Hello there! The wait is FINALLY over. After months of preparing and people wondering what is going on on Old Orchard Road in Bonne Terre, we are SO EXCITED to introduce the future Orchard Hills Veterinary Clinic!
Myself, Dr. Hannah Gawf, owner of Orchard Hills Veterinary Clinic, and my little family have put our hearts and souls into making this clinic something incredible. From the early stages of selecting our location, to the building design, to the door and wall colors, to the little minute details, we have designed the clinic to be a cozy, calm, and welcoming environment. As a mother to three amazing (I’m not biased at all) children, it was especially important to me to make families, those with not just four legged kids, but two legged ones as well, feel comfortable and supported when they come to see us. I’ve been that disheveled woman with two toddlers and a baby on my hip trying to take my animals somewhere and I know it can be chaotic. Rest assured, our goal at Orchard Hills Veterinary Clinic is to create a caring and friendly environment for our clients and patients, as well as our staff, promoting a family first mentality.
We are still a few months away from opening, but I’d like to take you on a little trip down memory lane to when we began the process of establishing Orchard Hills Veterinary Clinic.
(Full disclosure – you may see some ridiculously cute kids or unlevel pictures due to the killer photography skills my toddlers have!)
In October 2022, we signed the contract to purchase our four acre lot on Old Orchard Road. Being right off Highway 67 with easy access on and off Orchard Road, we found it to be the most ideal location for both our small and large animal clients.
Things became really REAL when we received our final blueprints for the building and could really get started on things.
On January 11, 2023, we broke ground! It was extremely exciting, but also very overwhelming!
Within a week, we had a driveway and the site was leveled. Things were finally underway, but we still had a long way to go. The winter weather slowed things down a bit, as we expected.
Not clinic building related, but did I mention we got a puppy on New Year’s Eve? Can’t forget the clinic mascot. Meet Tulsi! She is crazy, lovable, and so very loyal. The stages of getting a puppy, watching them grow and develop into something so loved and adored is remarkably similar to the process of building a veterinary clinic.
You will probably be seeing her around the clinic, in photos or even possibly in person!
In April, our logo was born and our foundation was poured.
A lot happened in May! The building was framed, trusses were set, and the clinic really began to take shape. The kids loved “walking through walls” and imagining what it would be like in the future once the walls were finished.
In a matter of weeks, the building was dried in with a roof overhead and metal on the exterior. As with all buildings, it was a speed up then slow down process, but our team of contractors kept with it to make things happen. Before we knew it, we had plumbing, electric, and HVAC done. Props to Lance Brewen Construction, GWS Contracting, Inc, and Pristine Contracting Group for their timely contributions to this project!
Thanks for joining us on this journey! There’s still a lot left to do, but we are SO. CLOSE! Within the next month or so we should have nearly everything in place and can begin prepping for opening, so STAY TUNED! We will continue to post updates to our website and Facebook page, so check back in for updates.
