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