We’re Finally Opening the Doors

On Saturday, December 20, Squeaky’s Trains and Squeaky’s Aquatics will open the doors to our physical store. With the holidays right around the corner, this moment feels especially meaningful. After months of building, adjusting, and pushing forward, we finally get to welcome our community in and take this step together. Opening our doors just before the holidays gives us a chance to celebrate, reflect, and move into the new year side by side.

For a long time, this moment felt just ahead of us.

The journey to get here unfolded differently than we imagined. What began with clear plans slowly became a process of constant adjustment. Each time something came together, something else asked for attention. Progress never stopped, but it rarely looked the way we expected it to. Weeks turned into months filled with reworking, refining, and revisiting details we thought were already settled.

Some days were spent solving big problems. Others were spent on small things that somehow took an entire afternoon. One night, after carefully installing the checkout counter fascia by hand and stepping back feeling proud of how it turned out, we came in the next morning to find it all on the floor. It was frustrating, exhausting, and a little funny in hindsight, and it perfectly captured what this process felt like. Every step forward came with a reminder that nothing about this was going to be simple.

There were moments when it would have been easier to rush, simplify, or take shortcuts just to get the doors open. But we didn’t. We chose to keep building toward what this place was meant to be, adjusting when needed without giving up on the vision. And now, after a long stretch of steady effort, we’re finally ready to open the doors.

As a small, family-run business, every part of this journey carried weight. While building this space, we were also continuing to support our online customers, answering questions, packing orders, and doing our best to show up the way our customers deserve. There were no days off. The work stretched across early mornings, late nights, and seven-day weeks. Some progress was visible. Some was quiet. All of it mattered.

Community has always been at the heart of what we’re building.

Model trains and aquatics are more than hobbies to us. They are shared experiences that connect generations, offer calm in a busy world, and reward patience and care. From the beginning, our commitment has been to quality, honest guidance, and real support. Whether someone is purchasing their first train set, expanding a layout years in the making, setting up a new aquarium, or caring for fish they love, our customers deserve respect, clarity, and a place where questions are always welcome. We want this to be more than just a store. We want it to be a place where people feel at home.

December 20 is not a finish line. It is a moment of arrival.

When you visit, you may notice that not everything is fully complete. Some shelves will continue to fill. Displays will evolve. Systems will improve over the coming weeks and months. That is part of the story. Just like a layout that grows or an aquarium that matures, this space will continue to improve as we learn, adjust, and respond to the needs of our community.

To celebrate opening weekend and to say thank you, we are offering 10% off store wide, in store only, on Saturday December 20 and Sunday December 21.

That means 10% off trains, track, rolling stock, scenery, aquatics supplies, and more throughout the entire store. No codes. No fine print. Just a sincere thank you to everyone who waited, checked in, and believed in what we were building, even when the timeline kept shifting.

We also want to share something deeply personal to us. Creating a space that feels welcoming and comfortable matters. We know that not everyone shops the same way. Some people love conversation and guidance. Others prefer quiet browsing, or a quick visit without pressure. Based on our own experiences, we created a unique shopping experience that lets you choose how you want to interact.

When you arrive, you can select a basket that lets our team know whether you would like help, enjoy casual conversation, or prefer to shop quietly without being approached. It is about giving you control over your visit. A place where you do not have to worry about avoiding conversation or forcing one. A place where you can simply be treated the way you want to be treated.

Autism awareness and inclusion are close to our hearts, and this approach reflects that commitment. In the coming months, we plan to introduce once a month sensory friendly shopping days, with more details to be shared later. There are many small, thoughtful touches throughout the store designed with our customers in mind, some you may notice right away, and others quietly working in the background to make the space more comfortable.

To those who stopped by before we were officially open, whether to peek inside, talk trains, ask aquarium questions, or simply offer encouragement, thank you. Those moments reminded us why having a physical space matters and gave us strength during the hardest stretches.

And to our family and friends, thank you. For the seven-day weeks, the late nights, the sacrifices, and the steady support behind the scenes. This store exists because you believed in it and carried it forward with us.

As we open our doors, we do so in the spirit of Christmas, with warmth, gratitude, and togetherness. We will have holiday treats, along with warm tea and coffee, available on Grand Opening Day while supplies last, and we hope the store feels like a place where you can slow down, feel welcome, and share in the season.

Store Hours

Saturday, December 20 (Opening Day & 10% Off):

10:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Sunday, December 21 (10% Off Store Wide): 

11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Monday, December 22 & Tuesday, December 23: 

11:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Wednesday, December 24 (Christmas Eve):

11:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Thursday, December 25 (Christmas Day):

Closed

Friday, December 26 & Saturday, December 27: 

10:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Sunday, December 28: 

11:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Monday, December 29 & Tuesday December 30: 

11:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Wednesday, December 31 (New Year's Eve):

11:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Thursday, January 1 (New Year's Day):

Closed

Regular Hours Moving Forward:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Friday & Saturday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Sunday: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Wednesday: Closed

Please note that these hours may adjust slightly as we continue to settle in and improve the space.

Visit Us

Squeaky’s Trains & Squeaky’s Aquatics

1885 Braselton Hwy, Suite D

Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043

We open Saturday, December 20.

Join us opening weekend and enjoy 10% off store wide, in store only, December 20–21.

We cannot wait to welcome you in and begin this next chapter together.