SUB-HEADLINE
Doug & Carrie
How did it all begin? That’s a good question… There really was NO PLAN just a desire to have a better life.
Years of working in the restaurant / retail business really took a toll on us. We were a married couple with a young daughter, a new house and what seemed to be pretty good jobs. However, each of us worked 50-65 hours a week, with varied hours, alternating schedules…never home at the same time. For YEARS (what seemed like an eternity) we worked weekends and holidays, missed our friends’ weddings, missed family events, stayed up late, woke up early…blah, blah, blah.
Ultimately, I couldn’t take it anymore and like an idiot with NO PLAN, in the middle of a dinner rush, I left my keys on my desk and walked out.
At that moment. I didn’t know how, but I knew I wanted to create my own business, my own company, a happy place to work, a company that treated employees properly, with 40 hour work weeks, with a healthy culture and fun environment.
I started out selling my own vintage stuff on eBay, just to make some money. When I ran out of stuff to sell, I started picking up small items at auctions, garage sales, and flea markets. I was somewhat successful, so I kept it up.
In time, Doug decided to quit his job as well and joined me.
Of course, the money you make selling old stuff on eBay does not equal 2 upper management salaries…So, we had to make a difficult choice: find jobs that paid our bills or KEEP GOING. We decided to keep trying.
Keeping the dream alive meant selling everything we owned that had ANY value: all of our furniture, home decor, clothes, jewelry, one of our cars (we shared 1 car for 7 years) Doug’s huge Star Wars collection he’d been collecting since childhood, my prized Chris Isaak signed guitar, special gifts we had given each other over the years, our wedding gifts, tools, dishes. lawn decor, the slide to our inground pool… you name it, we sold it.
Eventually, we lost our house as well and moved into a small rental. However, the desire to create a great place to work was strong within us both and we were willing to sacrifice & put in the hard work to make that happen.
Fast forward a few years and we are still going!
After years of bootstrapping, we opened our first Hot House Market in Lafayette, Indiana in June 2012. Soon, we were growing from a single store with a couple of employees to having five locations across two states and 20+ employees. While creating a brand that is known for curating a singular and unique style is important to us, CREATING JOBS with a great work environment is our #1 goal.
Las Vegas Store Manager
I’m Jenni, and I am the Las Vegas Manager. I started shopping with Hot House back in 2015, and I’ve been in love with the store ever since! I studied Political Science and History at Purdue with a focus on working with nonprofit organizations. Outside of my time at Hot House, I love to visit museums, collect vintage books, and exploring the southwest with friends.
Indianapolis Operations Manager
Bloomington Manager
Daisy Manager
Hello! I’m Sam, and I proudly manage our newest store, Daisy. I first discovered Hot House Market in 2013 and immediately became a fan! I continued to shop there until I graduated from Purdue, and even followed along on social media after I moved to Florida. When my husband and I moved back to Indianapolis, I jumped at the opportunity to work for a business I loved! When I’m not working, you can find me on my couch reading a book, or consuming massive amounts of television.
Regional Manager
Hi, I’m Briana! I joined the HHM team in 2017 while I attended Purdue University. After graduating, I became the manager for the Bloomington location and now I’m the Regional Manager! I continue to enjoy how Hot House is always growing and am excited for what comes next! I love listening to music and seeing my favorite artists in concert! I also enjoy cooking, hiking, traveling, and hope to visit all 63 National Parks one day.
Indianapolis Store Manager
Hey I’m Siera, the Indianapolis store manager. I’ve been a shopper and lover of Hot House for many years now, starting at the OG Lafayette location! Now I’ve been working at the Indy location for just over a year. I studied Communications at IUPUI with a focus on film and music media. When I’m not at the store I’m most likely somewhere taking film photos, watching reality tv, thrifting, or doing something outside with my dog.
Daisy Store Manager
Hi, I’m Tina! My sister worked at Hot House Market throughout college and her experience made me want to work for them as well. I started in June 2021 and am now the store manager of Daisy! Outside of work, I love to go on walks, go thrifting, and explore new places.
Bloomington Store Manager
Hi, I’m Declan! I started working at Hot House in January 2023 as the store manager for the Bloomington location. I love working at Hot House, because our customers and team are some of the most welcoming people I’ve ever met. I was born and raised in Palmer, Alaska so I love being outside and hiking any time that I can! When you stop in, be sure to ask me about my cat, Stevie!
JOIN OUR TEAM
Not Hiring
Thank you for your interest in joining our team. If you love all things vintage, have a flexible schedule, and have a customer-first mindset, we’d like to hear from you! Hot House Market is always accepting resumes for any upcoming open positions.
Please send your resume and availability to hello@hothousemarket.com.
