Emily Carter
Two Chicks and a Hammer was a renovation company and HGTV show starring mother-daughter duo Mina Starsiak Hawk and Karen E. Laine. The show and company ended after eight seasons, with Hawk citing burnout and the difficulties of filming so many renovations per year. Hawk also spoke about the challenges of working with city planners and the impact of COVID on the business. In addition, Hawk revealed tensions within her family, including a fraught relationship with Laine, which may have contributed to the show's demise.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for breakup | Staff burnout, Mina Starsiak Hawk's strained relationships with her family, and frequent butting of heads with city planners |
| Company status | Still in business |
| Retail store status | Closed |
| Mina's relationship with her family | Strained |
| Mina's future plans | Mina is filming a two-episode spinoff with her husband, Steve Hawk, and their children |
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Staff burnout
Mina acknowledged the issue of staff burnout in an interview with the Indianapolis Business Journal in September 2023, expressing her love for her production company and her desire to continue working with them. However, she also recognised the challenges of running a small business, especially during the COVID pandemic, which contributed to the difficulties they faced.
In addition to the demanding workload, Mina and her company faced challenges with city planners and local government, which further added to the strain. They encountered issues with construction permits and struggled to get approval for their renovation plans. This created friction and made it difficult to complete their projects.
Personal and family dynamics also played a role in the breakup. Mina and Laine had a complicated relationship, and Mina opened up about the fraught nature of their relationship on her podcast, "MINA AF". There were also reports of dysfunction within the family, with Mina's oversharing of family dynamics and her mother's history of unstable relationships.
Financial considerations were another factor. Mina mentioned that there was “not enough money in the world” to put her back in the place she was a year ago, indicating that the stress and challenges she faced were significant.
As a result of these combined factors, Mina made the difficult decision to scale back her renovation company, re-evaluate her career, and ultimately bring an end to the show and the collaboration with her mother.
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Family drama
The HGTV show "Good Bones" followed the mother-daughter duo Mina Starsiak Hawk and Karen E. Laine as they renovated homes in Indianapolis, Indiana through their company Two Chicks and a Hammer. The show and the company were both very successful, with the show lasting eight seasons and 103 episodes and the company opening a home décor retail store.
However, in 2019, Laine stepped back from the company, selling her financial interest to Hawk, and in 2023, the show ended. Hawk has since opened up about the fraught nature of her relationship with Laine, as well as the behind-the-scenes family drama that was going on during the show. Hawk has described her family of origin as "messy", with her parents, Karen and Casey, being in and out of different romantic relationships and marriages. There were also periods when Hawk and her mother didn't speak, such as during her first year of college.
In addition to family drama, Hawk faced several challenges with her company, including issues with city planners and construction permits, as well as a high workload for her staff, who were burnt out from renovating so many houses every year, especially with the added pressure of filming. Hawk has also said that she felt overwhelmed by the amount of money involved and that she was in a really bad place.
In August 2023, Hawk announced that she was re-evaluating her career and closing the Two Chicks retail store. She has since hinted at a new show, with her husband, Steve Hawk, and their children, Jack and Charlotte, renovating a lake house.
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Financial issues
One key issue was the thin profit margins and narrow breakeven points of their home renovation business. This made the enterprise vulnerable, particularly in a high-interest-rate environment. The company also encountered difficulties with city officials, who hampered their work by rejecting their construction plans and permits. Starsiak Hawk attributed these rejections to her increased visibility due to her television show, "Good Bones", and the associated scrutiny from city planners.
In addition, the demanding format of "Good Bones," which required the renovation of 13 houses per season, proved unsustainable. This intense workload led to burnout among staff, who struggled to balance the renovations with the constant filming demands. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated these challenges, impacting the business negatively.
The retail store associated with Two Chicks and a Hammer also faced financial troubles and eventually closed. Starsiak Hawk attributed the closure to the challenges of operating a small business, especially during the pandemic. She expressed gratitude for the support received during the store's tenure and emphasized the honor of being part of the local business community.
The financial strain took a personal toll on Starsiak Hawk, who shared her struggles openly. She revealed that there was "not enough money in the world" to put her back in the difficult place she had been in, indicating the severity of the situation. These financial issues, combined with the operational challenges and interpersonal dynamics, ultimately contributed to the breakup of Two Chicks and a Hammer.
