Daily Inspiration: Meet Joey Mendez And Buck Wimberly

Today we’d like to introduce you to Joey Mendez And Buck Wimberly.

Hi Joey Mendez and Buck Wimberly, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Buck: Joey and I actually met on the job—me as a brand strategist at Hallmark (twelve years there) and Joey as a men’s contemporary apparel buyer at Halls (ten years). We clicked right away, both personally and professionally.

Joey: About a year into dating, we started dreaming that “one day” we’d open our own store. But the more we talked—what would it look like, what would we carry, what would we call it—the more we realized Kansas City didn’t have anything like it.

Buck: Pretty soon we were obsessed. Nights and weekends were spent sketching layouts, hunting brands, even testing store names over coffee. And fun fact: we never fought. Whenever we disagreed, we just talked it through, found a compromise, and ended up with something even better.

Joey: That was the moment we knew: if we could build a business that way, we could build a life together. So in April 2016, we moved on from our previous jobs and worked full‑time on ULAH—pouring in our life savings and every ounce of energy.

Buck: By October of that year, we opened our doors in a brand‑new building in Woodside Village. We chose it for its proximity to the Plaza, Westport, the Crossroads, plus the Brookside, Fairway, Mission Hills and Westwood crowd—it felt like the perfect junction of a lot of great neighborhoods.

Joey: Now, eight and a half years later, it still feels like yesterday. We’ve learned so much, grown immensely, and every day we still get to do what we love—together.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Buck: Smooth? Oh, far from it! About a year after we opened, water started coming in from the balconies and windows in the apartments above us. The whole building’s facade had to be ripped off and rebuilt—our shop was wrapped in scaffolding for two full years.

Joey: Yeah, and it felt like the timing was cruel. We were basking in the glow of being on three episodes of Netflix’s Queer Eye, so our exposure was up… yet our front doors were literally covered by scaffolding. We were riding that high and simultaneously fighting just to stay open.

Buck: After all of that, we barely had time to breathe before COVID hit. We used that time to amp up our social media and website, uploading our entire inventory online, and offering in‑store pickup plus nationwide shipping. It was also about that time that we created a separate entity for our interior design services, ULAH Interiors + Design. It can be tricky knowing just when to pull the trigger on big changes!

Joey: Funny enough, because of such a strong focus on supporting local from our community, 2020 ended up our best year yet. And then 2021 and 2022 were solid, steady growth years. That confidence gave us the green light to open LUNA by ULAH, our women’s concept.

Buck: But by 2023, foot traffic sagged and sales dipped—and we didn’t pull the ripcord fast enough. Come early 2024, we were stretched thin, so we consolidated LUNA into a section inside ULAH and regrettably had to let most of our team go.

Joey: Inventory got slashed, too. Suddenly we were back in that scrappy startup mindset—Buck and I working in the store everyday, and brainstorming how to bring folks back in.

Buck: It’s been a wild ride—scaffolding, Netflix exposure, multiple awards, a pandemic boom, a post‑pandemic slump, another TV project airing on MAX—but at the end of every long day, we still love doing this. We’re determined to write the next chapter, and continue evolving.

Joey: Exactly. It hasn’t been smooth, but every struggle has taught us something new.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Buck: At its core, ULAH is a true lifestyle boutique. We stock everything you need to live stylishly—from performance‑driven activewear and laid‑back loungewear to denim and casual looks, date‑night outfits, workwear, and all the accessories in between. We even carry skincare, fragrances, and thoughtfully curated gifts. We also offer interior design services through ULAH Interiors + Design, designing commercial and residential spaces.

Joey: What we really specialize in is personal styling. We love it when someone walks in eager to learn: why specific colors work for them, how to mix and match pieces, and how a perfect fit can transform an outfit. And if something needs hemming or altering, our in‑house tailor takes care of it.

Buck: On top of apparel, we’re known for our locally made ULAH Signature fragrances and candles, all inspired by American landscapes. We’ve launched four distinct, high‑end scents so far and built a loyal following, so much so that we wholesale them to other stores. And spoiler alert: our fifth fragrance is dropping very soon!

Joey: Every other month, we host ULAH Live Sessions—intimate, in‑store singer‑songwriter concerts where 100% of ticket sales go straight to the artists. Supporting local music is huge for us because we feel Kansas City is bursting with talent.

Buck: Honestly, the thing I’m most proud of is the community we’ve built. Hearing someone say ‘my favorite shirt ever came from ULAH,’ or helping a couple pick looks for their engagement photos—those moments tell me we’re doing something right.

Joey: What sets us apart is the experience. We worked to create a store that feels warm and un‑intimidating, where clients get styling tips from the store owners themselves. It’s about genuine connections with our community between pop‑ups, fundraisers, concerts, and our online and social media presence.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Buck: Honestly, finding mentors for us started really informally—we spent the entire summer before ULAH opened just picking the brains of friends who run their own businesses. Hearing their stories informed us that there would inevitably be challenges we couldn’t predict.

Joey: Last fall I enrolled in the ScaleUp program through our local SBDC. The coaches there are incredible—practical, honest, and totally invested in your success. I’ll admit, I wish we’d tapped into SBDC’s resources even sooner. They have workshops, one-on-one counseling, and a community of entrepreneurs who lift each other up.

Buck: My advice? Don’t wait. Reach out to your small-business development center or local entrepreneur groups the minute you start thinking about your idea. The right mentor can save you months—or even years—of guesswork. And keep it personal: follow up, ask specific questions, and share your progress. People love to see you grow, and that energy builds real, lasting connections.

Joey: In short—talk to everyone, learn from their mistakes, lean on organizations like the SBDC, and never be too proud to ask for help. It’s how we went from daydreaming over coffee to opening ULAH in six months.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ulahkc.com
• Instagram: @ulahkc
• Facebook: @ulahkc
• Youtube: @ulah8430
• Other: tiktok @ulahkc