You can read ALL about my story of how I got to #CrestedButte and how I got here but for my FIRST blog post, I thought I would get down and dirty with the details of life as a shop owner since the beginning. Gone are the days of my 20's when I worked here alone - I made all the paint, unloaded orders, helped select colors, all while putting together lighting and hardware orders. I worked here for 2 years before buying the store so I THOUGHT I knew what I was getting myself into. The life of a shop owner is a tough one with lots of ups and downs. But man, the amount of people I have met and welcomed into my heart is nothing I would trade. My painters, interior designers, clients, they all become true friends. After all, sometimes we spend more time with each other than I do my own family! By becoming a business owner in Crested Butte, you enter a club. A Club were we support eachother, spread the word of what eachother do, and are the pulse of the community!
In 2008, I was two years in deep as a business owner, a wee child at 27 rocking my old logo. I look so young, how could I have been pregnant with my first son in this pic? Was I crazy or just hormonal? Why would I think it's a good idea to start a family when I was knee deep in building a business? I guess we are given what we can take and what doesn't kill us makes us stronger, right??
I feel like this town and the shop raised me all the while raising my two boys. Look at how cute they were in 2012 rocking my gear! Now, Hugh is 12 and Bode is 10. Time flies! They aren't as cute now (haha) but they still love rocking my Mountain Colors gear and supporting our family business.
Flash forward to 2013 and my logo got better, employees became family, and we really started growing! I finally had a little time to have a 2nd child but sometimes, the paint shaker would quit working so we would all just do our best! But this is when I was really able to focus on what kept the fire alive in my business, lighting and hardware!
My babies grew up a bit and I was able to start travelling a bit to see the trends outside of our little bubble. I have so much fun bringing the city back to our perfect little town! I have visited Dallas Market every year since 2013 when I get to go see EVERY LIGHT THAT HAS EVER BEEN MADE and filter it all to bring in what my customers want to see in their homes.
In 2016, My manager Jacinda, my husband Bryan, and I remodeled the entire shop with our own hands over the winter of a lifetime (200" in December alone!). The shop was dated, crowded and had a bad flow. It was time to remove EVERYTHING in the store, clean it up and move to the completely other side of the store. It was some serious sweat equity in the winter of a lifetime but SO worth it!
BEFORE...
AFTER...
But here I am in 2021 ready for the next decade to see where I can bring the Shop! I couldn't do it without my amazing team and husband.
We won Construction Business of the year in 2019. You can see my silly husband photo bombing us in the background. If you see them, give them a hug or a hearty handshake. They deserve it!
