Meet Amber Prince | AR Workshop Tucson Owner & Nurse

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amber Prince and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amber, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
My husband was the leading force in starting this business. 2020 there were many changes for everyone, and my family was no exception. My husband was furloughed from his job, without any idea as to when he would be brought back. I was working full time for a local fire district. My husband began to look for job opportunities and he thought that a business that he could still assist in managing once he went back to his regular job would be ideal. We found AR Workshop and looked into their franchising opportunities and we thought it was a great fit. It has the wood working which was ideal for my husband and the artistic side of it that spoke to me. We opened in November 2020, and within two months of opening, my husband was called back in to work his regular job! I was trying to manage the business and work my full time job for a year, but it was to much for my family (and my sanity!). So in May of this year, I left my job at the fire district and focused on the shop full time. We hoped that having our own business and me with the one job, it would give me a little more flexibility with the kids and let me do something that makes me happy everyday! I get to help people create! Plus it has become. family affair where my husband assists me in the finance component and my oldest son actually works for us! You might even see my daughter there with me on days, painting away (she never gets tired of it!).

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My upbringing was one that taught me the value of hard work, ownership, and putting others first. My parents had my sister and me in 4H and caring for animals like horses, pigs, chickens, goats, and more from an early age. Teaching responsibility and hard work… I say that as I remember my friend in elementary school complaining she only made $10 a week for emptying the dishwasher where I was using an ax to break the ice from the animals water before I headed to school and never got an allowance! With my parents assistance my sister and I started a horse boarding business when I was just in middle school. I had to work with customer satisfaction, time management, putting others needs before my own wants, etc. I went on to become a nurse and continue my want to help people, and satisfy my love of science. I have been a nurse for over 20 years (ER Manager for 6 years) and the skills I have taken from this career has helped me in my customer service in my current business. When I was working in the ER and I could make someone laugh on one of their worst days, comfort a wife as her husband is dying, or go 13 hours without seeing to my needs… then I can handle most any situation that comes my way! I go above and beyond for my customers and strive to make them happy.

Things that I love about our business is seeing people take items that they get to say they made for their home, or to give as presents. When someone keeps saying aloud, “I cannot believe I made this!”. I get to be part of someone’s memory! And that is so cool to me. While yes, AR Workshop Tucson is part of a franchise… it is a small business that takes so much work, love, patience, gumption, etc. Our business is not the McDonalds franchise, it is a mom and pop franchise that is time from my family, but also where you will see my family and know who they are. Customers who become like family, like the customers who share pictures with me of their grand babies on the blanket that they made in our shop or the 50th anniversary gift for their parents. I try to give back to the community, whether sponsoring little league teams, local high school sports, fundraisers for the local schools or charities, and more. I try to highlight local artist in my class offerings and retail we sale. Small vendors that cannot afford or do a brick and mortar location, I can help get their name out there through my shop. And hope to increase their clientele and income. If I can’t do something for someone, I believe in sending them on to someone who can. Like in the movie Miracle on 34th Street, the store didn’t carry a certain toy but the Santa told them which store they could find it at…. there should be more of that in our society!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This actually happens quite often as my best friend lives in Prescott and we try to meet up frequently. She was actually just down recently and I showed her some of my favorite fall memories.

Brunch at Teaspoon at the Casas Adobe Plaza. Down to Apple Annie’s Orchard for apple picking with our kids (wine tasting if we didn’t have them!). Home to make a brown betty with my mom’s old recipe and the freshly picked apples. Sunsets (my favorite time of the day) on our deck looking out on the 360 view and telling her about the Tucson saying “If they (the mountains) are pink, then it is time to drink!”.

My family enjoy the outdoors a lot, and Tucson has an abundant of things to do! We love to go four wheeling, camp, ride bikes on one of the many trails around Oro valley area. Riding bikes to local farmers market and getting snacks there is always fun!

Places I love to take out of town visitors is historical Tombstone or Bisbee. Show them the different beauties that Southern Arizona has to offer like the Kartchner Caverns, Mt Lemon, Tohono Chul Park, San Xavier Mission, take them on fun easy hikes in Sabino Canyon or Catalina State Park (my husband and I even got married here!), etc.

Places we love to eat: I love to show off our local restaurants when friends come in to town! My friend wont even come to Tucson without the promise of at least two trips to Eegee’s and take home a fun pack to her family! But it is a Tucson special and favorite! Noble Hops is a great vibe with great food. Already mentioned Teaspoon for breakfast/brunch. And of course no trip to Tucson is complete without some yummy authentic Mexican food! BKs for their sonoran dogs, El Charro (especially the historical downtown location!), or Seis Kitchen.. my mouth waters thinking about any of these locations! Close to home and what I craved (couldn’t get enough of it!) when I was pregnant with daughter was Pappoule’s greek restaurant! The best greek salads I have ever found, and paired with their lamb chops, I even had my husband sneak it in to me when I was in the hospital in labor!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My husband. I don’t think I would have started this business if not for him. But I definitely would not have quit my other job to focus on our business if not for his encouragement and statements like “They come for you” and how the business thrives when I am more present. He is my biggest cheerleader. And he is patient as he helps with aspects of the business that I wasn’t comfortable with at first (like the usage of power tools and cutting wood to correct measurements!). He is my sounding board and lets me talk his ear off with ideas, thoughts, etc. We are both sensible people and hard workers but he helps me push myself too!

Website: https://www.arworkshop.com/tucson/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arworkshoptucson/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ARWorkshopTucson/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ar-workshop-tucson-tucson-3

Other: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@arworkshoptucson?lang=en

Image Credits
Some photos but not all Photo Credit: Julian Ybarra