Vacation. Imagine the breeze blowing through your hair. A drink in your hand. Nowhere to be and all day to get there. Now imagine you’re wearing the softest shirt you own. Team Cocktail’s shirts are softer.
In 2009, Lyndsey Fliehs, along with her brother Trey Fliehs and a group of friends (self-named Team Cocktail), traveled to Barbados. They came home with the idea to trademark the name and start making their own high-quality, fun drinking shirts due to the lack of good-quality options. Their creations started getting a lot of attention.
“We would go on these cruises every January and make our own funny shirts, lanyards, koozies and whatever. We would run into people on the cruise ship, and they'd be like, ‘How do I become part of the team?’”
Lyndsey, Trey and his wife Becah, along with their cousin Brandy Robbins and other family members, launched their website in December 2010 and are taking the industry by storm. What began in Lyndsey’s basement in Olathe has spread nationwide. The business has grown from online-only sales for over a decade to having multiple storefronts, with plans to expand further.
The secret to their success is evident in their growing customer base. The quality of their clothes is truly remarkable. It only takes one touch to get you hooked.
However, their product isn’t just clothing and accessories - it’s the lure of being a part of this free-spirited, fun-loving culture. The clothes are sometimes simply the ticket price for a greater adventure.
The short of it is if you buy from them, you are a part of Team Cocktail, which means you’re invited to the next cruise!
“That's how it started, and that’s how we continue to do it,” says Lyndsey. “We've gotten so many customers around the country, too. Literally, people from Alaska to Florida go with us.”
In addition, Team Cocktail customers have organically formed something of a kinship with each other. They run into each other around the country or on vacation somewhere in the world. After recognizing one another’s vacation wear, they often start up conversations. Once you know the quality and style of Team Cocktail, you know.
These are often the same customers who send in photos to Team Cocktail and are featured on the walls and slideshow in the store. Yes, that’s right — if you send in your vacay photos to Lyndsey and the Team, you become part of the in-store narrative of the growing Team Cocktail!
If you want to join in the fun, the next cruise is scheduled for February 2026. So, get your Vacation Tuxedo on and be ready for a good time because you’re traveling with professional happy-makers.
Find Team Cocktail’s new storefront at Zona Rosa at 7213 NW 86th Terrace, Kansas City or find them online at teamcocktail.com or on Instagram @teamcocktailbrand.