Shopping News

New boutique buzzes into Bishop Arts with fun fashions for fab twentysomethings

Fans of graphic tees and feminine frills have a new place to shop in Bishop Arts. After COVID-related delays, the area's newest boutique, Caffeinated Beauty Bar, is officially open for business.

Co-founded by Brooke Allen, a Dallas entrepreneur with a passion for retail, Caffeinated carries size-inclusive women's clothing, jewelry, accessories and skincare, such as the CBD-infused line Fitish.

Pieces are handpicked to reflect a range of transitional styles that can be taken from day to night, styled for almost any occasion.

"We focus on a younger clientele," says Allen. "I look for clothing to fit an age range of about 23-33. I think it's a really great time in a woman's life. You have to graduate your closet into more adult pieces but still want to look feminine and fun."

"Feminine and fun" would certainly be used to describe standout pieces like the Buddylove "Sophia Red Hot" dress ($114), "Sandra Fruity Pebbles" dress ($88), and "Jumbie Aruba" romper ($75).

Caffeinated Beauty Bar first started as a blog and is heavily inspired by Riffraf, a boutique in Fayetteville, Arkansas. While attending the University of Arkansas, Allen discovered Riffraff and founder Kirsten Blowers Morman, who's since been recognized on Forbes 30 Under 30.

"I was super inspired by her story," says Allen. "Even after I left [Arkansas] and came back to Dallas, I kept watching her."

Last year, Allen co-founded Caffeinated Beauty Bar as an e-commerce store and by-appointment-only boutique in Southlake. (The name, by the way, is explained in the motto on the website: "Caffeinated: For the woman who knows her worth, creates her own path, and is humble enough to admit she's on her third cup of coffee.")

Allen never lost sight of her dream to open a brick-and-mortar storefront. In addition to bringing women pieces that she would wear, she hopes to create a company culture that will allow her to give back to other young women.

"I really wanted to own a business because I felt like there was such an opportunity to create an environment where you can pour back into your employees," says Allen. "I have such a passion for leadership. I wanted to be able to give back to girls that are where I was, when I was 18 or 19. As we grow, I want them to be able to grow with the company. That's something I'm really passionate about."

Caffeinated Beauty Bar was initially slated to open in March, but the opening date was postponed due to coronavirus shutdowns.

The shop is now fully open for business and taking measures to ensure the safety of shoppers and employees, such as curbside pick-ups and hand sanitizer at the entrance.

"We want to cultivate an environment that people don't want to leave," says Allen. "Our next goal is to get a warehouse and really grow the e-commerce business. From there, we've talked about the possibility of opening more locations and creating our own collection one day."

Caffeinated Beauty Bar is at 250 N. Bishop Ave. #140, Dallas. Hours are 12-9 pm daily.

The store carries easy, breezy tanks and dresses by Buddylove.

Facebook/CaffeinatedBeautyBar

The store carries easy, breezy tanks and dresses by Buddylove.

openings where-to-shop shopping

Busted

Counterfeit Richard Mille watches worth $2.6M seized at DFW Airport

Photo courtesy of U.S. Customs and Border Protection

A counterfeit Richard Mille watch seized at DFW Airport.

Eleven counterfeit Richard Mille watches with a potential retail value of $2.6 million have been seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.

According to a release from the agency, the watches, shipped from China and bound for destinations across the southeastern United States, were found to bear fake trademarks belonging to the Swiss luxury watchmaker. CBP trade experts determined the watches were inauthentic and intercepted the shipment, the agency says.

To be clear: The $2.6 million figure represents what the watches would have been worth at the manufacturer's suggested retail price had they been genuine, not the value of the knock-off pieces.

“The sale of fake goods often funds criminal organizations involved in money laundering, drug trafficking, and other illicit trade,” CBP Area Port Director Jayson Ahern says in the release. “Our CBP officers are on the front lines every day guarding against defrauders, while protecting legitimate American businesses who are often harmed by these criminal organizations.”

Counterfeit watches are among a range of products targeted by CBP, which says handbags, wallets, apparel, footwear, jewelry, and consumer electronics are also frequently faked.

"Illegitimate sales are some of the most profitable transnational crimes," the agency says in the release. "Counterfeiters sell inauthentic versions of popular products in response to trends, often through online sources, which adversely impacts legitimate U.S. businesses.

These items include fake medications, perfumes, cosmetics, children’s toys and costumes, fashion, jewelry, and luxury products, and unsafe electronics and automotive parts, which can pose serious health and safety risks as they are often made with substandard or harmful materials."

Counterfeit goods can often be spotted by their inferior quality, they say: "Peeling labels, low-quality ink or printing errors on the packaging, and the quality of the packaging can be signs that the product you purchased may not be legitimate. Counterfeit apparel and handbags may feature poor or uneven stitching, be improperly sized, or not exist as a product the designer brand produces at all. The performance of counterfeit electronics is often marked by short battery life and regular overheating."

CBP recommends buying directly from brand owners or authorized retailers and checking online sellers' reviews and contact information before making a purchase. Its Truth Behind Counterfeits campaign offers more information about spotting fake merchandise and understanding the risks.

"Remember that if the price of a product seems too good to be true, it probably is," they say.

dfw airport luxury crime