Beach House Pumpkins is about more than adorning pretty porches with pumpkin decor.
Megan Daubert and Mallory Clark started the Virginia Beach-based seasonal decorating business in September not only for fun, but as as a business that could include Daubert’s husband, Michael.
“He can no longer work,” Megan Daubert said. “This seasonal business offers a small way Michael can be included in tasks that he’s more than capable of doing.”
In February 2024, Michael, now 40, suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while playing in his adult soccer league at the Virginia Beach Field House. He was without oxygen for 24 minutes while teammates and bystanders performed CPR. He sustained an anoxic brain injury and now lives with significant short-term and long-term memory loss as well as other neurocognitive deficits.
He was a residential real estate agent before the health crisis. Megan has since obtained her real estate license and taken over the business.
Clark said a dear friend suggested the idea of decorating people’s porches for the fall because she knew both women had a background in wedding planning and were looking for a creative business idea to include Michael.
“Michael was always such a visionary,” Megan Daubert said. “Even with his memory loss, he is still very excited about entrepreneurial ventures. So, in a way, this business hints at a core part of him that is still deep down there.”
And importantly, they needed a business with flexibility for two moms with other jobs.
“As wedding planners, we are used to working with various spaces and making them aesthetically pleasing,” Clark said. “We’ve always loved working with clients who want to add a little extra charm and personality to their space.”
Customers in Virginia Beach and Norfolk can visit BeachHousePumpkins.com to pick a package for decorating their porches. Prices start at $300 and include a custom pumpkin design with orange pumpkins, specialty pumpkins and varietals (mini pumpkins and gourds). Mums and hay bales are available as add-ons. The company also offers custom displays for homes and businesses.
The client does not need to be home at the time of delivery. Deliveries run until Oct. 10.
It was important for the partners that their venture keep them involved in the community. Clark added that they both love any reason to celebrate, such as the changing seasons.
“It’s like a little party on every porch we decorate,” she said.