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City planning struggles
Two Chicks and a Hammer, the renovation company fronted by Mina Starsiak Hawk, faced several challenges that contributed to its eventual demise. One significant issue was the company's struggle with city planning and permit approval processes. Starsiak Hawk stated that her company increasingly butted heads with city planners and had difficulty obtaining construction permits. This challenge was exacerbated by the visibility and expectations that came with being a TV personality.
The renovation company aimed to maintain the aesthetic of the neighborhoods they worked in, but their plans sometimes conflicted with the decisions and preferences of city planners. Starsiak Hawk mentioned that it was challenging to get things done within a reasonable timeframe, especially when dealing with city planners who did not favor her projects. This dynamic created friction and made it difficult for the company to execute their renovation projects efficiently.
In addition to permit issues, Two Chicks and a Hammer also faced financial strains. The company operated with thin margins and narrow breakeven points, making it vulnerable in a high-interest-rate environment. The pressure to renovate multiple houses every year, combined with the demands of filming, led to staff burnout. Mina also mentioned that the stress and dysfunction within her family, including her mother, Karen E. Laine, contributed to her own struggles and the decision to re-evaluate her career path.
The company's retail store, Two Chicks District Co., also faced challenges during the COVID pandemic and ultimately closed its doors. While the company considered relocating the store to a new suburb, Noblesville, the move was met with mixed reactions from locals. These challenges, along with the phasing out of home renovation work in Marion County, contributed to the overall struggles of Two Chicks and a Hammer.
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Scaling back
Mina Starsiak Hawk's decision to scale back her renovation company, Two Chicks and a Hammer, was influenced by several factors. Firstly, Mina and her company faced challenges due to the high-interest rate environment, thin margins, and narrow breakeven points in the home renovation industry. The company also encountered issues with city officials and struggled to obtain construction permits, which hampered their work. Additionally, Mina's staff were burnt out from renovating multiple houses every year, especially with the added pressure of filming.
Mina herself also faced challenges, including family dynamics and a strained relationship with her mother, Karen E. Laine, with whom she co-founded the company. Mina has been open about the dysfunction within her family, including her mother's romantic relationships and periods of not speaking to each other. These issues, along with the pressure of running a business, likely contributed to Mina's decision to re-evaluate her career and scale back the company.
Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic impacted Two Chicks and a Hammer, as mentioned by Mina, adding to the challenges the company was already facing. The company also faced criticism for contributing to gentrification in the urban-core neighborhoods where they worked.
Mina has since hinted at new projects, including a possible new show with her husband, Steve Hawk, and their family. She has also expressed her desire to continue working with HGTV and her love for the production company. While the future of Two Chicks and a Hammer is uncertain, Mina's decision to scale back the company was likely influenced by a combination of personal, professional, and external factors.
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Frequently asked questions
Mina Starsiak Hawk, the host of HGTV's Good Bones, decided to scale back her renovation company, Two Chicks and a Hammer, due to staff burnout and the challenges of renovating and filming 13 houses a year. Mina also wanted to re-evaluate her career and navigate issues with her staff.
Mina Starsiak Hawk and Karen E. Laine, the stars of Good Bones, had a fraught relationship. While they described their family tree as "complicated", their blended family appeared happy to viewers at home. However, in August 2023, Hawk revealed that things weren't as simple when the cameras were off and that she needed to set boundaries with certain family members, including Laine.
The company appears to still be in business, but the show Good Bones folded, and their home décor retail store closed. Mina Starsiak Hawk decided to rent out the former headquarters and reopen the store in another area.
Good Bones ended in 2023 after eight seasons. Mina Starsiak Hawk announced the series was ending, and there were rumours of bad blood. Mina discussed the situation on her podcast, Mina AF, where she also spoke about the tensions she and her family were experiencing off-camera.
The Two Chicks and a Hammer store, Two Chicks District Co., closed its doors at the end of 2023. Mina Starsiak Hawk made the difficult decision due to the challenges of running a small business, especially during the COVID pandemic.
