Hidden Gems: Meet Erin Dragoo of Lunch Money

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Dragoo.

Hi Erin, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today. 
I’ve done a little bit of everything before I made it here. I was one of those people who took forever to find my purpose. I went to Cosmetology School and did hair for a while. Then I went back to college and graduated with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. I built websites and did social media strategies for a short time. But while I was doing that, I was also helping my mother-in-law with her boutique, which is called Judy Wear.

I created her logo, built her website, posted on her social media, and became her jewelry buyer for her. And one day, it just clicked: This is what I love to do. I love creating unique ways to display items; I love seeing the smiles on people’s faces as they try on their clothes and feel their best; I love sharing what I love with other people.

I would find myself at Judy Wear playing around with the displays until all hours of the night, just having the best time. So finally, I stopped everything else I was doing and worked full-time with my mother-in-law at her boutique until last year, around July, I decided that I wanted my own!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Lunch Money is fun — it’s my passion, I enjoy every second of it, but ultimately, I’m learning that it’s a business. It won’t survive based on how much I, or others, love it. I have to be more strategic about the way I’m doing things. And that has been a struggle for me.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Lunch Money is a really fun little place. It’s eccentric. The walls are green; the tile is black and white. I have a flower wall with a purple couch for taking selfies. I have pink fabric draped from the ceilings and disco balls hanging from the center of the room. I also have disco balls lying on the floor and placed randomly in my displays.

My mannequins are hot pink. I have a cool mural painted behind my register by a Colorado mural artist, Mike McPuff. Honestly, it’s something you just don’t see in Chandler. Or in Arizona, to be honest. It’s a shop I feel like you see in San Diego. We need more places like this here!

That’s what you can expect from Lunch Money. It’s never dull. It’s never basic or boring. It’s always an experience coming in, and I think that’s what sets me apart. It’s a place for everyone. I sell bright women’s clothing, stationery, tarot cards, drinkware and home decor, jewelry, hair accessories, handmade earrings, smoking accessories, bags, stickers, and so much more.

It’s funny seeing women think it’s a kid’s store because of all of the colors, and then they come in and realize, “Oh, this is a store for me!” I’m also trying to get more into the online shopping game by offering really cute gift baskets for different people and occasions. This month is graduates, next month, I’ll do pride baskets and Father’s Day baskets!

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I think business is all about risks, as scary as it sounds. When I first opened my store, I didn’t think it was a risk. I was so sure about myself and my idea. But after being open for a while, I’m seeing that nothing is a sure thing. You really have to try at it. And even if your idea is perfect, you have to make sure people know about it; you have to get the word out. And there are a lot of people in this world!

Risks are really scary, but if no one took risks, nothing would ever happen. We wouldn’t have all of these other amazing businesses that we couldn’t live without. So even if you fail, just try and be proud that you were ever able to take that risk in the first place.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lunchmoneyaz.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/lunchmoneyaz
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/lunchmoneyaz
• Yelp: www.yelp.com/biz/lunch-money-chandler
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lunchmoneyaz