Super Bowl Blast!
Want to party with Michael Phelps, James Brolin and Common? Here’s your VIP ticket inside one of Super Bowl 51’s best bashes, the CityBook-sponsored Big Game Big Give blowout!
Feb. 6, 2017
How did you get where you are today? We’ve stayed true to the vision of the store’s founder, Morris Penner, who relentlessly sought out unique product, with exceptional quality being a key element. Morris always used to say, “The fastest way to lose a customer is to bore him” and we agree. A percentage of every season’s budget is allocated to something new and unique. While product is key, it’s not enough. Having an excellent staff and discipline in business practices is also critical.
Whom do you credit? MP: I guess I could say that retail is in my blood. My grandfathers on both sides owned men’s clothing stores and my dad opened M PENNER in 1974, so a great deal of credit goes to them. Dad had incredible vision and created a unique niche in Houston’s menswear landscape in the mid 1970’s by focusing on European fashion brands and styles. He quickly became known as a maverick in the industry, bucking the predominantly “American brand trend” of the time. A great deal of credit also goes to the people who work with us, from the sales team to the tailor shop. I also credit Karen and my son, Jeremy, whose dedication keeps us grounded and focused.
What is it like running a family-owned business? Chaos. But seriously, through ups and downs, for us, it’s the best of the best. We get to set the tone and define the culture of the business. Our employees are our family and we treat our clients like family, too. There is a noticeable warmth that permeates the atmosphere at M PENNER and we love that. When you run a family owned business, the bottom line is clear - the buck stops with us.
What lessons have you learned that might enlighten and inspire others? While running a family business certainly can be chaotic, the truth is that it is also very gratifying. And that’s because we have learned a few important lessons. Have clearly defined roles and be clear about who makes the final decision. Find your niche in the market and stay in your lane. Clarify your goals and refer to them repeatedly to stay on track. Hire great people; trust them and let them shine. Stash the cash - in our 50-year history, there have been great years and there have been tough years. Keep enough money in the bank to help get through the tough years. Pay attention to the details. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
What is your biggest accomplishment? MP: It goes backwards and it goes forwards - being in business for 50 years and carrying on the legacy of my dad’s vision and now working with my son in the store. Being known in the men’s specialty store industry as one of the best stores in the country is extremely gratifying. We can’t wait to celebrate our 50th in December!
THE UPCOMING AIA Houston Home Tour is always an anticipated fall event, a style showcase from some of the city’s best architects, designers and tastemakers. The two-day, self-guided tour includes several custom homes in the area that exhibit design excellence, innovative design solutions, and sustainable features.
One of the most unique projects on this year’s home tour, which takes place Nov. 2-3, is from Benjamin Johnston. The two-story Woodlands Heights home, dubbed Heights Regency, has a neoclassical elegance that reads timeless from the outside — but colorfully contemporary on the inside.
Greeting visitors is a Greek-columned atrium with a 16-foot-long skylight. The first floor is an entertainer’s paradise, while upstairs is a haven with several bedrooms. Classic, architectural details like herringbone floors, marble casings and paneling are countered by the boldly colorful and glamorously edgy furnishings; the pairing is deliberate and intriguing.
Outside, a lush courtyard garden and 55-foot lap pool lend a day-spa vibe to the urban manse. There’s also a fab outdoor kitchen — which is in addition to the property’s gorgeous main kitchen and catering kitchen.
"Heights Regency is a true jewel box," says Johnston of the project, . "Every element has been carefully considered to create a luxurious and inviting living experience. We are thrilled to share this project with the world."
What is your mission? Launched in 2006, Kids’ Meals’ mission is to end childhood hunger in Houston by delivering free, healthy meals year-round to the doorsteps of Houston’s hungriest preschool-aged children and through collaboration, provide their families with resources to end the cycle of poverty.
Why did you launch the organization? More than 80,000 preschool-aged children in Houston are going to bed hungry, living in food deserts, and living food insecure. Children who are ages 5 and under suffer most from lack of nutrition because their brains and bodies are in the most formative years and are not yet old enough to receive free meals through the school system. In response, the Kids’ Meals program launched to help end childhood hunger in our city.
What are you most proud of? Since its inception, Kids’ Meals has prepared and delivered more than 15.3 million free meals to food-insecure children in 56 zip codes in Harris and Montgomery Counties. What started as a small grassroots organization, delivering a few hundred meals per day, now delivers lunch to more than 9,000 preschool-aged children each weekday. In 2024, we are projected to deliver more than 2.7 million free, healthy meals. By ensuring children have basic daily nutrition, we are changing not only their mealtimes but their entire lifetimes.
What’s been your impact in the community? Kids’ Meals is a first responder to impoverished children. In addition to nutritious daily meals, we deliver weekly grocery bags of fresh produce and non-perishable staples. We leverage our daily access to connect families with vital wrap-around service information such as early childhood education, adult and child literacy, medical/dental care, ESL classes, financial planning, mental health, and job skills training. Our average all-in cost per meal delivered is only $2.
Tell us about your big event. On Friday, November 8, 2024, at the Marriott Marquis Houston, the 16th Annual Harvest Luncheon will bring together over 1,400 attendees from corporations, foundations, and Houstonians interested in delivering hope to the future of our great city by investing in the next generation. Our luncheon offers a VIP experience, Mimosas & Market, a curated group of incredible vendors offering a collection of unique items to kick off your holiday shopping, and a spectacular silent auction crowned by an outstanding program. Sponsorships and tickets are on our website.
How many employees and volunteers work with your organization? More than forty employees work at Kids’ Meals with most staff delivering direct program services to children. Kids’ Meals employees are committed and passionate about their work. In fact, our drivers are our “Hope Providers” because Kids’ Meals provides so much more than just a meal, they provide hope daily. In addition, our incredible 25,000 annual volunteers are a force to be reckoned with. They give over 60,000 hours each year to make sandwiches and pack lunches for the children in our city.
What are your major challenges? In 2008, Feeding America reported that Harris County had the highest percentage of children living with food insecurity among highly populated counties nationwide. More recent studies from Children at Risk and Northwestern University indicate the pandemic created a long-term economic impact that will affect low-income families for years. With an estimated 80,000 children under six facing food insecurity in Houston, Kids Meals’ primary goal is to serve 26,000 of them by 2031 and to continue building the infrastructure to keep growing. To accomplish this goal, we need Houstonians to partner with us as volunteers and donors to build a better city for our children and families.