So let me tell you a story of how Arizona Trading Co. started twenty-five years ago.
I was twenty-two years old and majoring in art history at KU. To make a long, sordid story short, my college funds were tied up in my parents' divorce, and I suddenly found myself with no money with which to continue my schooling. I had moved to Lawrence via Kansas City from Tucson, Arizona a couple of years before, and had worked at used-clothing stores there. I loved and became addicted to the idea of trading clothing and having a constantly-changing wardrobe while spending no money.
With my mom as my major investor--she offered her savings of $10,000, an absolute fortune to both of us at the time--I rented the space downtown at 734 Massachusetts, owned by the Malott family (who had run a hardware store in that space for the previous two generations). Terry Malott, who managed the space, was openly skeptical of my idea and kept telling me I needed to sell furniture instead.
Since I was still finishing up my semester at KU and couldn't open the store immediately, plus we didn't have any inventory, I decided to open the store just on weekends, specifically just to buy clothing. I made hand-drawn fliers and posted them around town, and the response was unbelievable. As the only buyer and generally the only person working, I bought all day long and was THRILLED that people bothered to respond to my flier. Because we were trying to build inventory, we couldn't sell anything yet, so I just told people we didn't have a sales tax number yet and couldn't sell merchandise. Which was true. But it also gave people an idea of how much great stuff we would have to sell the second the store opened, so there was lots of incentive for them to come back.
In terms of the store itself, I didn't really decorate much--I didn't have the time or money enough, and it kind of seemed beside the point--I wanted to spend my resources on clothes, not décor. My mom made the window sign at her office, and the buying counter came from the basement of King of Jeans (now Wa)--I don't remember at all how we made that deal, I only remember me and this poor King of Jeans employee carrying the counter, which weighed roughly 2,000 pounds, down the alley and up the stairs to the back door of the store, where we put it down and he promptly lit a cigarette.
And I get asked about our name all the time. The answer is, after a 12-hour day of buying clothes, I was sitting with my mom at Free State, and we were trying to come up with a name. She suggested Arizona Trading Co., since I had just moved from Arizona and we were going to be in the business of trading, and my exhausted brain just said, "Sure. Great. Love it." There have been many, many times I've wanted to change it, but apparently it works so I've grown to accept it and love it because it sprang out of just wanting to get the store open, and I still remember exactly how that felt.
So December 7 marks the first day I started buying clothes. I made it through that month--I will never forget walking down the sidewalk on campus, heading to my last final, thinking, "Don't pass out. Just one more final. Don't pass out." After finals were over, I spent the break arranging and tagging clothing, hiring employees (their names were Kathy Maxwell and Tristan Lester, and they were awesome and I have no idea where they are now, I wish I did). I celebrated New Year's Eve that year watching Sin City Disciples play the Bottleneck, then we officially opened January 2, 1992. The first day we opened, there was a line out the door, and we made enough money to pay the first month's rent.
As for my mom, I paid off my loan to her within three months. She continued to act as my accountant for a while, and continues to give me excellent business advice. Without her support, opening the store would have been much more difficult, or wouldn't have happened at all.
Basically, the story of Arizona Trading Co. is a selfish one. I desperately wanted a store in Lawrence like mine--not just for everyone else, but for myself! I was thinking about me, just like any other twenty-two year old. I wasn't even thinking six months down the road, let alone twenty-five years. Having now had those years to explore the world, acquire a son, partner with the incomparable Venus Nichols, and having the challenges of business allow me to show myself how strong and savvy and resourceful I actually am, I am grateful beyond words to still have the business thriving and in my possession. It is truly a calling--not just the porn-like allure of clothing I feel, but the true positive impact ATC has on the community and the relationships I've formed with twenty-five years' worth of employees and customers. It's overwhelming to think of it.
Thank you for reading this, and thanks for helping bring us into our twenty-fifth year!
