Often greeted by a rescued Maltipoo named Stella, customers who visits Tumbleweeds & Notions in The Woodlands will find shelves and tables filled with unique finds and gifts.
Caroline Powell opened Tumbleweeds & Notions with the help of her mother, Christy, in the Village of Alden Bridge in August 2015. The boutique, which carries a variety of locally-sourced brands, boasts a wide selection of stationery, home decor items, unique gifts, women’s clothing and accessories.
“I grew up in The Woodlands, and after I graduated from Texas Tech and moved back, I spent three years commuting to and from Katy for work,” Powell said. “My mom and I are definitely hometown girls, so finally I just decided it was time to open my own business and to just go for it. The Woodlands is home, so it just seemed like the perfect spot.”
Powell said the store’s uncommon name came from her sister, who originally used the name for a photography business she had in college.
“‘Tumbleweeds’ is kind of an ode to west Texas, since my sister and I both lived in Lubbock for a several years, and then ‘notions’ kind of just enables me to make the store whatever I want,” she said.
Powell said to showcase hard-to-find brands in the shop, she goes to markets in Dallas and Atlanta and stays up to date with the latest trends.
Stationery from Rifle Paper Co., jewelry from Waco-based Summer Ellis Bijouterie and clothing from The Woodlands-based 31 Roots are just a few of the brands featured in Tumbleweeds & Notions. The store switches up its merchandise every three to four weeks and also offers specialty seasonal and holiday-focused items, Powell said.
“When we first opened the store two and a half years ago, we felt like we needed to fill this [local] gift shop niche that was missing in The Woodlands area,” Powell said. “We’re just trying to bring a little bit of a small town to a town that’s highly branded.”
Looking forward to Easter, Powell said one of the store’s most sought-after items will be stuffed bunnies made by Jellycat Stuffed Animals. Through a partnership with The Woodlands-based embroidery company, Sam & Lucy, customers can also get the stuffed animals personalized for an additional $8.
This spring, Powell said customers can look forward to Modern Sprout’s grow-your-own herb and flower kits, which can be transplanted into gardens.
Powell said in the future she plans to launch a website for the business, giving customers an avenue for online shopping. A second location may also be on the horizon for the boutique, she said.
“The dream is to open a second location in Oak Ridge North, but I think we’re still a ways away from that,” Powell said. “I do ministry with Young Life at Oak Ridge [High School], and we have a lot of customers that will drive 30 minutes from the Grand Parkway/Rayford Road area to shop here. That area is really booming, so I would love to go there next.”
Powell said no matter where Tumbleweeds & Notions may be located, the small-town atmosphere inside will remain.
“When you come here, you’ll be greeted by a friendly face, and you might be surprised and see something unexpected or find the perfect gift for somebody,” she said. “We have a lot of repeat customers who have invited us to their weddings and baby showers, so it’s just been a sweet way to share all kinds of moments with them.”
