Hi, it’s been a minute!
April has been insane!
If you follow us on our socials, you’ll know that we’ve expanded to the shop next door.
Arnie’s is now 3000 square feet of leased property.
I don’t think Nate, or I were ready to expand just yet, but the opportunity came up and it was a now or never kind of thing. So as is the unofficial motto round here, “Go Big or Go Home”
Our visa that we have come to this country through is an entrepreneur visa. So, the American government will only allow us to stay if we’re growing constantly. We can’t be marginal; we can’t be docile and just set in our ways. We must go for it! So, I would say that we’re doing that with the new shop in just 2 years of business.
Now the excitement of getting new keys has worn off, we’re at the worried stage. I hope we have enough clients; I hope we can get the right employees; I hope we can pay the rent. Those sorts of questions run through your mind every 30 seconds.
We just keep repeating the Field of Dreams line, “If you build it, they will come”.
We HOPE they do!
If you’re reading this, then you’ve probably come to Arnie’s already and it’s a perfect time to thank you from the bottom of hearts. If you’re a regular, if you’ve turn up for your appointments, if you buy into what we’re trying to achieve: THANK YOU! We wouldn’t be in this position if it weren’t for you and your custom over the last 2 years. It’s been a rough 2 years for the planet and things aren’t looking too rosy economically speaking right now so we value you more than ever. Thank you for investing into your dog’s coat maintenance and helping us keep the lights on.
So, what is happening in the new shop?
Well like the OG Arnie’s, it’s set up perfectly for our kind of Pet Styling. It’s got separate rooms, it’s got full doors (seriously – have you ever tried to get someone to fit a door?), it’s got a nice, cozy lobby area, it’s got a bathing room, it’s got a drying room. It’s got so much potential.
As of writing this, we’ve just made a tunnel/bridge/walkway area between the OG shop and the new shop. So, the plan is 1 MEGA SHOP! We’ve got rooms for 10 stylists and the rooms are huge! We’re talking about having each room themed differently. If only to spice up the photos a little!
I’m biased but it’s going to be a real nice place to bring your dogs plus to work at as well. And if you’re a Pet Stylists reading this and you want to know more, then give me a call or an email. There is room for the right people!
We’re keeping what works at Arnie’s and making it better. I can’t wait for you all to see it.
Nate is busy with a new logo, window decals, the website, and all that stuff he loves to do. I’m busy with contractors and paying the bills, all the fun parts!
Special shout out to the Arnie’s Avengers that are working so hard into keeping the OG shop running while I’ve been so busy. Aubree, Aubrey, Penelope, Meagan, Jen, Monica & Braden, we wouldn’t be in this position without you and your work ethic is so vital to the success of Arnie’s. We’re a service-based industry, it’s so important that we have the right stylists. Nate and I can only do so much. Make the shop, promote the shop, sell the idea of what we want to be, but if no one buys into it, then it isn’t going to get far. I think we now have the right team! Now we just need a few more!
What else?
Oh yes! On the exact same day as we got the keys to the new shop, we also got keys to our new house. So, we’ve been moving personally as well. I do not recommend doing this and it’s been a ridiculous challenge. But it’s great to be in somewhere bigger. My two sunworshippers (Nate & Moana) have a huge yard and the awesome Dimple Dell is a 30 second walk away. It’s done Moana a world of good.
And the day that we got all these keys? April 1st. April Fools Day. Let’s hope it’s not a sign!