BOISE, IDAHO — Heather and Levi Schoonover opened a franchise of Painting With A Twist in Boise, marking the first paint-and-sip studio in the city.

The couple moved seven hours from northern Idaho to Boise after purchasing a family trophy and medal business for about $40,000. Levi's uncle had died and his family prepared to sell the uncle's trophy business, prompting the Schoonovers to leave their stable jobs and house to take over the operation.

For their first year in Boise, the couple lived in a half-finished 1957 Airstream trailer parked inside the trophy business warehouse with their two dogs. During the first year of ownership, the trophy business netted about $35,000. In the second year, the business doubled its profits compared to the first year, and in the third year, it doubled its profits again compared to the second year.

When the Schoonovers arrived in Boise, there was no paint-and-sip art studio in the city. Heather Schoonover has a background working at paint-and-sip art studios and began hosting paint-and-sip events in the trophy business warehouse, charging participants only for materials.

The couple decided to explore franchising to gain flexibility and own a paint-and-sip business without being tied to working there every day. Painting With A Twist helped them find a location in Boise and negotiate a lease for their studio.

Heather Schoonover discovered she was pregnant the day before the grand opening of the paint-and-sip studio. Because of the franchise's resources, they were able to keep the studio open and continue making money during Heather's maternity leave.

The Schoonovers now own two businesses and rental properties in Idaho and have a daughter. Their businesses have complementary schedules: Heather watches their baby while Levi works at the trophy business during the day, and Heather works at the paint-and-sip studio at night while Levi stays home with the baby. Before their daughter was born, Levi bartended at paint-and-sip nights so that he and Heather could spend time together.