Story by: Dana Greig
Photo courtesy of: Roxy Arnzen
Though originally from Clarkston, Wash., Roxy Arnzen has lived in Idaho County for the past seven years with her family; husband, Rusty Arnzen, and their three children: Ryle (6) Abel (4) and Chaney (1).
“After traveling for my husband’s work for several years, we realized how much we loved Grangeville and wanted to raise our family here,” explained Roxy.
For the Arnzens, living in Idaho County means being able to live where they are centered around all their favorite hobbies which include taking care of their cows, fishing, camping, and hunting. They also love the ability to be in the mountains or on the river after just a short drive away from their house. Aside from loving the area, the lure of being close to family also pulled them toward Grangeville.
Upon being happily settled in a place her family loves, Roxy began brainstorming ways she could balance working and being a mother to her young family. This led her to trying her hand at entrepreneurship two years ago, when their family was expecting to grow from four to a party of five.
“My husband saw how many hats his company at the time ordered in a year and suggested I look into it,” said Roxy. “It was something I could do at home without sending our babies to daycare every day.”
The suggestion for her to investigate the idea led Roxy to find an embroidering machine that perfectly fit her needs.
“My machine is US made in Colorado,” explained Roxy. “I chose this company because they offered training in my house, and they have amazing customer service. They want to see you succeed.”
Enter Camas Prairie Hat Co., a locally owned and operated custom embroidery shop ready and able to help personalize just about anything for your business or personal needs.
Although her work delivers flawless results, there’s a lot more to this small business than simply pushing a green button and watching the machine do its magic.
“Most orders are challenging [at first],” explained Roxy. “It’s like a puzzle figuring out how to get it to sew just right.”
Regardless of the challenges she faces with new projects, Roxy has enjoyed the endeavor thus far and the way it has sharpened her creative problem solving. Not only has the business turned out to be a great fit for her family’s needs, but it has also brought rewarding experiences and great connections with clients.
“Aside from being able to continue being home with my children, I enjoy seeing people wearing hats I’ve made and developing good customer relationships,” smiled Roxy.
Though she can embroider on an array of items, Roxy hasn’t had one particular project rise above all others as a favorite. Instead, she says she loves how each project is unique.
As she sets her sights on the year ahead, Roxy looks forward to all the unique items she’ll have the opportunity to create for her growing client list, as well as continuing to build those special relationships with her established customers. And of course, as a small business owner, she is also looking to grow and hopes to beat last year’s total sales. Looking further beyond growth in this coming year, Roxy is interested in continuing to learn more about digitizing designs and adding business logo creation to her list of services.
To contact Roxy about creating a unique product for an event, gifts, special occasion, or a business, call 509-552-3555 or follow her Facebook page, Camas Prairie Hat Co.