Houston hookah retailer adds lounge, expands reach

Nimesh Patel was in college when he first tried hookah, the vapor device used to smoke flavored tobacco.

When he graduated in 2006 and moved to Houston, he noticed that hookah options were limited.

So, he started TexasHookah.com, selling hookah supplies out of his living room in 2007 as a side gig to his medical job. In 2009, as business grew, he opened a retail location at 8413 Almeda Road, and in June he expanded to add a rear lounge.

By now, hookah, the largely Middle Eastern custom, has become a popular pastime. Lounges exist all over Houston but, "store-wise, we're one of the few," Patel said, referring to his combination store and hookah lounge. Patel said hookah has become popular because it's a relaxing way for friends to socialize.

The business Patel began in his apartment now fills shelves and walls in the office park space at Almeda Road and Holly Hall Street with 500 to 600 hookah flavors and 25 brands, drawing customers from as far as Galveston and Katy. Online sales go worldwide, with large orders coming from Australia, Great Britain and Canada.

Patel said his business, near NRG Park, Rice University and the University of Houston, is positioned well for upcoming Super Bowl LI in February. He's working to plan lounge events around the game.
Resource:
http://www.chron.com/business/retail/article/Houston-hookah-retailer-adds-lounge-expands-reach-9227132.php