Jenna Houge’s enthusiasm for what she does is palpable. - MedQ
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Jenna Houge’s enthusiasm for what she does is palpable.

MedQuarter (MedQ) Regional Medical District | May 20th, 2021

It doesn’t take long to discover why this 30-something manager of The Nurse’s Station in the MedQuarter Regional Medical District loves her work.

“I just love serving my customers,” she says. “I love helping them find just the right fit, fabric or color for their uniforms.”

“Uniforms” in this case means nurses’ scrubs, lab coats and shoes and accessories, but she also carries equipment like stethoscopes — and much more.

Her dad and stepmom, Kim and Betty, already owned Fittings Unlimited when they purchased The  Nurse’s Station in the same building. They knocked down a wall and now the two businesses share an interior space with separate entrances.

After attending Cornell College, Jenna joined the family business in 2006 and now runs the Nurse’s Station side. And run she does: inventory control, marketing/social media, group accounts, vendor accounts and working with area businesses and schools to get custom embroidery setup.

“I wear a lot of hats,” she says, laughing. “But providing great customer service is so important to us. My ultimate goal is to set up an easy and fun shopping experience! Once the customer is in the dressing room, I make sure they know I’m here for them to run around the store to find other styles and sizes for them to try.”

She has no plans to open an eCommerce portion of the business. “You can buy items online, but you can’t try them on, feel the fabric, see the true color,” she says. “And you can’t laugh and talk with your sales person,” she adds.

The Nurse’s Station runs sales and specials throughout the year, group discounts, student discounts, and has a punch card that earns you $20 after being fully punched, that can be used on the next visit.

Thriving in the MedQ

Her customers come from a 50-mile radius of the MedQuarter, but a solid core of her business is the thriving medical and health community in the MedQ, all within walking distance: Physicians Clinic of Iowa, UnityPoint – Cedar Rapids, Mercy Medical Center – Cedar Rapids, Unity Point Clinics, Mercy Clinics, CarePro Health Services, Eastern Iowa Oral Surgery, OB-GYN Associates, P.C., CR OB Gyn Specialists, PC, and Iowa EyeCare.

“And then there are several other groups in the area we provide scrubs to, which include: Iowa Eye Center, Sanctuary Spa, Family SmileCare Center, Animal Care Hospital, Blairsferry Pet Hospital, Petersen Pet Hospital, Iowa Eye Center, Bowers Chiropractic PLLC, Sanctuary Spa, Mount Mercy University, Kirkwood Community College and many more,” Jenna explains.

As to her location, she loves doing business in the MedQ. “It’s becoming this supportive community of business owners,” she explains. “As an organization, MedQ works hard to promote all the businesses and medical providers, plus encouraging the public to spend time here shopping, eating and more in addition to going to their medical appointments, so it’s win-win,” Jenna adds.

Jenna is one of those people who seems to follow the adage that, “If you choose a job you love, you never have to work.” Well, she does spend long hours at work, but “I really enjoy helping people find fashionable and comfortable attire to wear for their careers and very passionate about all the details and products so I can better serve our customers,” she says.

She summarizes her experience this way: “Every day is rewarding for me!

One could not ask for a better mindset for a manager.

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