Love,
Jennifer
ps. please comment if you were in Lawrence around the time we opened --I would love to hear your memories/thoughts/impressions of us at that time! I'm sure there are some real gems out there...
https://ataralmadinah662300791.wordpress.com/2022/09/12/%d8%a7%d8%b1%d9%82%d8%a7%d9%85-%d8%b4%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d9%86%d9%82%d9%84-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9%d9%81%d8%b4-%d8%a8%d8%ac%d8%af%d8%a9/
https://rb.gy/rl7jzc
https://cutt.ly/NCZt6Jm
https://is.gd/A89d52
https://atar-almadinah.over-blog.com/numbers-company-transfer-furniture.html
https://oktob.io/posts/43903
https://telegra.ph/%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%B4%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%86%D9%82%D9%84-%D8%B9%D9%81%D8%B4-%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AB%D8%A7%D8%AB-%D8%A8%D8%AC%D8%AF%D8%A9-09-12
https://www.skreebee.com/read-blog/115193
https://hackmd.io/jeddahmovers/B1Is9m6li https://hackmd.io/jeddahmovers/B1Ux7Vpxj
https://hackmd.io/@jeddahmovers/S1g3xLaxj
https://addandclick.com/read-blog/94597
https://webyourself.eu/blogs/36223/%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%B4%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%86%D9%82%D9%84-%D8%B9%D9%81%D8%B4-%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AB%D8%A7%D8%AB-%D8%A8%D8%AC%D8%AF%D8%A9
https://moversriyadhcom.wordpress.com/2022/09/13/%d9%90%d8%b4%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9-%d9%86%d9%82%d9%84-%d8%b9%d9%81%d8%b4-%d8%a8%d8%ac%d8%a7%d8%b2%d8%a7%d9%86/
https://www.scoop.it/topic/rcutioni/p/4135811249/2022/09/19/25-0545970806-65
https://www.scoop.it/topic/rcutioni/p/4135811200/2022/09/19/0500175959-55
https://www.scoop.it/topic/rcutioni/p/4135809640/2022/09/19/0500175959-45
https://www.scoop.it/topic/rcutioni/p/4135810312/2022/09/19/0500175959-50
https://ko-fi.com/jumperads49641
https://hackmd.io/jumperads/Syzi0PCei https://hackmd.io/jumperads/B1Z2f_Cgj
https://khairyayman85.wixsite.com/jumperads
https://allmoversinriyadh.wordpress.com/2022/09/15/%d8%a7%d9%81%d8%b6%d9%84-%d8%b4%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9-%d8%aa%d9%86%d8%b8%d9%8a%d9%81-%d8%a8%d9%8a%d9%86%d8%a8%d8%b9/
https://allmoversinriyadh.wordpress.com/2022/09/14/%d8%a7%d9%81%d8%b6%d9%84-%d8%b4%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9-%d8%aa%d9%86%d8%b8%d9%8a%d9%81-%d8%a8%d8%ae%d9%85%d9%8a%d8%b3-%d9%85%d8%b4%d9%8a%d8%b7/
https://allmoversinriyadh.wordpress.com/2022/09/14/%d8%a7%d9%81%d8%b6%d9%84-%d8%b4%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9-%d8%aa%d9%86%d8%b8%d9%8a%d9%81-%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%a7%d8%b6-2/
https://allmoversinriyadh.wordpress.com/2022/04/07/%d8%a7%d9%81%d8%b6%d9%84-%d8%b4%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9-%d8%aa%d9%86%d8%b8%d9%8a%d9%81-%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%a7%d8%b6/
https://www.atar-almadinah.com/%D8%B4%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%A9-%D9%86%D9%82%D9%84-%D8%B9%D9%81%D8%B4-%D8%A8%D8%AC%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D8%B9%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A9-%D9%81%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A9.html
https://www.atar-almadinah.com/%D8%B4%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%A9-%D9%86%D9%82%D9%84-%D8%B9%D9%81%D8%B4-%D8%AC%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%AD%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A9.html
