Today we’d like to introduce you to Courtney Okanlomo.
Courtney, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I am originally from Chicago and have lived in Houston for a little over ten years now. I am a wife and a mother to 3 boys that are 7, 5, and three years old. My stage in life at this point is what led my husband, sister and I to open a family business that we can someday pass down to our children.
A few years ago, my husband encouraged me to obtain my real estate license here in Texas after selling in Chicago, and two years later that very decision later afforded us the opportunity to 100% fund our 3rd business together as a family – Cypress Sweets. We used a purely real estate commission to fund it, no business loans. My sister designed the logo. My husband literally built every piece of furniture in the store. Our candy store was created to bring magic back to the Cypress area after the flooding from Hurricane Harvey, through family, fun, and the arts. It’s also equally important to us to give back to the community. We collect and regularly donate to the Cy-Fair Helping Hands organization – a mission created to help the homeless and hungry within the boundaries of the Cy-Fair Independent School District.
As a realtor and pillars in the community, it brings our family so much joy to be able to offer a sweet space for all ages to experience and enjoy.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The road is rarely ever smooth – even after construction – so yes we experienced quite a few hardships along the way. Unforeseen expenses, family disagreements, long hours during the building phase, and overall discouragement from delving into yet another business venture. Believe it or not. However, I have learned over the years that the harder the struggle usually means the bigger the reward.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Cypress Sweets story. Tell us more about the business.
Cypress Sweets is a family owned and operated boutique candy store that offers an assortment of candy (taffy, sugar-free products, gummies, etc.), nuts, chocolates, nostalgia goods, cotton candy, gourmet lollipops, and other freshly made goods from coveted vendors that we have hand selected. The jewel of our business, however, is our Candy Crafting Corner that hosts birthday parties, girl scout meetings, field trips, and other events. We also host weekly candy crafting sessions on Saturdays between 11a-2p, and additionally during the summer on Tuesdays/Thursdays from 2-4p. Our events and sessions are unique in that candy and other sweets are used to build and create a specific craft. Our event space adjacent to the store offers the ultimate crafting experience and is honestly great for all ages.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I honestly don’t believe in luck too much, however, I do believe that everything happens for a reason. That being said, I would have to say that every adversity I’ve experienced has had a way of working out in the end and in my favor in one way or another. It’s extremely important to train yourself more on decision making in life and business, rather than simply tapping out or being too afraid to bump into obstacles.
Pricing:
- Candy Craft Sessions – $22/crafter
- Grab & Go Jars – $5-$7
- Fresh/Baked Goods – $3.50-$7
- Bulk/”Penny Candy” Selection – $7/lb
Contact Info:
- Address: 11702 Grant Rd. Suite E. Cypress, TX 77429
- Website: https://www.candystorecypress.com/
- Phone: 281-466-7977
- Email: info@cypress-sweets.com
- Instagram: CypressSweets
- Facebook: Cypress Sweets
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/cypress-sweets-cypress
Image Credit:
Natalie Santasiero, Jill Garrett Photography
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.
