aims to convert Insta following into ruggedly chic shoppers

By Tommy Felts / April 30, 2019

A dream has become brick-and-mortar reality for Buck Wimberly and Joey Mendez, the duo taking ULAH from Instagram underdog to Westwood success story. “We wanted the brand to feel sophisticated, accessible and friendly,” explained Wimberly, co-owner of ULAH — a men’s apparel and lifestyle store, tucked within the Woodside Village Shops along Rainbow Boulevard. A…

‘Starting to bloom’: Kritiq spring show debuts Sunday highlighting KC fashion scene by design

By Tommy Felts / April 25, 2019

Jo Hartley might be different from the typical designer featured this weekend at The Kritiq Fashion Show. She’s also the type of creator who organizers of the Kansas City runway experience want to brag about — the type they credit with helping grow the fashion show that’s been organized each fall the past four years.…

Calendar update: Startup Weekend KC event postponed until fall, organizer says

By Tommy Felts / April 20, 2019

Entrepreneurs hungering for intensive, organic product development will have to wait a few more months for their fix. Techstars Startup Weekend KC — originally slated for April 26-28 at the SafetyCulture North American Headquarters in the Crossroads — has been postponed until September, event organizer Rebecca Dove said. The annual “three-day long sprint to launch…

Shari Young doesn’t want Blacque Onyx to be the next online sensation; she wants shoppers on Troost

By Tommy Felts / April 18, 2019

While others in the marketplace might be chasing viral success online, Shari Young has approached building her new Blacque Onyx Apparel store on Troost with a more long-term strategy, she said. “I know that in the age of social media things blow up really fast and then they’re gone — I didn’t want to be…

First couple of KC Dapper Rap launching first-of-its-kind coworking space for city’s urban core

By Tommy Felts / April 16, 2019

A new self-style space in Midtown is expected to offer hair, beauty and wellness entrepreneurs an opportunity to cowork under one roof without the burden of securing financing or paying for utilities, said Lauren Euston. “If you are a busy stylist or busy wellness professional and you are working hard to reach the next level…