Clear Lake Area Chamber Of Commerce: Clear Lake Connections Podcast Episode 49 | From Small Family Business To Clear Lake Institution.

Press release from the Clear Lake Area Chamber Of Commerce:

January 12, 2022

This week on Clear Lake Connections Podcast presented by UTMB Health: Meet Karen Keesler, Owner of One Stop Tents and Events. In this weeks episode, Karen discusses how her business has evolved over the last 50 years, how she natures her clientele and what it is that sets One Stop apart from other businesses in the area. Karen also shares her secret on growth and how her involvement in the community is so important.

The family business started in 1968 as an equipment rental and in the 80’s they added on a party store. Karen then purchased the Party Store from her father and today they are where they are on Highway 3 and are a Clear Lake Area institution.

Business has been better since the pandemic. 2020 was very difficult for them. They went to nothing. It felt like they we’re doing cancelations every day which was difficult but they made it. She is proud that she kept all her staff and things are coming back.

Her staff some of them have been with her 10-15 and 20 years. Without her team she’s nothing. It was crucial that they made it together. They supported her decisions and stuck with her. Karen says that she is nothing without her people and she knows that they are important considering she he has been in the business her entire life and One Stop has been in business for over 50 years.

Over the years, the business has changed. When they first started, tents hardly existed and now tents are everything to them. A big item they rented was roll away beds. Every Thanksgiving and Christmas thy would rent hundreds of these and they also had high chairs and cribs. Then they did a lot of helium and balloons, then got out of it. Then did margarita machines and got out of that. Times have changed and so have they, they then rebranded more to the tents.

They are not just in Clear Lake, they have really spread out in the Houston area. Karen makes sure that she is out in the community, and involved in a number of things. She has repeat business members and maintains them by giving the best service and the best quality.

They are one of very few that have a tent washing machine, they pride themselves in having the whitest tents. They have many things that set them apart from others. Over the years, their tents have come a long way. When they first started they had yellow and white striped tents and now they have tents with air conditioning and chandeliers.

Some of her favorite events that she has done have been Ballunar Festival, Keels and Wheels and Wings Over Houston Airshow.

Over the years they have gone through a lot as a buisiness but have learned a lot and always appreciate any business that comes their way, large or small.

This press release was produced by the Clear Lake Area Chamber Of Commerce. The views expressed here are the author’s own.