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Dallas retail veteran debuts luxe new 'tree house' boutique at Highland Park Village
Well-known Dallas retail pro Brian Bolke is not letting a little worldwide pandemic-induced economic plunge deter him from debuting a new luxury boutique at Highland Park Village. He is boldly opening the doors to The Conservatory on Two on Wednesday, May 20.
The shop is his second outpost in Dallas of The Conservatory in Highland Park Village (which will remain open) and The Conservatory’s third location, with a fourth expected to open in Napa Valley in early June. The original Conservatory debuted in March 2019 in New York’s Hudson Yards.
That's a lot of Conservatories to keep track of, but here is what to know about the all-new Conservatory on Two, which is the news here:
It is a 4,000-square-foot sun-drenched “tree house” upstairs that is a hybrid gallery-boutique. It will be the company's most comprehensive gallery for its website, and will house more than 175 brands and 2,000 different products, a release says. Categories include women’s and men’s clothing and accessories, jewelry, wellbeing (beauty + treatment, bath + body, and candles + fragrance), and living (decor + objects, books + paper, and gifts).
New brands showcased include renowned art gallery Lehmann Maupin (featuring an inaugural show by artist Angel Otero) and Phaidon, with an exclusive 60-title library of art and design books. The Conservatory will also carry more than 40 collections that are new and exclusive to Dallas, including Another Tomorrow, Leret and Leret, Salle Privee, Votary, Lisa Eisner, Eva Fehren, Maison d’ Etto, Asprey, Saved Cashmere, Costa Brazil, and Metier London.
"The items on display are constantly being rotated with new items to discover, creating a new experience each time a client visits," the release says.
Bolke, who calls his philosophy "Considered Luxury," says he has been embracing and implementing principles of sustainability, slow fashion, and a shared economy since conceiving The Conservatory almost three years ago.
Now in these COVID-19 times, when consumers may be hesitant to enter physical stores, he says The Conservatory’s established protocols are ideal. They include a low touch model featuring visible product tags with thorough descriptions and prices under washable plastic or glass, as well as Bitly links on all products to explore products online and provide the opportunity to purchase later from home. Virtual shopping appointments, individualized private in-store previews, and contact-free delivery are standard, too.
According to Texas Gov. Greg Abbot's plans to reopen Texas, retailer stores can be open at 25 percent occupancy currently.
“We are providing the ultimate luxury in shopping today — plenty of space, plenty of natural light, and the store was designed with a feeling of calm," he says. "We want our clients to have a high level of comfort and feel relaxed.”
To many Dallasites, Bolke is still best known for launching retailer Forty Five Ten two decades ago. Bolke has been a tenant in Highland Park Village continuously since 1995; the luxury shopping complex not only houses two “Conservatory” locations but also the home office of The Conservatory. Bolke is also a familiar face in Dallas arts and philanthropic circles, including chairing the Dallas Museum Art's glamorous Art Ball in 2020-2021.
The Conservatory on Two is located at 100 Highland Park Village, Suite 205. Entry is accessible via an interior elevator bank between Chanel and Starbucks. Hours are 10 am-6 pm Monday through Saturday.
