The friends opened Duette Gifts and Paper in March, in the former location of Zulee’s in Market Street. Named after the duo who run the business, the boutique offers an inventory ranging from customized stationery, cards and unique wedding invitations to college gear, gifts and baby clothes for boys and girls.
“This is something we used to do in our country; we already knew the market,” Gerzog said. “We saw an opportunity here to do personalized invitations and gifts because there aren’t too many stores that have the same concept as us with our level of quality.”
Yeti, Elegant Baby, Tyler Candle Company, Jon Hart, Bella Tunno and Simply Southern are just a few brands Duette carries, with new merchandise arriving on a weekly basis. The store also specializes in seasonal decor and holiday gifts, Gerzog and Noguera said.
“We go to market to pick out our items because we like to see the quality,” Gerzog said. “We only like to bring the best to our shop.”
The stationery store—also known as a paperie—has an extensive selection of Christmas cards, graduation and birth announcements, and wedding invitations that can be custom created in-house by Duette's team of designers and artists, or selected from the shop’s variety of designer paper lines, including Crane & Co., William Arthur, Vera Wang, Carlson Craft and Embossed Graphics.
Duette can print simpler stationery options in-store with a five-day turnaround, while more complex orders, like customized wedding invitations, are printed off-site with a two-week turnaround.
“We prefer to have the brides make appointments with us just because we want to be sure that they get
100 percent of our attention,” Noguera said. “It’s really cool getting to be a part of someone’s special day.”
The shop owners said they can also assist customers with invitation etiquette, addressing, assembly and mailing, long after the initial printing process is completed.
In the future, the duo said they hope to continue building their business while perfecting their craft. Gerzog and Noguera also said they hope to one day expand their shop to include online ordering, which is a more convenient option for clients.
“We have unlimited options, and if we don’t have what you want, we can design it for you or find a way to help you,” Noguera said. “Our store is just very unique, and we love working with people.”
Duette Gifts and Paper
9595 Six Pines Drive, Ste. 690, The Woodlands
281-419-0773
www.duettegiftsandpaper.com
Hours: Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Sun. noon-6 p.m.
