Cy-Fair couple leaves corporate jobs to open Party Garage on Jones Road

An advantage to running an independent store is the Avilas can provide specific items that customers request—such as fidget spinners or unicorn pinatas—Guillermo said.

He said customer service sets Party Garage apart from dollar stores or franchises like Party City. Party Garage works with local churches and schools to offer discounts for bulk orders—something that would not happen in corporate situations, he said.

“Last year, Matzke [Elementary School] had a ‘Lei Off Drugs’ event, and they needed 1,200 leis,” Guillermo said. “They could only place an order of 1,400, so we absorbed the extra [200] and put those back on our shelves to give them a huge discount. We had to pay a little extra for expediting, but we were able to do this in three or four days.”

Party Garage carries seasonal and holiday merchandise, so it always has something new available. New Year’s Eve and graduations have been the best sales days since it opened, Robin said.

The Avilas said they took a risk in leaving behind steady paychecks but find joy in the freedom that comes with being their own bosses and appreciation from their growing customer base.

“I like being able to make people happy,” Robin said. “If they can’t afford it or it’s one of our regulars, we can give them a discount. We work with them to find exactly what they’re looking for, and since it’s our business, we can help them.”

[caption id="attachment_250986" align="aligncenter" width="700"] The store stocks hundreds of
balloons, party favors and decorations.[/caption]

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12218 Jones Road, Ste. P, Houston 832-912-4368 www.partygaragepartysupplies.com Hours: Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.-3 p.m.