No time for the pumpkin patch? Hire a porch decorator
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For hundreds or over a thousand dollars, a growing field of "pumpkin concierges" will deliver and decoratively assemble gourds and other seasonal goodies.
The big picture: Professional porch decorating is becoming big business, with options in Minneapolis, Denver, Washington, D.C., Nashville, Texas, California and Arizona, just to name a few.
How it works: Packages range from eye-catching clusters — with add-ons like hay bales and cornstalks costing extra — to abundant displays that cascade down a home's entryway.
- Some businesses even offer to dispose of the pumpkins after Halloween or Thanksgiving for a fee.
What we're hearing: "Our goal is to make things uniquely fabulous and easy," says McCaulley Patterson, who's part of a team in Charlotte, North Carolina.
- Most clients are busy families, professionals and small businesses who want a festive look "without having to do the heavy lifting themselves," she tells Axios.
In Salt Lake City, Heather Walker says her concierge pumpkin service offers style and sustainability.
- Decor is sourced locally, fashioned into Instagram-worthy displays, then donated back to the community or farms for reuse.
In Chicago, business has taken off so quickly that Allison Rozsa Evans no longer sees it as a seasonal side hustle.
- The voice coach tells Axios she hopes the extra income will eventually let her scale back her day job.
Follow the money: There's plenty of cash on the vine.
- One entrepreneur told Business Insider that her Texas-based porch pumpkin business makes six figures, and she's starting to franchise.
In Richmond, Virginia, Rebecca Rabiger's offerings range from $300 for 28 pumpkins to $1,275 for a 96-pumpkin package that includes design, setup and removal.
- The "Pumpkin-in-Chief" previously told Axios her business's pricing is based on similar services elsewhere.
Between the lines: The porch pumpkin trend looks like the latest evolution of outsourcing holiday chores like installing festive lights, decorating trees and wrapping gifts.
Yes, but: Most people aren't splurging on luxury fall decor.
- In 2024, Halloween shoppers were estimated to spend an average of $33.57 on decorations — just shy of the previous year's record, according to the National Retail Federation.
The bottom line: You can buy curb appeal this fall without visiting a pumpkin patch.
