10 women-owned businesses making an impact in Greater Houston

After closing her bakery in Romania and moving to Texas in 2024, Dosmuratova opened a new shop in Bellaire, serving custom cakes, cupcakes and cookies.

• 6300 W. Loop S., Ste. 130, Bellaire
• www.frullinotx.com

Owned by Jared and Christi O'Farrell, J&CO Vintage Market is a marketplace dedicated to preserving history one piece at a time while keeping antiques out of landfills.

Bringing together seven local women-owned antique vendors in a small Porter storefront, J&CO Vintage Market was founded in February 2023, offering curated finds while creating space for local entrepreneurs.

• 20360 FM 1314, Porter
• Facebook: J&CO Vintage Market

Former hairdresser Shondra Johnson opened her own restaurant, Pivot Cajun Kitchen, in October 2024 to bring a taste of New Orleans and Cajun culture to the area, with family recipes created by her late mother, Dorothy Johnson.

• 5802 FM 1488, Ste. F, Magnolia
• www.pivot-cajun-kitchen.square.site

After years of responding to emergencies as an EMT, Kimberly Smith found a different way to take care of people in 2006. Smith now serves the community through a consignment store she took over 20 years ago with used brand-name clothing in Cypress.

Beyond resale, the shop extends its mission by donating clothing to a local women's shelter, turning gently worn pieces into a source of identity and fresh starts for women in need.

• 10782 Grant Road, Houston
• www.retailtherapyresale.com

With multiple types of mimosas, hot chocolate and Baileys Irish Cream behind the counter, Sandra V Bath & Body in Downtown Katy sometimes feels like comedy hour, employee Renea Cook said.

The store sells a variety of products, including scented soaps, bath bombs, candles and scrubs that are all handmade, but owner Sandra Vandegaer says some customers come in looking for something else.

• 5729 Second St., Katy
• www.sandravbathandbody.com

Julie Long said her mission through Space City Gourmet Popcorn is to introduce gourmet popcorn as more than a holiday snack. The Houston Space City-themed popcorn shop opened in November 2024 in time for Thanksgiving, Long said.

While popular during the holidays, the popcorn shop, based in Montgomery, offers over 30 flavors of popcorn at a time, with seasonally themed options throughout the year.

• 15320 Hwy. 105, Montgomery
• www.spacecitypopcorn.com

In the midst of struggling with postpartum depression in 2017, Kourtni Stanaker found her calling as an entrepreneur with the support of home-based clothing that ignited her passion for providing clothing for women of all sizes.

After years of selling clothing online via Facebook Live, Stanaker launched her own boutique, Sydney Jayde & Co, naming it after her daughter.

• 2757 Rayford Road, Spring
• www.sydneyjaydeandco.com

Starting off with 40 donated volleyballs and four teams, Executive Club Director JoEllen Saulsberry founded Texas Tornados Volleyball to train aspiring volleyball players and help students secure college scholarships in 1994.

“I had a high school basketball coach that was very influential in my life as a youth athlete, and so I knew pretty early on that I wanted to pay that gift forward,” Saulsberry said.

• 8835 Wheat Cross, Houston
• www.texastornados.org

After a decade in the entertainment industry, Humble resident Darian Ortiz turned a pandemic side hustle into a full-fledged fashion venture.

What began with selling graphic T-shirts on social media and participating in local pop-up markets grew into The Rowdy Chick, a brick-and-mortar boutique in Downtown Humble. Named to represent her outgoing, fearless spirit, Ortiz said the clothing boutique opened in December 2024.

• 307 E. Main St., Humble
• www.therowdychick.com