Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Dragoo.
Hi Erin, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
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 July 2021, I decided that I wanted my own store with my own flare to it.
And seven months later, Lunch Money was born.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I would say it’s been relatively smooth for the most part. I did have a bit of a financial hiccup right in the middle. During the end of my third year open, I was paying part of my store’s rent out of my own pocket. That was when I was at my old location on Gilbert and Germann. I wasn’t street facing. I didn’t even have a sign on the main road that indicated that I was in that shopping center. And the biggest anchor in that plaza that brought in foot traffic was a breakfast place, so any chance of people finding my store was gone by 2:00 in the afternoon, So when the lease there ended, I had to decide if I thought that my business was the problem or if it was just the lack of foot traffic. That was a scary decision, but I ultimately bet on myself and made the move to San Tan Village. I’m glad I did. I’m not rolling in money now, but I’m at least breaking even and keeping my store open. I’m so happy to be here.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Lunch Money is much different than any other store I have ever been in — and I shop a lot! I think it’s the ambiance that sets me apart the most. The moment you walk in, you’re greeted with a smile, and you’re bombarded by everything pink. The pink walls, the pink phone booth, the pink salon chair that we do our hair tinsel in, the pink counter, the pink flowers that hang above the counter, the pink charm bar. And then once you start exploring, you find things that resonate with you. A snarky air freshener, an art print that says This Sucks, a hot dog keychain. Just things that feel like they were meant to be together even though they have no relation to each other.
I think the different experiences that Lunch Money offers also set it apart. Like I said, we do hair tinsel for $20. We tie 24 strands of tinsel to the hair and it can last anywhere from a week to a couple months. You can wash them, blow dry them, curl them, straighten them — basically just live your life in them, and they just add a touch of whimsy to your everyday look. We also have the whole charm bar experience, where customers can come in and personalize their own necklaces, bracelets, keychains, bookmarks, phone charms, bag chains, earrings, and badge reels. They pick their charms out and we put it together for them. I always say that they get to do the fun part while we do the hard part. Additionally, we have a Trinket Exchange Box where customers can take a trinket and leave a trinket, That’s such a fun thing. I love seeing the random items that people leave behind, Someone left a harp in there once. I’ll never forget it. Another fun experience we offer is our pink phone booth, where we encourage our customers to take pictures. And of course, the shopping in itself is an experience.
What matters most to you?
Honestly, just making a positive impact on people. I’ve gone through depression, and I know what it’s like to not want to leave the house — I want to give people a reason to leave the house. Shopping brings me so much joy, especially in a fun place like Lunch Money, so if I can spread that joy through the art of a pink store, I’ve already won.
Pricing:
- Tinsel: $20 for 24 strands
- Tinsel: $10 for 12 strands
- Charms: $5 each
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lunchmoneyaz.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/lunchmoneyaz
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/lunchmoneyaz
- Other: https://tiktok.com/lunchmoneyaz
