Magic Mirror

NorthPark Center store turns on tricked-out mirrors only found in New York

Dallas is the second store to get Polo Ralph Lauren's new interactive mirrors.

Photo courtesy of Polo Ralph Lauren

UPDATE: This location of Polo Ralph Lauren has closed.

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Polo Ralph Lauren is determined to make the dreaded dressing room experience much more pleasurable for both shoppers and sales associates, and it's doing so with brand-new technology. Through full-size, touch-screen mirrors, the brand has brought together the convenience of online shopping and the personal touch that only happens inside a real store.

These interactive mirrors, a collaboration with Oak Labs, first debuted at Polo Ralph Lauren's Fifth Avenue flagship store during Black Friday. Dallas is No. 2 on the list for this fanciness, as it just debuted at the brand's NorthPark Center location.

But how cool can a mirror be? Very cool, it turns out.

It starts with the lighting, which is adjustable to three flattering settings: "Fifth Avenue Daylight," "East Hampton Sunset," and "Evening at the Polo Bar." That first step is meant to be an accessible intro into using the touch-screen mirror, which also allows you to select a language.

The mirror also detects which items you have brought into the fitting room, displaying them on the screen. This nifty feature allows you to see what other colors the garments might come in, along with suggested outfit pairings and accessories. And if you need another size, simply send your request to an associate on the floor.

These mirrors are designed to make employees' lives easier too, because requests are delivered instantly to the iPads they're carrying, identifying where in the store or stockroom the item is located. If it's out of stock or online only, the order can be placed right then. Those iPads also signal to the shopper that her request has been received, bringing up the smiling face of the associate who's on the hunt for that sundress.

And if after all that you're still not sure about putting down your credit card? Send a list of what you tried on directly to your phone, so you can decide later what makes it into your shopping bag.

Polo Ralph Lauren is a brand as rooted in digital innovation as is it fashion, as evidenced by its holographic runway shows and development of interactive, shoppable, and holographic store windows. It also has a first-of-its-kind fitness smartshirt that measures biometrics and translates data into personalized workout routines.

shopping

Thrifty shopping

Massive Goodwill store in Garland reopens as 2nd largest in the U.S.

Photo courtesy of Goodwill

The Goodwill in Garland is the largest in Texas.

A major expansion has made a Garland Goodwill store nearly the largest of its kind in the country. Goodwill Industries of Dallas officially reopened its "Broadway store," at 451 W. Interstate 30 #100, on April 30 after a major renovation. The new-and-improved store is twice its previous size.

According to a release, at 31,000 square feet, the Broadway Store and Donation Center is now the largest Goodwill in Texas and the second largest in the U.S.

The expansion will significantly boost inventory turnover. According to the organization, the store will introduce about 10,000 new items daily, including clothing, home goods, and accessories. At that pace, inventory cycles through the store roughly every four weeks, they say.

“Our newly expanded Garland store sets the gold standard for Goodwill in Texas — not only as our largest location, but as our most operationally complex,” says Tim Heis, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Dallas, in the release. “Turning out 10,000 fresh items every single day requires a tremendous, coordinated effort behind the scenes to make sure our shelves are always stocked with new finds."

The reopening comes amid "explosive growth" in the resale sector, Goodwill says. A 2024 report from ThredUp found that the U.S. secondhand market grew 11 percent in 2023 (growing seven times faster than the broader retail clothing sector) and is projected to reach $73 billion by 2028.

“As consumers are increasingly turning to resale for its affordability, unique product variety, and positive environmental impact, the new Garland store redefines what’s possible — every visit promises one of the widest, most frequently refreshed selections anywhere in North Texas,” says Joel Ibanez, vice president, Donated Goods Retail.

To support its larger retail footprint and meet demand, Goodwill Dallas has also expanded its donation network, they say, opening new Donation Express locations in Frisco, Plano, and Lantana in recent months and bringing the total number of donation drop off locations in North Texas to 52.

The Garland store includes a drive-up donation center, and additional sites are in development across North Texas, they say.

"Over the past two years, Goodwill Dallas has experienced record-breaking performance, earning recognition as the top performing Goodwill in the country for two consecutive years," they say in the release.

broadway store garland thrift store goodwill industries home goods shopping