Today we’d like to introduce you to Chelsie Townsend.
Hi Chelsie; we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Howdy! I’m Chelsie Townsend, the owner of The Arena Cantina in Harper, Texas. Before opening The Arena Cantina, I was a teacher and taught 2nd grade, Kindergarten, and preschool. I have a Bachelor of Science in Child Development. My daughter was born at the pandemic’s start, so I stopped teaching. My husband is a Project Manager for a fantastic company outside of Comfort, Texas. Rhett grew up in Harper, a small town in the Texas Hill Country. Four years ago, Rhett’s job brought us back to his hometown, where we now raise our two kids, Truett (4) and Charlotte (3).
We live on a ranch outside town that has been in Rhett’s family since the 1920s. Rhett Popo Johnnie, now in heaven, was a cowboy his entire life and the person Rhett looked up to the most. Our son, Johnnie Truett, is named after Popo. We are very grateful to do life with Rhett’s grandma, Momo. Rhett’s family tradition is rodeo and team roping; team roping is Rhett’s passion and a sport we do together as a family. I decided to name my store The Arena Cantina because the arena is where our family spends a lot of our time and where we have made wonderful memories together. I respect the Western way of life and the values I want to encompass in my store.
The Cowboy way is the theme I came up with to represent my store. The Arena Cantina is a Western country store where we sell clothing for men, women, and children. We have recently opened our hat bar, where we create custom hats and have a fun party experience for our customers. We are in the process of becoming TABC certified to sell beer and wine. My vision for opening The Arena Cantina was to have a fun place for the whole family to go where there is something for everyone. Our backyard area was created with the thought of families in mind. We have yard games, a safe environment for the kids to run and play, live music on the weekends, a TV outside to watch the rodeo, and so much more. We have a fantastic community of people who have supported us from day one, and giving back to Harper is very important to Rhett and me.
You wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been fairly smooth?
Becoming a business owner, navigating everything that comes with that, and trying to grow my business and be successful have had their challenges! An obstacle for me in the beginning, was purchasing my inventory. I wanted to be inclusive, affordable, and on-trend, and it wasn’t easy to get the hang of buying and repurchasing! As I’ve grown, I now have some excellent help and women who keep me focused and on top of everything! I’m primarily a one-woman show which means I’m the purchaser, photographer, website designer, social media manager, accountant, and so on.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business.
The Arena Cantina is a unique business due to everything our store offers. We truly have something for every member of the family! Walking into our store, you are greeted as if you’ve been a lifelong family friend! That is something I take pride in. Developing relationships with so many people who come into The Arena Cantina is one of my favorite things about being a business owner. Our motto is “Shop, Stay & Play,” valid for The Arena Cantina! You can shop our unique, quality brands of clothing, you and your friends can enjoy our hat bar experience, and you can come to listen to some live music while you want a cold beverage while the kids run and play! I am most proud of what my brand represents, which is The Cowboy Way, which “depicts people that live with unbendable integrity and a code of unquestionable truth.” Our hat bar is now open, and we offer several different packages: George Strait starts at $150, Loretta Lynn at $175, and Dolly Parton at $225. All of our packages include your hat! You can find more info on our website, www.thearenacantina.com.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Harper is a small town starting to grow. Many people travel to Fredericksburg, about 22 miles outside of Harper; I encourage people to drive to Harper to experience The Arena Cantina. I promise it is well worth it!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thearenacantina.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thearenacantina/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thearenacantina
