Imagine opening a business during America’s most critical health crisis since the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic. Now, meet former corporate law attorney Holly Hernandez and her husband Brian. Seeking a life change, the Frisco, Texas couple took a risk to fulfill their dream—staring down the 2020 pandemic.

Holly had been practicing law for 20 years and was burning out, so the pair decided they needed a change. Wanting their business to have something to do with entertainment, as they researched they discovered there was no mini golf in the area.

The idea became a reality in 2016 when the Hernandez’s signed a franchise agreement. It was hard to find a workable location because they were adamant that the business be in their home town of Frisco, Texas. Being as patient as they could, they searched for a few years before they found the perfect location in 2019.

“We had no idea that right around our planned opening in March 2020, the world would be turned upside down,” says Brian Hernandez. “But we’d made the commitment and a huge investment. We had no Plan B.” Even with all the restrictions and new business guidelines, they resolved to go ahead as planned.

Family-Friendly

From the get-go, the Hernandezs wanted their business to promote families coming together and having fun. Today, that ethos is borne out by their own nearest and dearest, who have turned Monster Mini Golf into a family affair.

“Ours is a classic family business,” says Holly. “Our 16-year-old son, Jake, works with us as does our 14-year-old daughter, Sienna. We even hired a bunch of our friends. We have a great team surrounding us, and we have a great time working together!”

Since their opening, families across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex have overwhelmingly supported their efforts. “People have been so welcoming and happy to have us here,” says Brian. “They tell us all the time how they could not believe there was no mini golf in the area before we opened.”

“Yes!” says Holly. “We are very fortunate and so thankful that Frisco and the surrounding communities have embraced our style of entertainment.”

Of course, they have had to make adjustments because of COVID-19, including hosting private parties when not open to the public. “Families love the fact they can have a private event so that their guests feel more at ease,” explains Holly. Monster Mini Golf also hosts corporate events, field trips and fundraisers, along with welcoming donations of golf passes to local philanthropies.

Challenges and Rewards

“Owning or starting a business is challenging,” says Holly. “When you open a new business, it’s like birthing a child that we carried for well over 9 months… When it’s a newborn, you want to be there to make sure you don’t miss a moment and that you nurture it properly.”

“We used to spend all of our free time at concerts and traveling and since both of those activities are pretty much non-existent at the moment, there’s no place that we’d rather be than here,” adds Brian.

Talking of concerts, Brian and Holly share a love, fascination and connection to the rock band KISS. “Our KISS collection is massive. Gene Simmons has been to our house to see it. We even have KISS and Gene Simmons icons hidden in the custom artwork of our Monster Mini Golf,” says Holly. 

Despite the challenges of 2020, both Brian and Holly agree they are finding rewards in their new venture. “The fact that we get to work together as a family, and we get to meet so many other amazing people and families and make them laugh, smile and genuinely have a great time, brings us a lot of joy,” says Holly.

“Miniature golf brings out the kid in everyone,” says Brian. “It’s simple and gets families to spend time together making memories. If you live in the area or are just visiting, we invite you to spend some time with us for a fun and unique experience you will not forget.”

Cover photo courtesy 3DTexas.com

Bob Valleau is a freelance writer living in McKinney, Texas.