
For Sobella Loreto, artist and co-owner of Arteastic, it wasn’t much of a stretch to blend the concepts of a tea shop and art gallery, she said.
“Tea is an art,” Loreto said. “From the moment it's planted to the moment they pinch the baby tea leaves from the trees—the way each tea is processed is art.”
- 7109 Katy-Gaston Road, Ste. 900, Richmond
- www.arteastictx.com
Iris Ochoa combined her love for teaching and her candle-making business, Luz De Luna, to create Chandlery Candle Bar in League City.
Through her connection with other woman-owned, small businesses in League City, she said she has gained mentorship, friendship and a new perspective.
“Bringing people together for the same reasons, being a part of something bigger and having the support of other women who have your back and you have theirs, ... it's just really important to have that sense of community,” she said.
- 240 Park Ave., Ste. 4, League City
- www.luzdelunacandles.com

Pastry chef Sara Brook founded Dessert Gallery Bakery & Cafe in 1995 to continue in her passion for baking. While the bakery originated in South Houston in 1995, Dessert Gallery Bakery & Cafe expanded with a second location in 2023.
“I was born with my love for baking,” Brook said. “I literally have been baking since I was big enough to stand up on my own two feet.”
- 25 Waterway Ave., Ste. A-125, The Woodlands
- 3600 Kirby Drive, Ste. D, Houston
- www.dessertgallery.com

Chelsea Farley’s health journey began in 2018 with her business, Farley's Fit Kitchen, when she decided to transform her lifestyle with healthier options.
“I went through a big health transformation. I became sober, and I started meal prepping for myself,” Farley said. “And then shortly thereafter, I thought, ‘Why not just do this [as a business] on the weekends?’”
- 17045 Stuebner Airline Road, Spring
- www.farleysfitkitchen.com

The Greek-style cafe in the West University area serves up homestyle Cretan food while also offering prepared meals for customers to take home. The interior of the space is decorated with custom-built bronze and marble shelves that are filled with Greek olive oil, wines and dry goods. Greek-inspired baked goods will also be sold from a counter display.
The eatery is run by Mary Cuclis, who said in a statement she crafted the menu with the goal of creating quality dishes for individuals and families on the go.
- 4010 Bissonnet St., Houston
- www.kritikitchen.com

Jennifer Miller, who had worked as a nurse since 2010, said she decided to transition from traditional medicine to more holistic practices in 2018 before opening The Med Spa of Kingwood in October 2021.
“It was the stress of life itself, as a nurse and as a caregiver. I wanted to have a place for myself and for others to turn it all off for a little while and a place where people could go to relax and feel renewed,” Miller said.
- 2325 Timber Shadows Drive, Ste. B, Houston
- www.medspaofkingwood.net

When Amina Arif Hutchinson took over Pilates Powerhouse in February 2023, her main objective was continuing the legacy of previous owners, Bonnie and Matt Ney.
“They wanted to leave it with somebody they knew would carry on the business and create community,” Hutchinson said. “So that's what's important to me—community, family, wellness and safety.”
- 3100 Old Chocolate Bayou Road, Pearland
- 500 W. NASA Parkway, Webster
- www.pilates-powerhouse.com

Established in 2004 by Houston native and long time sneaker head Jennifer Ford, this River Oaks-area shoe boutique was the first of its kind in Texas, according to Premium Goods' website. The shop sells men's and women's footwear, clothing and accessories from brands such as Billionaire Boys Club, Nike, Hoka and Converse.
- 2416 Times Blvd., Houston
- www.premiumgoods.com

Lizeth Garcia, an avid fitness enthusiast, said Stretch Revolution was inspired by a friend she helped rehabilitate after a car accident as well as through her own injuries and rehabilitation process.
“Weight loss stories are fabulous, right? I have one of my own, but it's more common that you get more of those than you get to work with somebody that cannot lift their arms, and it's stuff that we don't think about until we cannot do it,” Garcia said.
- 8648 Hwy. 6, Houston
- www.stretch-revolution.com

X-Label founder Lindsey Lowe left her first corporate job after seven years to open her own clothing boutique—a lifelong dream she said she was inspired to fulfill after COVID-19.
“My whole goal and purpose is to make women feel beautiful,” Lowe said. “I want them to ... have an amazing experience and leave here feeling happier than when [they] got here.”
- 4501 Magnolia Cove Drive, Ste. 108, Kingwood
- www.shopxlabel.com