Today we’d like to introduce you to Kim To.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Before immigrating to America, I was a child in Vietnam who loved the outdoors and gardening. I was a tomboy who wanted to explore nature and everything it had to offer! I remember being 10 and sneaking out to climb trees and ride my bike to the countryside where I could play under the hot sun in the rice fields all day. While playing in the countryside I would enjoy the rivers where I would swim and fish for hours! I was also very creative and artistic, which my parents encouraged by sending me to classes for crotchet, macramé, and embroidery.
Around the age of 14, my family came to America. We moved to east Texas to a small town called Palestine, Texas. My family had a small gift shop business in town that I helped with after school. It was never my intention to take over the shop as I wanted to become a doctor. After high school, I went to Texas A&M and took pre-med classes. Unfortunately, during the junior year, my father became ill, and the family business needed my help to continue. It wasn’t long before my father realized I was a natural and the family business became my business.
The business you see today is not the same as the one my father ran. Since taking over, I have transformed it from a gift shop to something much bigger and more in line with my creative passions. It started by adding florals but has evolved into wholesale silk flowers and home décor. Our store has come so far that I now have designers who work with our clients to bring ideas to life. My business is always evolving so I spend time every day talking to suppliers, clients, and colleagues to pick their brain in hopes of learning something new. The knowledge I gain from these conversations has helped lead to new ideas which keep my designers motivated and inspired.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
We have been fortunate that our road has been fairly smooth, although we have hit a pothole or two along the way. A big reason we have not encountered large issues is due to my team members and partner, Tony, who is also my husband. When the unexpected does pop up we come together as a team and work through it as a group.
I would say the biggest struggle I’ve faced along the way is balancing my creativity with keeping the business running smoothly during the seasonal holidays. I often have so many new ideas and concepts for decorations but, not enough time to see them through creation. This also impacts my designers who want new ideas and concepts and want new merchandise to incorporate into them. Too much creativity is a great problem to have because we always want to be evolving.
During the start of the pandemic, we had to get creative on how to present our products with limited interactions with customers. We thrive being able to interact with our patrons – it is what makes our store so special. If you come in, you can feel like the only person in the store the way our staff caters to you. But, we had to limit those interactions to keep everyone safe.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Arcadia Floral & Home Decor?
We sell permanent botanical and home accessories. Specifically, we specialize in a large variety of artificial florals, plants, and trees. With over 35 years of experience, we’ve been able to create relationships that allow us to source the highest quality products for our customers. This means that you are not getting your grandmother’s fake flowers when you shop with us. Our florals are so beautiful and realistic you might actually start watering them!
In additional to offering a large variety of high-quality products, we also offer custom design and build work. We often partner with florists, interior designers, interior decorators, corporate project builders and managers, church designers, wedding event planners, and even the crafty DIY-ers who just want to learn. We have become well-known in Houston for bringing custom designs to life and nailing corporate projects. Most notable are our seasonal and holiday decorations which include very large and elaborate Christmas trees.
Our team is here to support you at any level – whether it is simply to bounce ideas around or to completely bring your vision to life – our team is ready. Our designers will help you figure out the best colors, materials, and combinations to achieve the look you want while ensuring you stay on budget. I love my customers and want to make them happy, so it does not matter how big or small the idea, we can help.
What makes you happy?
The creativity and beauty in the work I do makes me happy. Meeting with my customers and learning about them and the reasons for the decorations make me happy. Seeing the finished work and the look on the customer’s face also makes me happy. But most of all, I am very happy and thankful that I get to surround myself with 22,000 square feet of colorful flowers and beautiful decorations every day.
Contact Info:
- Email: arcadiafhd@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.arcadiadecor.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arcadia_floral/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArcadiaFHD/
- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/arcadiafloral/
Image Credits
Kim To
Tony To
Tammy To
Tyler To
