"Pumpkin concierges" bring fall flair to your front steps
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The $1,350 Pumpkin Palooza Package from Porch & Vine, on display at a local home. Photo: Courtesy of Jordan Lamar
Too busy for pumpkin picking? You can pay someone to bring the patch to your porch.
Why it matters: A growing crop of "pumpkin concierges" will artfully arrange gourds at your home or storefront — and it's big business, including in Central Ohio.
How it works: Packages include eye-catching clusters and cascading displays costing hundreds — or even over $1,000.
- The pumpkins come from local farms, and decorators will haul them away after Halloween or Thanksgiving for an additional fee.
The big picture: Outsourcing holiday chores isn't new, but until recently, it was mostly reserved for Christmas.
Zoom in: Two local business owners tell Axios they're still building brand awareness, but the response — and revenue — has been strong.
- Both are busy moms and fall fanatics who enjoy the flexibility of being their own bosses.
What they're saying: Danielle Milliken, of Canal Winchester, launched Porch Perfect Ohio last year to bring "fall magic" and memories to busy families.
- "Some people are confused or surprised. And then you have the people who say, 'I would never pay that much for pumpkins,' and that's OK — those aren't my clients," Milliken says.
- "It's a new idea, and the people that get it, they love it."
Lancaster's Jordan Lamar expects to finish her first year of Porch & Vine with 100 orders and little overhead.
- "I don't know too many businesses where you can end up in the clear in your first year," Lamar says.
Yes, but: It is tough work, requiring heavy lifting and an "eye for design," she notes.
Follow the money: Both women were inspired by Heather Torres, founder of Porch Pumpkins in Dallas.
- Since starting in 2020, Torres told Business Insider, her viral company now has a 20-person team, and she earns six figures and is starting to franchise.
Reality check: Most people aren't splurging on luxury fall decor.
- In 2024, Halloween shoppers were estimated to spend an average of nearly $34 on decorations — just shy of the previous year's record, per the National Retail Federation.
The bottom line: If you've got it, flaunt it, and pumpkin-spice up your porch. Both Milliken and Lamar are still taking orders online.
