If you spent any time watching WE tv between 2012 and 2017, you know the name Kim Kimble. She wasn’t just a stylist; she was the "Queen of Hair." Her West Hollywood salon, Kimble Hair Studio, was the epicenter of high-stakes drama and even higher ponytails. Fans watched every week as Kim navigated the chaotic personalities of her staff while maintaining the manes of A-listers like Beyoncé and Mary J. Blige.
But then, the cameras stopped rolling. The doors on La Cienega eventually closed. People started whispering. Did the business fail? Did the drama finally get to her? Honestly, the truth about what happened to Kim Kimble salon is a lot more about savvy business evolution than it is about a dramatic collapse.
The Reality of the "L.A. Hair" Era
Kim Kimble didn't just wake up one day and decide to be a TV star. She’s a third-generation legacy. Her mother and grandmother were stylists. By the time L.A. Hair premiered, she already had decades in the game, having broken into Hollywood with the 1997 film B.A.P.S..
The salon we saw on TV was a pressure cooker. While the show focused on the "divas" and the internal beefs, Kim was actually running a high-end enterprise. However, the physical salon model is notoriously difficult to scale. You have high rent, temperamental talent, and your own time is split between the chair and movie sets.
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Why the physical studio changed
The West Hollywood location was iconic, but as Kim’s brand grew, her physical presence in the salon became rare. You can’t be the lead hairstylist on the set of Euphoria or Beyoncé’s Black Is King and still manage a 10-chair salon daily.
Eventually, the original Kimble Hair Studio transitioned. Many fans were shocked to find the old doors shuttered, but it wasn't a bankruptcy. It was a pivot. Kim moved her operations to a more exclusive, private studio setup at 211 South La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles. This wasn't about "going out of business." It was about "going private."
She shifted the focus toward:
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- High-end private consultations (where she can charge a premium).
- Wig design for film and television.
- Education and digital classes for upcoming stylists.
The Pandemic Pivot and the Walmart Deal
If there was a "death blow" to the traditional, walk-in celebrity salon model for Kim, it was 2020. Like every other business in California, her studio faced months of forced closures.
But instead of folding, Kimble went "mass." She realized that while she could only style ten heads a day in a salon, she could sell ten thousand bottles of shampoo in a day. This realization led to her massive partnership with Walmart.
She basically traded the exclusive, gated-entry vibe of West Hollywood for the aisles of the world's largest retailer. She launched a comprehensive line of affordable products—we're talking $10 to $15—bringing "celebrity hair" to people who would never be able to afford a $500 silk press in L.A.
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What happened to the staff?
This is where most people get curious. What happened to the stylists from the show? Most of them, like China Upshaw and Dontay Savoy, moved on to build their own independent brands. The "Kimble" name served as a finishing school for them. When the salon shifted from a high-volume retail space to a private studio and product empire, the large "squad" seen on L.A. Hair simply wasn't necessary for the new business model.
The Business Today: 2026 and Beyond
Currently, Kim Kimble isn't "just" a salon owner. She's a brand. If you look for the salon today, you'll find that the "Kimble Studio" still exists, but it functions primarily as a headquarters for her wig line—Kim Kimble Wigs—and her HSN and Walmart partnerships.
She recently expanded into specialized tools, like vibrating flat irons and infrared technology. It’s a classic move: moving from a service-based business (where you trade time for money) to a product-based business (where you make money while you sleep).
Common Misconceptions
- Did she go broke? No. Her net worth is estimated in the millions, largely thanks to product royalties and film contracts.
- Is the salon gone? The "TV version" is gone. The private, professional studio is very much active for her celebrity clients.
- Did she quit styling? Absolutely not. She remains one of the most sought-after department heads in Hollywood.
Actionable Takeaways for Hair Entrepreneurs
If you're looking at Kim's trajectory to help your own business, here is the blueprint she used to survive the "death" of her public salon:
- Protect the Brand, Not the Building: Kim realized the name "Kim Kimble" was more valuable than the lease on La Cienega.
- Diversify Your Income: Don't just rely on "standing behind the chair." Wigs, products, and TV contracts are what saved her during the lockdowns.
- Know When to Pivot: She moved from luxury-only to mass-market (Walmart/HSN) at exactly the right time to capitalize on the "at-home" hair care boom.
- Use Content as a Funnel: L.A. Hair wasn't just a show; it was a 5-year commercial for her expertise that now sells her products 24/7.
To stay updated on her current work or to book a private session at the La Brea studio, you can visit her official site or follow her social media, where she frequently posts tutorials using her latest Walmart drops.