https://ataralmadinah662300791.wordpress.com/2022/09/20/%d8%af%d9%84%d9%8a%d9%84-%d8%b4%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d9%86%d9%82%d9%84-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b9%d9%81%d8%b4-%d8%a8%d8%ac%d8%af%d8%a9/
https://atar-almadinah.over-blog.com/guide-to-moving-furniture-companies-in-jeddah.html
https://ataralmadinah662300791.wordpress.com/2022/09/20/%d8%b4%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9-%d9%86%d9%82%d9%84-%d8%b9%d9%81%d8%b4-%d8%a8%d8%ac%d8%af%d8%a9-%d8%b9%d9%85%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a9-%d9%81%d9%84%d8%a8%d9%8a%d9%86%d9%8a%d8%a9/
https://atar-almadinah.over-blog.com/furniture-moving-company-in-jeddah-filipino.html
https://ataralmadinah662300791.wordpress.com/2022/09/23/%d8%a7%d9%81%d8%b6%d9%84-%d8%b4%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9-%d9%86%d9%82%d9%84-%d8%b9%d9%81%d8%b4-%d8%a8%d9%85%d9%83%d8%a9/
https://allmoversinriyadh.wordpress.com/2022/09/24/%d8%a7%d9%81%d8%b6%d9%84-%d8%b4%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9-%d8%aa%d9%86%d8%b8%d9%8a%d9%81-%d8%ae%d8%b2%d8%a7%d9%86%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ac%d8%a8%d9%8a%d9%84/
https://transferefurniture.hatenablog.com/entry/2022/09/25/054311
https://justpaste.it/99zuq
https://allmoversinriyadh.wordpress.com/2022/09/25/%d8%a7%d9%81%d8%b6%d9%84-%d8%b4%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9-%d9%86%d9%82%d9%84-%d8%b9%d9%81%d8%b4-%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ac%d8%a8%d9%8a%d9%84/
https://anotepad.com/note/read/qrdb39sk
https://anotepad.com/note/read/mhenxycs
https://anotepad.com/note/read/3tpk27dm
https://anotepad.com/note/read/g8hggmdp
https://anotepad.com/note/read/a4thkdsf
https://slashdot.org/submission/16646847/the-best-furniture-moving-company-in-jeddah
https://www.reddit.com/user/MinimumLong6251/comments/xo1edo/%D8%B4%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%A9_%D9%86%D9%82%D9%84_%D8%B9%D9%81%D8%B4_%D8%A8%D8%AC%D8%AF%D8%A9_%D8%B9%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A9_%D9%81%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A9/
https://www.reddit.com/user/MinimumLong6251/
https://www.crokes.com/ataralmadinah/info/
https://companyhouseservice.wordpress.com/2022/09/27/%d8%b4%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9-%d8%aa%d9%86%d8%b8%d9%8a%d9%81-%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ac%d8%a8%d9%8a%d9%84/
https://www.evernote.com/shard/s588/client/snv?noteGuid=5f0e6065-a56d-cc5c-1335-9270d70deb11¬eKey=f04bcc20e270300aefd136ec88db4377&sn=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.evernote.com%2Fshard%2Fs588%2Fsh%2F5f0e6065-a56d-cc5c-1335-9270d70deb11%2Ff04bcc20e270300aefd136ec88db4377&title=The%2Bbest%2Bfurniture%2Bmoving%2Bcompany%2Bin%2BJeddah
https://www.pearltrees.com/moverscompany
http://www.pearltrees.com/moverscompany/item471149920
https://www.instapaper.com/p/11269590
https://fullservicelavoro.jimdosite.com/
http://treeads.nation2.com/
https://jumperads.yolasite.com/
http://jumperads.nation2.com/
http://transferefurniture.hatenablog.com
https://atar-almadinah.weebly.com/
https://allmoversinriyadh.wordpress.com/
https://allmoversinriyadh.wordpress.com/2022/04/09/%d8%b4%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9-%d8%aa%d9%86%d8%b8%d9%8a%d9%81-%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%a7%d8%b6-%d9%85%d8%ac%d8%b1%d8%a8%d8%a9/
https://allmoversinriyadh.wordpress.com/2022/04/07/%d8%a7%d9%81%d8%b6%d9%84-%d8%b4%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9-%d8%aa%d9%86%d8%b8%d9%8a%d9%81-%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%a7%d8%b6/
