Poised for growth: Suzanne Coppola, Owner of Laurier Blanc at The Compound.
Laurier Blanchas pulled up stumps in Houston and moved to the wide open spaces of Round Top in a bid to capitalize on opportunities for growth in the rapidly expanding small town. The antique import company now occupies a 750-square-foot space open year-round inside the Round Top Antiques & Design Center in Henkel Square.
Owner Suzanne Coppola saysthat closing her Rice Village area gallery after six years was bittersweet.
“Moving out of the gallery and making the transition for the business to Round Top was deeply emotional for me,” Coppola says. “But I had to remind myself that the key to a successful business and work/life balance is to accept and embrace the decisions to sometimes change.”
Coppola notes that her warehouse in Houston’s Rice Military neighborhood is still open by appointment, and dealers and designers will be invited there when new containers from Europe are unloaded. Coppola also leases space at seasonal venues in Round Top during the antiques shows including the Peck Barn at The Compound and Marburger Farm.
“I’m so grateful for these next steps,” Coppola says. “Round Top has provided tremendous opportunities for growth with the huge number of designers we source for during the antiques shows, and now also wholesaling to retailers who are coming in from all over the country.”
“I’ve absolutely loved having my retail gallery in Houston. It’s been such a meaningful chapter in my life, both personally and professionally. But it’s time for a shift.”
Consolidating in Round Top also means a better work/life balance for Coppola, who has business interests in Belgium, including a warehouse in the Flemish region, where she frequently travels to source antiques. You can browse or shop Laurier Blanc year-round at the Round Top Antiques & Design Center, or online at firstdibs.com, chairish.com and laurierblanc.com.