A new co-warehousing space in North Kansas City is providing entrepreneurs like LaToya Ebony Sirls a manufacturing-ready environment that supports production — features the surging small business owner can’t get in a typical co-working setup, she said.
Elevator — launched in 2022 in Omaha, Nebraska — expanded into the Kansas City market late last year. The space opened its doors north of the river in early December with 65 warehouse/flex units (private and open air), 34 office suites, and three loading docks, allowing businesses to store, ship, and scale.
LaToya Ebony Sirls, Someday Sunday, at Elevator in North Kansas City; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
“Moving into Elevator lets us continue producing in alignment with Good Manufacturing Practice standards, grow our team, and scale with intention,” explained Ebony Sirls, who founded Someday Sunday — a luxury, plant-based body care brand — in 2024. “Having dedicated space is a game-changer for consistency, efficiency, and capacity. It also puts us in a community of builders, which makes the day-to-day feel energized and supported.”
Elevator also operates locations in Des Moines, St. Louis, and Lincoln, Nebraska. Efforts to expand its model is backed by a $1.6 million investment announced in 2024. A St. Louis location is expected to open this spring.
The Elevator concept combines flexible workspaces with logistics support and community connections, noted Robin Cazavilan, community manager for the Kansas City site.
“We remove barriers to entry for any small business owner that might not necessarily be ready to take on the liability, the expense, the risk that comes with getting their own building or starting a business without the support,” she said.
“The big goal is to elevate our community and small businesses,” Cazavilan added, “because we know that they elevate the community.”
The more than 42,000-square-foot Kansas City location sits near such businesses as Sonic Drive-In and Callsign Brewing.
Self-care products from Someday Sunday
Someday Sunday — one of Startland News’ Small Businesses to Watch in 2025 — plans to use its warehouse space to expand small-batch manufacturing, inventory organization, and content creation, Ebony Sirls said.
“It’s where our products go from formulation to finished goods — including both jars and tubes — and where we can test, refine, and prepare for larger online volume, wholesale, and corporate gifting opportunities,” she explained. “Next, the goal is to bring on more production support so we can increase output while keeping the quality we are known for.”
It feels like Elevator was built for businesses that are serious about growth, Ebony Sirls continued.
“The flexibility, warehouse support, and overall setup make it easier to build out operations and plan ahead,” she added.
Storytailor — an AI-driven platform that adapts to a child’s emotions to provide a tool of comfort and support founded by JQ Sirls and Herston Fails and one of Startland News’ Startups to Watch in 2024 — are also moving into the new Elevator space.
“We’re extremely excited,” Sirls said. “As we expand into physical products with our super cuddly therapy support plush — CHOMP CHOMPASAURUS — we’ll have full warehouse support for shipping and distribution.”
“Even better, It’s a wide-open canvas for us to fully express the whimsical and nonsensically imaginative side of us that we couldn’t have expressed otherwise,” he added.
The new Storytailor office is quite large, Sirls noted, which lets the startup scale but also turn it into the co-founders own “Wonka’s factory or Neverland/wonderland” to further inspire fun ideas and host STEM and creative classes for kids and those who used to be kids.
“Our hope is to create instant giggles and smiles for all who visit, leaving them inspired to pursue their dreams and be kids again,” he explained. “We’re grateful for Elevator for allowing us to have a space where we can fully express our professional 6-year-old selves.”
Elevator at 20 W. 14th Ave. in North Kansas City; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
While Elevator caters toward e-commerce sellers and creative entrepreneurs, Cazavilan said, its roster includes a robotics business, a real estate developer, and a landscape lighting business.
Robin Cazavilan, community manager at Elevator in North Kansas City; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
“We’ve got just about everything that you could imagine,” she continued. “Most industries can find a place here. In the Omaha location, I think they have six or seven tattoo artists scattered throughout the building. We have someone who’s considering opening up a barber shop here. So there’s almost nothing that you could dream up that we wouldn’t be able to come up with something that’s a good fit.”
Although each Elevator location is unique, the owners have made sure the cornerstone of all the spaces is on valuing the people and fostering connection, Cazavilan noted. To build that community, the North Kansas City location will have monthly events like lunch and learns and gallery showings and painting workshops with its artist in residence, plus free co-working on Thursdays.
“Elevator’s focus isn’t just on the bottom line,” she explained. “We prioritize hospitality and caring for the members.”
Other amenities in the co-warehousing space include a photo/video studio with equipment, private meeting pods, a conference room, and warehouse equipment.
“We’re just under 40 percent occupancy, which is kind of phenomenal, actually, for only being here for two months,” Cazavilan said. “The way that it’s growing itself organically, the conversations that I’m watching people have, and the energy of hearing people cheer each other on for their businesses, it’s just cool.”
