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Cariloha is the only retailer in Texas selling exclusively clothing, bedding and bath goods made of viscose from bamboo.
New Cariloha store owners, Gary and Tina Stevens, hosted a grand opening at their store, located at 2226 Strand St. Suite B, which is right in the heart of Galveston’s famous Strand.
The Stevens, who reside in Mansfield, Texas, came across Cariloha and its bamboo products for the first time while on a cruise in Juneau, Alaska and in St. Thomas. They fell in love with the brand and the store experience and wanted to open a store for themselves.
“We learned that The Strand had been looking for a long time to add retailers with a unique flare to their overall shopping experience,” said Gary Stevens. “The Cariloha store was a good fit for attracting both a local and a tourist crowd to the entire area.”
The Stevens secured their lease through Ed Ayers who came down to Galveston at the right time when the leasing agent decided to split a large retail space into two stores. The Cariloha store is 900 square feet and is next door to sister brand, Del Sol, which will occupy 1,100 square feet. Both stores will be owned and operated by the Stevens and managed locally by Rebecca Beasley.
Bamboo apparel features several qualities better than cotton. Bamboo is twice as soft to the touch as cotton; it keeps you up to three degrees cooler than cotton; bamboo is naturally antibacterial, hypoallergenic and repels odor, which comes in really handy on a hot day in Galveston.