SPECIAL SECTION
BUSINESS IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY
PEAR TREE AVENUE & PANDORA Retail Gift Shop in Brentwood & Cool Springs
We asked husband and wife team Calvin and Blythe Houghland owners of locally beloved store Pear Tree Avenue to tell us their individual perspective on their business: From Calvin: My wife, Blythe, and I are having a blast with our latest (and final) careers. Despite the hard work and long hours, we have found retail to be challenging, exciting and fun. We have also discovered that we enjoy working together and that we make a pretty good team. We opened a gift shop in Brentwood in October 2005 that we named Pear Tree Avenue. It was an immediate hit and has become quite a popular spot. In July 2008 we discovered PANDORA jewelry, and after the first week, we knew that it was going to be a huge hit and that we wanted to be involved as much as possible. Three months later, we opened a second Pear Tree Avenue in the Cool Springs Galleria - primarily to sell PANDORA. We became one of PANDORA’s first franchisees in September of 2009 when we opened a concept store in the Mall at Green Hills selling PANDORA product exclusively. We opened another in Knoxville in 2010, Chattanooga and Virginia Beach in 2011 and 6 more in 2012. We opened in Mishawaka (South Bend), IN on the 19th of October of 2013. From Blythe: Growing as quickly as we have brings it’s own challenges. Our administrative office located in Maryland Farms has grown from an office staff of 3 people (Calvin and myself included) to 9 in just 1 ½ years. It is a comfortable and relaxed environment that helps us attract and retain the best talent available.
76 YOURWILLIAMSON.COM November 2013
THE MALL AT GREEN HILLS COOL SPRINGS GALLERIA PEAR TREE AVENUE BRENTWOOD
From 2009 to present we have opened eleven Pandora stores around the country with all operations being handled in our Brentwood office. Next year we will be adding three more stores. What could be our biggest challenge has actually been our greatest blessing. A company is only as good as the folks who keep it running on a day to day basis. We have a wonderful team of loyal, dedicated, hard working individuals who are committed to the growth and success of our business. God has blessed us with the opportunity to be a partner with such a wonderful company, PANDORA Jewelry. Calvin and I made a promise to each other that we would pay the blessing forward whenever and as often as possible. One way we do this is to set our stores up for success with in depth succession plans. We have seen part-time sales associates grow and develop into Assistant Managers, Store Managers and District Managers. We believe that the success, growth and development of our staff who is at the forefront with our customers leads ultimately to the success of our company. And I would say we are in very good hands. Williamson County is the home of growing businesses, new businesses and open arms for all those who wish to come aboard. Calvin and I are proud to call this home.
Pear Tree Avenue, LLC & PANDORA 237 Franklin Road Brentwood, Tennessee 615.221.1010 www.peartreeavenue.com