If you are asking where’s Navasota and who’s Stewart Thompson, let me tell you: If you really want to know what a Destination Business looks like, you will remember both of these names.

If you’ve never been to Navasota and you’ve never visited Martha’s Bloomers, you have not visited one of the most interesting garden centers and nurseries in the world. On top of that, you are also missing out on one of the few retail establishments in the country that combines a garden center concept with all of the following retail components, all in one place: A full-line gift shop; a pottery house; retail and commercial greenhouse with ready-to-bloom plants, flowers, and shrubs; a quaint tea room and restaurant with a full wine menu; an eclectic antique collection; a gourmet food department, and the world’s largest teapot.

Stewart and I met back in 2005 when he attended one of my Destination BootCamps. He has incorporated many of the tools that were taught at the BootCamp into his day-to-day operations and since that time, has been recognized by many national publications as a true Destination for shoppers and visitors. My favorite is that Southern Living Magazine named Martha’s Bloomers one of its “Top 50 Shops” (click here to read the Southern Living article). Other accolades have followed, but the ones that really count are from its customers who return time and time again, to shop, to eat, and just to browse the acres-worth of experiences he has created here.

The experience begins when you just drive by Martha’s Bloomers. You can see the world’s largest teapot from the State 6 Bypass. Though Chester, West Virginia makes the claim on the world’s largest teapot, Stewart made sure his dimensions left no doubt on whose teapot really was the largest.

Then, you enter Martha’s Bloomers to the sound of a fountain, right next to the front door.

Want to hear the fountain in action? Click on the words Martha’s Bloomers Entrance below to watch the short video of the fountain.

Martha’s Bloomers Entrance

As you walk through the retail space, there’s a lot to see and much to buy. But you haven’t really seen all of it until you go outside and start venturing around outside.

By the way, there is a huge wall that opens up to the outside (seen below). Martha’s Bloomers uses the same moveable wall that is used in NFL stadiums in luxury suites!

As you walk around, you will see the full-line pottery area

You can also enjoy the Café M. Bloomers, (part tearoom, all full-blown restaurant).  This is not like a typical tearoom with little cucumber sandwiches that won’t fill you up.  This has real full size meals so when husbands accompany their wives, they have something to eat, too.  This photo shows the outside waiting area by the Cafe.

On most weekends, the Arbor Room holds workshops on gardening and other topics from world-class authors and instructors. Here’s a picture of the Arbor Room that will hold 100 comfortably.

At any time when you are roaming around Martha’s Bloomers, you might meet Bloomer, the Maine Coon cat that Stewart is holding below.

Martha’s Bloomers will hit their ten-year anniversary next year, and there is one thing you can count on when you visit this place. The Martha’s Bloomers experience will always be consistent, even though the business evolves, changes, and expands as the years go by. And I think that part of the reason this business is such a great Destination comes from Stewart and his crew who work diligently to make sure the business delivers on their one-of-a-kind experience every time.

There’s one last thing I want to share with everyone about this great Destination. I asked Stewart as we were walking around to tell me what he did before he built Martha’s Bloomers. And Stewart rattled off quite a few vocations and accomplishments, but summarized it all by saying:  “I’ve done a lot of things in my life, but I never did anything I wanted to do the rest of my life until I did this.”

This commitment can be felt when you visit Martha’s Bloomers.  Be sure to visit them in Navasota, or online at www.MarthasBloomers.com.