https://allmoversinriyadh.wordpress.com/2022/05/13/%d8%b4%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9-%d9%86%d9%82%d9%84-%d8%b9%d9%81%d8%b4-%d9%88%d8%ba%d8%b1%d9%81-%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%86%d9%88%d9%85-%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%a7%d8%b6/
https://companymoversinjeddah.wordpress.com/
https://moversfurniture2018.wordpress.com/2018/12/30/%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%85-%D9%85%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%AA%D8%A8-%D9%88%D9%85%D8%A4%D8%B3%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%B4%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%86%D9%82%D9%84-%D8%B9%D9%81%D8%B4-%D8%A8%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B2%D8%A7%D9%86/
https://moversriyadhcom.wordpress.com/
https://moversmedina.wordpress.com/
https://moversfurniture2018.wordpress.com/
https://moversmecca.wordpress.com/
https://khairyayman74.wordpress.com/
https://companymoversmecca.home.blog/
https://companymoverstaif.home.blog/
https://companymoverskhamismushit.home.blog/
https://whitear.home.blog/
https://companyhouseservice.wordpress.com/
http://bestmoversfurniture.wordpress.com/
https://companymoversjeddah.wordpress.com/
https://companycleaning307819260.wordpress.com/
https://companymoversriydah.wordpress.com/
https://ataralmadinah662300791.wordpress.com/
https://groups.google.com/g/moversfurniture/c/wwQFSNvgyAI
https://groups.google.com/g/moversfurniture/c/4L1oHETS4mQ
https://nowewyrazy.uw.edu.pl/profil/khairyayman
https://companyhouseservice.wordpress.com/2022/08/06/%d8%a7%d9%81%d8%b6%d9%84-%d8%b4%d8%b1%d9%83%d8%a9-%d8%aa%d9%86%d8%b8%d9%8a%d9%81-%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%a7%d8%b6/
شركات نقل عفش واثاث بجدة
شركات نقل عفش بالطائف
اسعار وارقام شركات نقل العفش بالمدينة المنورة
دينا نقل عفش جدة ,افضل دينا
ارخص شركه نقل عفش بجده
دليل شركات نقل العفش بجدة
شركة نقل عفش برابغ ,15 عام خبرة
شركات نقل عفش واثاث بالباحه
وسائل نقل العفش بخميس مشيط
https://emc-mee.com/blog.html شركات نقل العفش
اهم شركات كشف تسربات المياه بالدمام كذلك معرض اهم شركة مكافحة حشرات بالدمام والخبر والجبيل والخبر والاحساء والقطيف كذكل شركة تنظيف خزانات بجدة وتنظيف بجدة ومكافحة الحشرات بالخبر وكشف تسربات المياه بالجبيل والقطيف والخبر والدمام
https://emc-mee.com/cleaning-company-yanbu.html شركة تنظيف بينبع
https://emc-mee.com/blog.html شركة نقل عفش
اهم شركات مكافحة حشرات بالخبر كذلك معرض اهم شركة مكافحة حشرات بالدمام والخبر والجبيل والخبر والاحساء والقطيف كذلك شركة رش حشرات بالدمام ومكافحة الحشرات بالخبر
https://emc-mee.com/anti-insects-company-dammam.html شركة مكافحة حشرات بالدمام
شركة تنظيف خزانات بجدة الجوهرة من افضل شركات تنظيف الخزانات بجدة حيث ان تنظيف خزانات بجدة يحتاج الى مهارة فى كيفية غسيل وتنظيف الخزانات الكبيرة والصغيرة بجدة على ايدى متخصصين فى تنظيف الخزانات بجدة
https://emc-mee.com/tanks-cleaning-company-jeddah.html شركة تنظيف خزانات بجدة
https://emc-mee.com/water-leaks-detection-isolate-company-dammam.html شركة كشف تسربات المياه بالدمام
https://emc-mee.com/ شركة الفا لنقل عفش واثاث
https://emc-mee.com/transfer-furniture-jeddah.html شركة نقل عفش بجدة
https://emc-mee.com/transfer-furniture-almadina-almonawara.html شركة نقل عفش بالمدينة المنورة
https://emc-mee.com/movers-in-riyadh-company.html شركة نقل اثاث بالرياض
https://emc-mee.com/transfer-furniture-dammam.html شركة نقل عفش بالدمام
https://emc-mee.com/transfer-furniture-taif.html شركة نقل عفش بالطائف
https://emc-mee.com/transfer-furniture-mecca.html شركة نقل عفش بمكة
https://emc-mee.com/transfer-furniture-yanbu.html شركة نقل عفش بينبع
