Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Bonte. Them and their team share their story with us below:
AR Workshop Lexington is owned by a former school teacher, Ashley, and her husband Matt Bonte. When Ashley said “I do,” Matt promised her that they could one day become business owners. It was a matter of finding the right time, place, and idea. He has since made true on that promise! Matt’s love for power tools and Ashley’s love of crafting made the decision easy as they can still engage in teaching in a fun and social environment! The biggest joy is being able to provide a space for the community to gather and create memories together.
Stop in to see the Bontes as they bring the Boutique DIY experience to the Midlands! Check out all they have to offer including wood sign classes, framed sign classes, lazy susans, round wood signs, centerpiece boxes, farmhouse style pillow painting, kids workshops, parties, adult social events, DIY decor, and gifts!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Owning a business is never an easy thing. Fortunately for Ashley & Matt, they are savers. Since they were married, they began saving for some big idea. This big idea became a reality when they found AR Workshop in its beginning phases.
There have been many bumps along the way. After opening doors to a second location, they realized they were stretched thin. The options were laid out in front of them. Hire a manager and step away from running both locations, or sell the second location and be fully immersed back in the initial one.
The decision was easy. It was never their dream to own something ran by someone else. The big draw for Ashley was knowing that she had an influence over everything happening. So by selling the second location, allowed her to be back with customers answering every call and email, and being more a part of the workshop atmosphere again.
Other challenges that businesses faced in 2021 with the worldwide pandemic also threatened their livelihood. However, with much prayer, Ashley & Matt chose to continue on the path of creating space for customers to create memories and gather- only now this was done in their home and over technology. The implementation of a DIY to Go concept was very popular and helped turn a year that could have taken them under, into a year that allowed them to flourish and continue to expand their influence when the community needed them most.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are a Do it Yourself (DIY) boutique-style workshop. Customers join us for a 3-hour session and leave with a piece that they can proudly display in their homes. Think wood signs, chunky knit blankets, centerpiece boxes for their kitchen tables, throw pillows, and more!
Customers browse the project options online. They then choose the design and project type that they would like and register through the online scheduling app.
All that’s left is for them to do is show up and be guided through the process of turning the raw wood, canvas, or yarn into a masterpiece!
All projects start with unstained, unpainted pieces and end up being stained, painted, assembled with power tools, and taken home that very same evening!
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Our community is very family-oriented. We love that they love to gather and create memories together. One of the best pieces of evidence of this is that our most popular workshops should be girls’ nights with a bunch of young moms getting away, but instead, we have really thrived on our date night workshops as well as our family-friendly ones. Our youth birthday parties are even a huge success because Lexington moms and families want to create these experiences together as a family.
We have no complaints about this wonderful community that we live in!
Pricing:
- Projects range from $45-$85 for our standard projects (framed signs, plank signs, centerpiece boxes, trays, pillows)
- Youth projects range from $37-$55
- and our oversized projects range from $85-$255 (think dog beds, blanket ladders, oversized wood signs, Christmas tree boxes)
- Chunky Knit Blankets $85
Contact Info:
- Email: lexington@arworkshop.com
- Website: https://www.arworkshop.com/lexington
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arworkshoplexington
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arworkshoplexington
Image Credits
Amanda Oswalt
