Today we’d like to introduce you to Jess Thompson.
Hi Jess, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
With 10 years of experience as an Art Educator, I’ve always embraced creativity and hard work. This passion eventually led me to pursue a career as a Real Estate agent, specializing in the North Houston area. Over my six years as a top producer, I developed a deep connection to the home-town charm of the Tomball/Magnolia area, which inspired me to relocate my family there in 2020. We quickly found ourselves drawn to Main Street Tomball on weekends, where we enjoyed shopping, dining, and soaking in the essence of small-town America.
SunCo. Beachwear is a boutique dedicated to offering unique, one-of-a-kind swimwear and beachwear. We curate a distinctive collection of beach fashion designed to help our customers express their individuality while enjoying the ocean, pool, or lake. With a focus on quality and creativity, we aim to embody the beach lifestyle in every piece we offer, building a community that appreciates stylish and exceptional beachwear.
At SunCo. Beachwear, our inventory includes swimwear, cover-ups, loungewear, sundresses, travel gifts, and accessories. We have also introduced an onsite spray tan service through our “Glow Bar” in collaboration with Elementary Glow Spray Tanning by Lara Cotton.
Aside from running SunCo. Beachwear, I love painting and reading on a beach. I enjoy traveling and have been to 30 countries! My husband and I actually were married on a beach in Costa Rica. Together we have two gorgeous kiddos that keep us on our toes.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I had been struggling in my real estate career to find passion for what I was doing for the better part of a few years. I had always had in my mind that I would be running a boutique one day but had thought it just a pipe dream at the time. Not one to give up on a dream, so I planned and wrote a business proposal for SunCo. Beachwear… a crazy idea to own and run a surfshop in the heart of Tomball. It took me a year to plan the business. I kept on hitting road blocks. Things like market analysis’, funding, and location were daunting me. I needed my ducks to line up in a row and it took time, vision boards, and external support.
Eventually, with the help of my super supportive and brilliant husband, we were able to wrap our minds around opening a business. He is my business partner, and luckily we balance each other very well. Together we have brought structure and creativity to the business.
Another challenge we currently face since opening late March of 2025 was the lack of awareness that we were open for business. We had initially gotten the word out that we were open in historic Tomball but that doesn’t neccessarily mean we had the reach we hoped for. Not an easy task, but with the help of social media and some local support, we were starting to get noticed. I would say to this day we still struggle to get foot traffic to the shop. Not a lot of locals know we exist still and that is something we intend to tackle before the end of Q4.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’d like to think I am a pretty creative individual. I like to paint in my spare time… you may even find me painting in the boutique. At the back of the shop I have carved out a hidden art gallery for others to enjoy. Being a big fan of color, I am not afraid to shy away from bold colors and designs in my paintings. My medium is acrylic on canvas and I’m known to do mostly abstract florals but have made a presence in painting dog portraits. I get a good amount of commissions for dog portraiture although its kind of a tough gig because most of the dogs I paint have passed on. The most challenging thing I have painted though has been kid portraits, but once I finished the last stroke, I was proud of the accomplishment. I love the problem solving that goes into each piece I create!
How do you think about happiness?
Being able to work hard and play hard keeps me with a smile on my face. It’s actually our adopted family motto. My husband and I try to instill in our children that with a good work ethic, play time will follow. I like to wake up and be productive first thing. I complete my chores and even excercise all before heading to the shop. This gives me the best start to my day and allows me to relax with the family after work. We work hard for what we have and in return we treat ourselves to fun times and travel. Making sure we have good work-life balance makes me happy!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.suncobeachwear.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunco_beachwear/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573359776795
Image Credits
Kendall Stowe with Wild Bloom Photography
Maryanne Henn with Henn House Photography
