After years of encouragement from her husband Jason, Liz Houston finally identified the perfect site for Houston Travel Emporium’s first branch in Bank Farm Road near Shrewsbury last April.
Houston told TTG that while working from home had its perks, she believes having a bricks-and-mortar shop has given her valued customers more confidence to make bigger bookings. “I’ve done two bookings worth five-figure sums which I might not have been able to do at home,” she said. “One was a HX booking and the other was Regent Seven Seas.
“I’ve done big bookings at home, but it’s certainly helped having a shop. People like that they could come and talk to me. I reckon my sales have increased by 50% from when I was working at home. I’ve built my business up gradually."
Houston explained how, even though her and husband had converted their garage into a travel agency, “it was still my home”. "When you own a shop, you have a presence – my customers know where we are now,” she said.
“Now I work in an office, I’m meeting people and giving them that face-to-face service. It’s been great for me personally. I’ve not got any regrets.”
Customers have also enjoyed being able to park for free outside the Houston Travel Emporium shop, Houston added. “What has surprised me is how many people prefer to come into a shop. It’s not like I’ve opened a completely new business. I’ve got my existing customer base."
Houston said her decision had been fuelled, in part, by the fact her two children had reached an age where they didn’t need their parents as much.
She chose the name, Houston Travel Emporium, because it sounded “American” with emporium highlighting how she and her staff would turn their hands to selling “everything”.
Until recently, Houston had three staff, but Charley Chatha recently decided to join Hays Travel after being with the agency for a year.
Now Houston employs Nichola Roberts as a part-time sales administrator and Bethany Jones as a full-time sales consultant.
Houston stressed she is willing to train up staff – and is even considering recruiting an apprentice.
“I feel really sorry for those companies that don’t take people on without experience,” she said. “I had two staff at the beginning, and I took on another at Christmas, but one of the original starters just left.”
Houston has plans to open a second shop, potentially in one of the nearby towns of Bridgenorth or Shifnal, but right now her focus is her first shop.
"I do want to open a second shop, but I want to get the first shop right before I do anything,” she added.
