Shopping News

Teso Life, another cool Japanese boutique, opens Dallas-area store

They have the popular Pocky snacks plus Kit Kat bars in hard-to-find flavors.

Yelp

UPDATE 5-17-2021: The store will open on May 22.

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If you like Daiso and Kinokuniya Books, then the newest Japanese retailer coming to the Dallas area is going to be right up your alley: Teso Life, which specializes in Japanese lifestyle products, is opening a location at Carrollton Town Center just above North Dallas.

By "lifestyle products," they mean beauty supplies mostly, but also home goods, arts & crafts, and best of all, exotic foods.

This will be the first store outside New York and only the fifth in the U.S. According to a release, they'll open in the fall. At 14,236 square feet, it'll be a big store, joining a collection of specialty shops and experiential restaurants anchored by 99 Ranch Market.

Teso Life was founded in 2017 by entrepreneur Andy Lin, and emphasizes Japanese culture and aesthetics, specializing in beauty products, including leading J-beauty brands. They have lots of popular snacks in hard-to-find flavors. Think green tea Kit Kats.

"Teso Life is geared not only to the Japanese audience, but crosses all spectrums. Its products are rarely found in the U.S., but are common in Japan," says Heather Nguyen of Houston-based NewQuest Properties, the developer for the center located at the intersection of George Bush Turnpike and Old Denton Road, who carefully sought out Teso Life.

"We traveled to Japan and visited many department stores and retailers," she says in a statement. "Teso Life's high-quality products for daily use are a perfect complement for the center, which has been successfully attracting a diversified demographic and new experiences for our audience."

NewQuest VP John Nguyen says that Teso Life does a good job of finding "rare gems" from Japan. "You feel as though you're in another country from the moment you enter the store," he says.

Headquartered in Queens, New York, Teso Life came on board when a prime spot opened a month ago between 99 Ranch Market and Daiso in Carrollton Town Center, which attracts Asians and non-Asians alike to NewQuest's mix of international retail and culinary experiences.

Daiso and Kinokuniya Books also chose Carrollton Town Center for their first locations in Texas.

"The success of Japanese brands like Daiso and Kinokuniya Books in Texas has shown the consumer demand is there for Teso Life to expand to Dallas and land at NewQuest's Carrollton Town Center," John Nguyen says.

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RETAIL WATCH

Texas AG Ken Paxton opens investigation into fast-fashion giant Shein

Photo courtesy of SHEIN

Shein is now under investigation from the Texas Attorney General.

Critics of fast fashion have found a strange bedfellow in Ken Paxton. The Texas Attorney General announced December 1 he would investigate online retailer Shein for alleged unethical labor practices and unsafe consumer products.

According to a release from Paxton’s office, the inquiry aims to find out if Shein’s “supply chain and manufacturing practices violate Texas law by using toxic or hazardous materials, misleading consumers about product safety, and misleading consumers about ethical sourcing.” The probe will also look into the corporation’s data collection and privacy practices.

In a statement, Paxton put a partisan spin on the investigation.

“Safe, non-toxic material and products are another key ingredient to [Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s] Make America Healthy Again movement,” said Paxton in the release. “Any company that cuts corners on labor standards or product safety, especially those operating in foreign nations like China, will be held accountable.”

Paxton’s move unexpectedly aligns the AG with environmental watchdogs. Nonprofit Yale Climate Connections has long sounded the alarm about the Singapore-based e-tailer, calling it one of the world’s biggest polluters. Paxton has long railed against climate change regulations and sued the Biden administration several times to block emissions rules.

The investigation is part of a larger Republican crackdown on Chinese consumer products. On Capitol Hill, lawmakers are debating new restrictions on Shenzhen-based aerial drone maker DJI, and Senator Tom Cotton has called for investigations of “Communist Chinese” companies Shein and Temu. The September Texas vape ban specifically banned disposable e-cigarettes manufactured in the country.

In a statement emailed to multiple media outlets, Shein said it would comply with Paxton’s investigation.

“Shein takes these concerns seriously and is fully committed to cooperating,” a spokesperson said. “Our mission — to provide affordable, fashionable products to customers around the world — is underpinned by a dedication to safety, compliance, and respect for human rights.”

The controversy will likely have little effect on Shein’s popularity with Zoomers. The company snagged an estimated $38 billion in sales in 2024 and has an average of 24.7 million active app users each month.

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