https://emc-mee.com/transfer-furniture-alkharj.html شركة نقل عفش بالخرج
https://emc-mee.com/transfer-furniture-buraydah.html شركة نقل عفش ببريدة
https://emc-mee.com/transfer-furniture-khamis-mushait.html شركة نقل عفش بخميس مشيط
https://emc-mee.com/transfer-furniture-qassim.html شركة نقل عفش بالقصيم
https://emc-mee.com/transfer-furniture-tabuk.html شركة نقل عفش بتبوك
https://emc-mee.com/transfer-furniture-abha.html شركة نقل عفش بابها
https://emc-mee.com/transfer-furniture-najran.html شركة نقل عفش بنجران
https://emc-mee.com/transfer-furniture-hail.html شركة نقل عفش بحائل
https://emc-mee.com/transfer-furniture-dhahran.html شركة نقل عفش بالظهران
https://emc-mee.com/transfer-furniture-kuwait.html شركة نقل عفش بالكويت
https://emc-mee.com/price-transfer-furniture-in-khamis-mushit.html اسعار شركات نقل عفش بخميس مشيط
https://emc-mee.com/numbers-company-transfer-furniture-in-khamis-mushit.html ارقام شركات نقل عفش بخميس مشيط
https://emc-mee.com/new-company-transfer-furniture-in-khamis-mushit.html شركة نقل عفش بخميس مشيط جديدة
https://emc-mee.com/transfer-furniture-from-khamis-to-riyadh.html شركة نقل عفش من خميس مشيط الي الرياض
https://emc-mee.com/transfer-furniture-from-khamis-mushait-to-mecca.html شركة نقل عفش من خميس مشيط الي مكة
https://emc-mee.com/transfer-furniture-from-khamis-mushait-to-jeddah.html شركة نقل عفش من خميس مشيط الي جدة
https://emc-mee.com/transfer-furniture-from-khamis-mushait-to-medina.html شركة نقل عفش من خميس مشيط الي المدينة المنورة
https://emc-mee.com/best-10-company-transfer-furniture-khamis-mushait.html افضل 10 شركات نقل عفش بخميس مشيط
https://emc-mee.com/%D8%B4%D8%B1%D9%83%D9%87-%D9%86%D9%82%D9%84-%D8%B9%D9%81%D8%B4-%D8%A8%D8%AC%D8%AF%D9%87.html
https://emc-mee.com/%D8%B4%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%A9-%D9%86%D9%82%D9%84-%D8%A7%D8%AB%D8%A7%D8%AB-%D8%A8%D8%AC%D8%AF%D9%87.html
شركة مكافحة حشرات بالقطيف وكذلك شركة كشف تسربات المياه بالقطيف وتنظيف خزانات وتنظيف الموكيت والسجاد والكنب والشقق والمنازل بالقطيف وتنظيف الخزانات بالقطيف وتنظيف المساجد بالقطيف شركة تنظيف بالقطيف تنظيف المسابح بالقطيف
https://jumperads.com/qatif/anti-insects-company-qatif.html شركة مكافحة حشرات بالقطيف
https://jumperads.com/qatif/water-leaks-detection-company-qatif.html شركة كشف تسربات بالقطيف
https://jumperads.com/qatif/qatif-company-surfaces.html شركة عزل اسطح بالقطيف
https://jumperads.com/qatif/qatif-company-sewage.html شركة تسليك مجاري بالقطيف
https://jumperads.com/qatif/qatif-cleaning-company-sofa.html شركة تنظيف كنب بالقطيف
https://jumperads.com/qatif/qatif-cleaning-company-mosques.html شركة تنظيف مساجد بالقطيف
https://jumperads.com/qatif/qatif-cleaning-company-Carpet.html شركة تنظيف سجاد بالقطيف
https://jumperads.com/qatif/qatif-cleaning-company-tanks.html شركة تنظيف خزانات بالقطيف
https://jumperads.com/qatif/qatif-cleaning-company-swimming-bath.html شركة تنظيف وصيانة مسابح بالقطيف
https://jumperads.com/qatif/qatif-cleaning-company-Furniture.html شركة تنظيف الاثاث بالقطيف
https://jumperads.com/qatif/qatif-cleaning-company-home.html شركة تنظيف شقق بالقطيف
https://jumperads.com/qatif/qatif-cleaning-company-Carpets.html شركة تنظيف موكيت بالقطيف
https://jumperads.com/qatif/qatif-cleaning-company.html شركة تنظيف مجالس بالقطيف
https://jumperads.com/qatif/qatif-cleaning-company-house.html شركة تنظيف منازل بالقطيف
https://jumperads.com/qatif/qatif-cleaning-company-curtains.html شركة تنظيف ستائر بالقطيف
https://jumperads.com/qatif/qatif-cleaning-company-Villas.html شركة تنظيف فلل بالقطيف
https://jumperads.com/qatif/qatif-company-tile.html شركة جلي بلاط بالقطيف