Today we’d like to introduce you to Arbaaz Ali.
Arbaaz, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve always been very fascinated with Hookah since I was 14/15 my mother bought me my first hookah not knowing it would become my life & it was all a crazy passion from that moment on. I experimented with so many different setups, brands, flavors, etc. At age 17 I graduated from summit high school in Arlington Texas (DFW). I proposed my idea of a lounge to my mother and she agreed and was all on board with helping me. Until she asked me how I would go to college and run a business at the same time and I explained that I did not need college. She refused her help at that moment and told me if I wanted her help I’d have to go to college first.
So there I found myself in Houston Texas & attended the University of Houston for Hospitality at the Conrad Hilton College. Majoring in Hotel Restaurant Management. Working at Hilton Garden Inn & Chili’s in the Energy Corridor becoming experienced in all the different areas of Hospitality. My Minor for my degree was in marketing & alcohol beverage law. Joined Sigma Phi Epsilon & was known as the Hookah Guru & Connoisseur. I quickly learned from going to over 60 of the 86+ hookah lounges in Houston that there was something missing at every single one, passion, the performance of excellence, consistency, innovation, modernization, etc. Anyone can put something into a bowl and light it up, but there was no art in it for them, they just had quantity over quality for the main root of all evil, money.
I graduated from U of H in 2015 and set out to finally go after my dream & started searching for locations and ideas, such as billiards with hookah different themed rooms with hookah, an Austin feels in Houston lounge. Cafe, relaxed, calm, an all in one place for the ideal hookah smoker and the people that have an appreciation for it in the way I did. I came across this location off 290/hwy 6. This is where the origin of Hookah2Nite started at 13308 FM 1960 Rd W Houston Texas 77065. Being able to see your hookah made as though it’s ice cream or subway. All glass everywhere. Themed Rooms with different lighting imported furniture & just a completely different idea of a hookah lounge with homemade food & quality at its best.
Has it been a smooth road?
Definitely not as easy as 1,2,3. The hardest struggle was paying rent on a 4000 square foot building that was not possible to open due to fire department constantly giving headaches, architecture not cooperating, food safety administration being a bit of a hurdle, construction taking the longest. And painting redecorating and putting this place from an old barber shop that seemed to be run down to the amazing place it is now. I spent endless nights here doing all the painting and decals mounting TV’s etc. It was a great experience and a long journey that made for some very hard times of me almost giving up, but very memorable.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Hookah2Nite strives for the best customer service seen at any hookah lounge and carrying more flavors & brabds than any other lounge guaranteed. Being able to run a 4000 Sq foot business as such by myself on countless days of 90 hour weeks is what I am proud of the most and obviously making it this far. We are wet apart by picking quality over quantity any day of the year. We give precise attention to the hookah and customers that no one can match guaranteed.
What are your plans for the future? What are you looking forward to or planning for – any big changes?
Just a little maybe hired a few ppl to help expedite the process but we’ll see on the upcoming locations to come in the future.
Pricing:
- $10 Hookahs
- $5 Starbuzz Upgrade
- $2 Disposable Hose
- $3 Glass Disposable Hose
- $5 Ice Tip
- $8 Happy Hour Hookahs
Contact Info:
- Address: 13308 Fm 1960 Rd. West Houston, TX 77065
- Phone: 3462062151
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @Hookah2Nite
- Facebook: Facebook.com/Hookah2Nite
- Twitter: Hookah2Nite
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/hookah2nite-houston?uid=ZuQercUUQOOLQAb7UEGg8w&utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
