When walking into Hauerland's Purveyors of Fine Goods, shoppers might notice the store seems to be overflowing with handbags, jewelry, candles and other gift items. Owner Sylvia Hauerland said the sheer breadth of the store's offerings is by design.

"I probably have around 100 different vendors," Hauerland said. "We have Pandora and Brighton jewelry, Vera Bradley accessories, five or six different candle lines, home decor, a lot of handbags, seasonal items and a huge Christmas selection."

Hauerland visits retail markets five to 10 times a year in Dallas and Las Vegas to hand select each item the store carries.

"I just always liked pretty things, and every time I go to market, vendors like Brighton have a whole new line of jewelry, handbags, picture frames, night-lights and clocks," she said. "And if we carry a line, we carry all of it. If you want a specific scent of Tyler or Trapp candles, we carry all of them."

In addition to well-known brands, Hauerland said she tries to stock the works of local artists, such as China Baroque, jewelry made from fine china by a Katy family. The store also carries Consuela handbags designed and made in Austin.

Hauerland said the store has so many items it has had to expand twice since moving to its location at 1648 S. Mason Road in Katy. After acquiring its third storefront in January 2014, the shop now occupies 6,300 square feet.

The store's expansion isn't complete. Hauerland said in the first quarter of 2015, the store will open a second location on Commercial Drive in LaCenterra.

Hauerland said she has been pleasantly surprised to see the store's tremendous growth since it first opened in Sealy in 1982. Hauerland relocated the store to Katy in 1993.

"When we moved to Katy, my four children and I would work the store together when they weren't in school," she said. "Eventually, I started hiring employees. Now, I've got 10 full-time and three part-time employees."

The customer service those employees provide, such as complimentary gift-wrapping, is what keeps shoppers coming back year after year to search for the perfect gift, Hauerland said.

Hauerland said she has worked to ensure that no matter what gift somebody buys, whether it is for a friend, a special someone or themselves, that customer will be sure to receive compliments on the purchase.

"People come in here to browse and then they get hooked," she said.


Hauerland's Purveyors of Fine Goods

1648 S. Mason Road, Katy, 281-395-4595, Hours: Mon.–Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–4 p.m.