12/04/2024
🐝To Our Amazing Bee Community,
Thank you to everyone who helped The Bee end on such a high note. Your kind words, well wishes, and unwavering support have meant the world to me. I feel so blessed to have made so many new friends and reconnected with old ones along this journey. To our "Bee Diehards"—this dream wouldn’t have been possible without you. Your weekly visits, encouragement, and smiles made every day so much brighter. I’ve loved watching your kiddos grow, hearing your stories, and sharing a little part of your lives. You will all be deeply missed.
As this is our final post, I’d like to take a moment to thank some very special people who made The Bee what it was.
To my family—Eric, Devin, Taylor, Wyatt, Chloe, Olivia, Mom (Joyce), Dad (Burnell), and my father-in-law, Thayer—I couldn’t have done it without you. Your encouragement, hard work, and constant support were appreciated. Eric, you handled a billion boxes, scrubbed floors, and joined me on countless market trips—thank you from the bottom of my heart. Dad, I’ll always be grateful for how you showed up for renovations, turning an empty building into The Bee with tireless nights of work and for taking time to check in on me. Olivia, thank you for all your hours setting up inventory, being the first official employee, and helping to bring this dream to life. Mom, your guidance, countless bookkeeping lessons, patience, and support (especially when listening to every single one of my ideas, multiple times!) were invaluable. Thanks for jumping in every time I got in over my head! Thayer, your support, encouragement and positivity meant so much to me. Devin, Taylor, Wyatt and Chloe, your advice and love—especially during the toughest moments—made all the difference. Thanks for sharing the journey with me! Jane, thanks for all of you kindness and support from the start. To my "other" co-workers Lynne and Jamie thanks for all of the support at both jobs and for helping me with all the crazy! To my cousin Crys and Aunt Phyl, thank you for being there from the very beginning s qg to the very end. Your support and laughter are always a blessing.
A huge thanks to my dear friend Shawna Chapman. Shawna, you gave me the confidence to pursue this little dream of mine, and being your business neighbor created some of my happiest memories! Thanks for the laughs, support, and caring through the entire journey! Teaming up with you for events has been the best! I will never get tired of the looks on our families faces when we look at each other and say, “I have an idea…just hear me out…” I can’t wait for our next big idea! Mackenna, Morgan, Max, and Ryan, your support and hard work meant everything. You are all amazing, and I am so grateful for everything you’ve done. AND I am appologizing in advance for me and Shawna's next big idea! 😂
And to the incredible women who truly brought the magic to The Bee:
• Jen Ruth, you went quickly from the girl who would work Fridays to a dear friend! Your talent, dedication and love of the shop made it so special for everyone. It would never have been the same without you. I had so much fun laughing with you, designing, planning events, and seasons with you – you are a peach - thanks is not enough. And without you I would have never known how important white fur is at the holidays.🤣🤣
• Di Lenz, my life-long friend - thanks for being there for every twist and turn and busy event. I don’t know how many days you just stopped in to say hello and jumped into action to save the day. Your fun attitude (and delish cookies) were always appreciated! Thanks so much!
• Kelsey Hardison, getting to work with you was a great experience! I had no idea what I was doing, and you just took things and ran with them. Thanks so much for helping The Bee get it’s start. I was a lucky girl when you joined me, and I had so much fun working with you. – I miss our chats - you’re the best.
• Morgan Warner, our Saturday superstar, you brought so much fun and enthusiasm to the shop. I loved hearing about your adventures and can’t wait to see what’s next for you!
Finally, to my fellow small business owners: thank you for your encouragement and support. You are the heart of our community, and I’m proud to have been part of this incredible group. Let’s continue to lift each other up and support local businesses—they bring so much life and character to our little towns.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you Bee Friends for being part of this beautiful journey. The Bee may be closing its doors, but the memories will stay with me forever.
With gratitude,
Lana🐝
