Marlee And Charlie Learn All About Small Towns

When you live in a small town, there is very little that the people that live there don't know about you. They know your mama and daddy; they know your grandparents. They even know where you went to school and what your parents do for a living to make money. They know where you live and they even talk about you at their breakfast table. They talk about you at the beauty shop and the hardware store and always at the local cafe. The hot topic in Marlee's little town was, "Did you guys hear what Marlee and Charlie are going to do? They think they can start a big business here. It will never work."

"They are too young and don't know anything about running a business." Others gave them the benefit of the doubt. They said, "Well, I had their parents and grandparents in school. I was their teacher and they ended up being successful business people."
" Marlee's Grandma B had her own beauty shop, Country Clippers and her Mama has her own beauty shop now; Studio 754. Even Marlee's great grandfather had a barber shop in town. I'm sure they will help the kids. I think that Charlie's grandma had a beauty shop at one time. Now she helps people that live in a nursing home. They are all successful."
Little towns are wonderful because you do know everyone or almost. But little towns can also give you a headache because you get tired of everyone "butting into your business."

The grandmothers and Marlee and Charlie decided to have a business meeting and decide exactly what they were going to work on first. They had the outside of the building looking very nice for fall. Most of what they decorated with was free so that was good. Marlee spent almost all of her money on food for the break room so that was not good. Charlie had invested what little money she had on the costume shop. She had ordered costumes for Halloween. Hopefully people would come in their store and buy some so she could reinvest some of her money and buy some things for the Christmas season. That left them with little to no money to hire employees to work in their store. They had big problems.
All of a sudden there was a knock on the office door. They all jumped because they had not expected anyone to be in the building except themselves.

Marlee got up and opened the door and there was a lady and her little girl. Marlee knew the little girl, it was Hannah. Hannah was there with her mama! Well everyone welcomed them to sit down and have a piece of pie that Marlee had spent her dollar on. Grandma B got some drinks that she had brought with her and Nanny had brought some silverware and paper plates and paper cups.
Mary Beth said, "We were at Hannah's Grandma Dawna's beauty shop this morning (Extremes) and the customers were talking about your new adventure. We want to be part of it. We think you guys can make it work if people help you and believe in you. Here is the catch, we don't want any wages, but we can only work part time. Hannah has experience working at her daddy's shop, remember? So she can help with the office work here when she can. We have heard rumors that there is going to be a cooking show here and Hannah wants to be part of it as well. Do we have a deal?"
At first there was dead silence. Nobody could believe their good luck. Then all of a sudden everyone was talking at once and laughing and hugging. Yes, they had a deal. And Hannah's grandma had sent over some snacks for the break room as well. They were all set. They thought.....