Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Barratt.
Mark, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Carol and I have been involved in children’s education, entertainment, and family celebrations for most of the 40 years we have lived in DFW. About a dozen years ago, we moved our operations to a 75-acre farm in Anna, Texas, Anna Acres, where we offer pony rides and pony birthday parties through AnnaAcres.com. Last year, we completed a small school and now provide a country preschool experience.
As part of the school, we also created a celebration hall with a stage that we use for family reunions and, especially, music events for families — my specialty. This is operated through You Star Concerts and includes private karaoke parties, talent shows, a recording studio, and even a YouTube channel featuring some of our exceptional young artists.
We have 8 children and 21 grand children, many of who are musicians. You Star Concerts was born of our desire to find a place where we could perform and have fun together.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t always been profitable, and navigating the red tape of city and county construction and usage permits for something as unique as You Star Concerts has been a tremendous challenge.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Although I have a degree in engineering and worked in telecommunications in Dallas for 30 years, Carol and I have always been small business people at heart. In 1990, we opened Camp Giddyup and provided horseback rides around Lake Lavon for several years. We later built Little Harts Preschool in Lucas, a preschool centered around ponies and horses that combined education and entertainment for children and is still in operation today.
In 1998, we remodeled a historic home in McKinney and opened a wedding venue called Surrey House and Gardens. There, we hosted more than a thousand weddings and receptions and became deeply connected with the local community.
In 2013, we moved to Anna and opened our family celebrations venue, Anna Acres, where we added You Star Concerts and expanded our business adventures into music and family entertainment.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
We’ve always tried to put honesty first in all of our businesses. Our primary commitment has been to provide the services people truly want, not just the services we happen to offer. We also work hard to keep our prices affordable so customers feel they received a good value and will want to return again.
Pricing:
- You Star Concerts charges $300 for a 2 hour session. However, anyone who mentions this article will received a 20% discount.
Contact Info:
- Website: AnnaAcres.com and YouStarConcerts.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61584887906246
