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

Hi Kathryn, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My in-laws, Richard and Connie Mead, started C R Scrubs in Tyler, Texas in 2001. In 2006, Connie’s sister, Cheryl, along with her husband Merle Hinkhouse, started Scrub House in Loveland, Colorado in 2006. At the time, we were stationed in Mannheim Germany, and I was working on my MBA. I used the case studies of each of the stores as a model for my academic work. I had always thought if we moved to a location that was in need of a scrub store (and might be stationed somewhere for more than a year!), that I would look into the possibility of starting a business of my own. In 2008, we were moved to the Manhattan Kansas area. While my husband stayed in the Army to finish out his 20 years, I opened K-Scrubs in Manhattan, KS in 2009. Cheryl and Merle were looking to retire from the scrub business and my husband and I took over Scrub House in 2018!

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?
I was a nurse working in Colorado Springs in the late 90’s and I remember the scrubs of the time were really more functional (not to mention uncomfortable) than fashionable. My colleagues and I were always on the lookout for something new…something fun…something not so uniform like. Since starting in the industry in 2009, scrubs have come a long way. Today they are more of a fashion item that just so happen to be comfortable, stretchy and have all of the bonus features such as soil resistance or have antimicrobial properties. They make all sorts of styles, colors and sizes (we can fit all the way from XXS petite to 3XL tall). Big names are also getting into the industry such as Carhartt and Sketchers. I’m proud of the fact that we always try to keep our inventory current with up-to-date styles as well as colors and sizes for everyone. And we work hard to make our sure that our customers find the right fit for them individually. Everybody is different and every scrub fits completely different, even within the same brand, making it is hard to buy them online without the ability to touch or try them on.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I absolutely LOVE the whole Front Range area, and my absolute favorite place is Estes Park. The mountains, the sceneries (the goats!), are all wonderful. I try to get up there as often as possible.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First and foremost I want to recognize my family who have always been there and provided me with the encouragement, strength and support needed to make both stores successful. My husband Jason (who is the general manager of both locations), my daughter Stephanie (who is a librarian in the Greeley area), my son Ryan (who is a submariner in the Navy) and my youngest, Trevor (an engineering student at Kansas State University). And of course, my in-laws for their guidance and support every step of the way.

It is really the employees who make it happen every day. I am blessed to have an incredible team of amazing individuals: my right-hand woman, Shawna Case (K-Scrubs Store Manager); Bibiana Stewart (Scrub House Store Manager), Zoe Smith (Sales Associate) and Jayla Lewellen (Groups Manager), and Tamara Toelle (Graphic designer and sales associate). All of them come in each day to put smiles on the faces of our customers.

That is what it is all about, it is why we do what we do every day: our amazing customers, our healthcare heroes, who we are deeply honored to serve.

Website: www.scrubhouse.biz

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

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

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/scrub-house-loveland

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUUoRd3z1ni-Ry5QCrKgWSQ

Other: Scrub House Google Page: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Scrub+House/

Image Credits
Tammy Karin – Photographer TEK Images tekimages.littleleapling.com

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