Patricia Houck with her husband Allen, at SAF’s 2018 annual convention in Palm Springs, California. Houck’s business, House of Blooms in Sugar Land, Texas, serves a diverse clientele whom Houck enjoys getting to know.
The Society of American Florists’ membership includes all segments of the industry — and that community is the heart of SAF. This bi-weekly feature will spotlight SAF members sharing inspirational stories, professional insights, and the opportunity to form new industry connections.
Patricia Houck opened House of Blooms in 2007 with the desire to have her community fall in love with flowers. House of Blooms started as a small kiosk offering unique varieties of flowers and fresh arrangements. After about eight years, Houck moved the business to a brick-and-mortar shop and expanded its services to include deliveries, weddings, events and floral installations.
Houck has always had the support of her family during her adventures opening and operating House of Blooms. She works alongside her husband, Allen, while her son, Patrick, is the operations specialist and daughter, Tiffany, is the lead event coordinator and designer for House of Blooms.
Best Business Advice. “Never let anyone else tell you your value, and to surround yourself with other successful people,” Houck says.
Biggest Challenge. Houck’s biggest challenge is larger retailers that sell flowers for less than what she can purchase wholesale. Rather than compete with them on price, she has decided to add value to her products and services.
“We simply focus on offering original designs that keep our clients coming back for a unique experience,” Houck says.
Key to Success. Houck credits the success of the business to their consistent and quality client service and to the unique floral experiences it provides. House of Blooms is in Fort Bend County — one of the most diverse counties in the country — enabling them to create unique designs inspired by their clients’ various backgrounds.
What excites her. Building relationships with House of Bloom’s clients has been the most exciting part of Houck’s job. The staff loves creating floral products for clients for major life events, from prom, and then later for graduation, engagements, weddings, baby showers, anniversaries or just because.
“It is exciting to be a part of our client’s life for years and see how they and their families grow,” Houck says.
Why SAF? House of Blooms has been a longtime member of SAF. They joined SAF because Houck believes it’s important to be involved in the industry while also continuing to learn new business strategies and current design trends. SAF’s conferences and resources have helped House of Blooms to evolve and get to know other industry members, which has created a floral support network.
Houck was recently featured on SAF’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Do you know a member who should have a chance in the spotlight? Email Stephanie Brady, communications and event coordinator for SAF.
Stephanie Brady is the project manager for the Society of American Florists.
