They relaunched SLiK Hound around the unique product. Born from their limitations this fresh take on dog collars was called “Eco Boom” and later rebranded as Cannabis collars.
They used the materials from their initial investment, (it was all they could afford), and they created a new product. Refusing to let go, Nick and Amy began saving for a better sewing machine. In 2012 they had the machine and Amy started teaching herself to sew. The couple’s dream of SLiK Hound never really ended in fact, making it materialize became a daily distraction in their lives. Nick returned to his studies at the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 2011 and eventually switched his focus to entrepreneurship. Most importantly, they learned from all the early mistakes. The logos, branding, and famous old truck photos are all relics of these early days and are still in use now. Little did they know these early days would provide much of the foundation they would later build their empire on. When they exhausted their limited startup capital and no viable product resulted, the project came to a halt. Most of the materials they ordered were unsuitable and the craftsmen they could afford were not up to par. Without any sewing or manufacturing experience they quickly discovered how difficult the endeavor was.
Dog collars seemed simple enough, so they jumped right in, naming the project SLiK Hound.
By 2011 the family had grown to three dogs and the spark became an inferno.Opportunity knocked when a close friend invited them to make some collars for her store. The little Whippet warmed their hearts and sparked their passion for dogs. The story begins in the midst of a blizzard on Decemwhen the couple brought home their first dog, Dasher. “We’re going to be actually doing matching bracelets to the dog collars,” said Nick.High school sweethearts Amy and Nick are the visionaries behind SLiK Hound. The Lukes are already thinking about their next product, though this one will be something that dog owners can wear. (The business had grown to the point that it occupied pretty much the entire second floor of their house.)Īn open house for SLiK Hound’s new place is planned for May 7, with a ribbon- cutting at noon, Nick said. Orders have grown to the point that Nick and Amy have hired a full-time employee, her younger brother, and are moving SLiK Hound into a new space at 500 Delaware in River Market. Today, you can find SLiK Hound collars in 35 stores, primarily in Kansas City, Chicago, Des Moines and other Midwestern cities. Every show they attended, they brought home enough money to pay that week’s bills. The quality of their goods improved, too-each piece had the exact same finish and quality as the next. They emptied out Amy’s retirement account and bought a tent and other equipment so they could start traveling to trade shows. In 2014, the couple decided to make another big push into their business. Over the next three years, the Lukes burned through their startup money as they slowly got better at making the collars.
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That’s the problem with a niche product like theirs: “There’s no book out there on how to make dog collars.” The only problem? “They just felt like something that somebody made at home,” Nick said. They invested in machinery and material, and they started making dog collars. Nick and Amy raised startup money, the bulk of it coming from an $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit. She mentioned that her supplier for fashion dog collars was getting out of the business-and that there might be an opportunity in the market. The Lukes got into the dog-collar business in 2011, after they made friends with Gretchen Miller, the owner of Westport’s Doggie Style Bowtique and Pet Salon. Their company’s collars come in a range of lengths, widths and styles, including more than 260 different fabrics. The Jackson County natives, who’ve been married four years, started dating when they were students at Fort Osage High. SLiK Hound is the brainchild of Nick and wife Amy, a local couple who happen to own four dogs of their own: a whippet, an Afghan hound, a Saluki and an Italian greyhound. “We’re the only dog-collar company that I know of that stitches with Kevlar thread,” co-owner Nick Luke said. The collars are lined with satin for the dogs’ comfort, and Kevlar thread-the same kind of material used in bullet-resistant vests-is used to stitch everything together. It’s best known for its Pop Fashion line of dog collars that feature bright colors and designs, combined with extremely durable construction. That’s the idea behind SLiK Hound, a young Kansas City company. So don’t they deserve a collar that looks and functions better than the $8 special at PetSmart? It took time for SLiK Hound to perfect its high-fashion dog collars, but now the business is thriving.ĭogs are man’s best friend.
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