Grand Opening Celebration
Thank
you to all who attended our official Grand Opening on Saturday, April 3,
2004. We were thrilled to have a high turn-out of bathers (3 of 4 tubs
in use within the first 11 minutes!), many potential customers taking
tours, and a multitude of human well-wishers throughout the day.
We would like to take this opportunity
to thank our family, friends, and everyone else who voluntarily jumped
in to "lend a helping paw" whenever it was needed.... we could not have
done it without you. Specifically, we would like to acknowledge:
Susie's
Folks -- Lillian and Bonn, of Colorado. Bonn kindly held down the
fort at home while Lillian made a weekend surprise trip to California to
attend the opening. If any of you saw the funny looking black cat
mascot waving the "Dogs Stink" sign in the back of the Canine
Creek truck on Saturday, that was mom. Just for the record, we did
not put her up to task. It's amazing what a loving mom will do for
her kids.
John & Lisa -- Susie's sister
and brother-in-law from San Diego, who drove up for the weekend to show
their support. Lisa was a a huge asset behind the counter, preparing
supplies, running errands, and greeting guests.
John
gave tours, manned the complimentary snack and drink table, and kept the
kids supplied with helium balloons. Thanks to both of you for
everything you did.... we really appreciate it.
The Hannan Clan -- Our awesome
neighbors and friends who helped in many ways over the past weeks. The
patriarch, Jed, crawled on hands and knees for days during construction
preparing the shop floor to make it water-proof and slip-resistant, and
spray sealed our wood tub dividers. Betsy, his lovely bride, painted,
ran errands, sold Canine Creek t-shirts, and has generally been an
unpaid, one-woman marketing machine.
Michelle
and Sam, Jed and Betsy's daughters, offered their support,
encouragement, and assistance wherever it was needed. And finally, Ozzy
and Bob, the Hannan family canines, who generously gave up their time to
take baths.
The Atherton Sr's -- Bill's
parents, Tracy and Nancy, for providing moral support, offering sound
business advice, lending an ear, and keeping us grounded during
difficult times.
Associates
& Friends -- There are so many people who assisted us, I hope I
don't miss anyone. Thanks to.....
Christi and Scott of
'Hachapi Tees,
for going the extra mile to meet our needs. Leslie and the other
volunteers from the
Tehachapi Humane Society
for supporting us and bringing adoptable dogs to the opening. The local
press: Ron at the
Tehachapi News,
Teri at the
Mountain Signal,
Ed and Pat of the Bear Valley Cub, and Barbara from
Tehachapi Central
for spreading the word with display ads and articles.
The entire staff at
Tehachapi City Hall for
dispensing lots of helpful advice, guidance and assistance in getting
the shop open on time.
Radar of Expresso on the Move
for supplying our guests with yummy coffee drinks throughout the chilly
morning.
Amy Duran, our
personal pet-sitter and good friend, for telling everyone she knows
about the new dog wash. Our landlords,
Jack & Diana Williams of ReMax for
assisting us throughout the start-up, and for bringing a lovely "welcome
to the neighborhood" plant. The staff at
Guide
Dogs of America, our favorite charity,
for their support, and for sending a gorgeous flower arrangement.
Dino of Tehachapi Plumbing,
for doing a great installation job on the tubs, in record time.
Ron
and the entire crew of Prime Signs
for giving us the visibility we needed (and how about that truck
tailgate!).
The Glynns for a really cute metal dog
sculpture, and for wrestling their Golden Retriever into a tub against
his wishes. The Rubinstein family for a beautiful plant, and lots of
encouragement. Melissa, Sarah and Jedi -- our dog mascot team who took
turns wearing the brown dog costume in the bed of the Canine Creek truck
parked on the street in front of the shop.
Kerri at
Movie Slide
and Joe at
Hitching Post Theaters
for putting our "name in lights" at Tehachapi's 4-screen movie theater.
And last, but certainly not least,
Dennis Holmes Designs
of Australia, for creating our eye catching logo and characters -- Happy
Dog, mean ol' Dirty Dog, and the voluptuous Miss Kitty.
Our Customers -- We wouldn't be
in business without the support of the wonderful people of Tehachapi.
Our utmost thanks to the enthusiastic folks who showed up with their
canine friends. We look forward to serving you for many years to come.
On
a personal note -- I (Susie) would like to thank Bill, my husband,
partner, facilities manager, and best friend for his hard work and
sacrifices. Without his encouragement, love and dedication to this
project, my vision would not be a reality. Yes, honey, you may now play
golf.....
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