Owners offer retail, interior design services

Along Hwy. 6 in Missouri City, an interior design and boutique shop operates out of a more than 100-year-old house that has been converted to offer patrons distinctive gifts, interior design services and event planning consultations. Susan O'Hara and her daughter, Allison Huth, opened Cru Home in Missouri City about two years ago to bring a distinctive service to the area and a piece of history back to life.

"You can tell when you come in here that this is a home-built space," O'Hara said. "It is definitely hand-crafted. No two windows are the same."

Several families have lived in Cru Home's current location over the years, which has resulted in a series of expansions and changes to the structure and the surrounding land. However, the historical charm of the late-1800s house has been preserved through the years, O'Hara said.

After moving from New Orleans more than five years ago, O'Hara and her daughter began thinking of new and different retail options they could bring to the community.

"When we started this process, we knew we wanted to have a one-stop kind of business," O'Hara said. "We saw a need in the area. We passed this house repeatedly when we were looking. This seemed like a perfect fit for what we were trying to do, and we were fortunate to find it vacant."

Cru Home's vintage dcor is modeled after the many storefronts and boutiques common in the historical sections of New Orleans. There, historic homes have been transformed to offer retail services.

The gifts and boutique items were meant to be the primary focus of Cru Homes, but customers have responded well to the interior design services offered, O'Hara said. O'Hara and Huth have brought on three interior designers to assist with that portion of Cru Home's business.

"In retail, you have to pay attention to what works and what doesn't," O'Hara said. "You have to really bite in and go for it. In interior design, you have to establish a confidence with your client. Our interior design [services] have grown appreciably. What sets a person apart is customer service, obviously, and the confidence customers have in your product. There are a lot of customers who are happy we are here, and we really enjoy this."

One thing that has remained important to the owners is to be heavily involved with the community, they said.

Since opening its doors, Cru Home has participated in several community

events such as sponsoring a booth at Stafford's Sugar Plum Market each year, hosting recurring and annual events and the recent decoration and open house of a home for neglected and abused children through Texas CASA—a national volunteer initiative that supports child advocacy.

Cru Home also hosts monthly market days at their location where they invite local vendors to set up booths to offer handmade gifts and boutique items to visitors. On the second Saturday of each month, rotating vendors bring distinctive items to the area under the shade of 70- to 80-year-old Magnolia and oak trees.

"The yard [of this house] has been a real draw for people as well as the house itself," O'Hara said. "That is how the market days came to be. The markets are held outdoors, but no one seems to really mind being outside all day in the shade."

Adding to the variety of services offered at Cru Home, the owners would like to expand to offer group workshops and more public events in the future.

Community involvement

• Market days: On the second Saturday of every month, Cru Home hosts several local vendors on the property.
• Spooktacular: In preparation for Halloween, Cru Home hosts vendors and kid-friendly events and activities. The event is scheduled for Oct. 12 from 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
• Sugar Plum Market: On Nov. 7–9, the Stafford market features dozens of vendors. Visitors can purchase gifts and learn about interior design and event planning. The Stafford Center, 10505 Cash Road.

Under one roof

• Gifts: Items range from jewelry to handbags to furniture. The historic house provides a backdrop for the range of products.
• Interior design: Interior designers offer comprehensive design services.
• Event planning: Cru Home provides a range of products to help with events from weddings to holiday parties.

Cru Home

6726 Hwy. 6 Missouri City

281-969-7605

www.cruhome.com

Hours: Mon.–Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m.