Retail apocalypse

Texas-based women's clothing chain closes stores, including all in Dallas-Fort Worth

A'Gaci is closing all of its Dallas-Fort Worth locations.

A year after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, San Antonio-based fast-fashion brand A’Gaciis closing. On August 8, the womenswear retailer announced that it was shuttering all 54 of its stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, including the remaining stores in Dallas-Fort Worth.

According to a release, all stores began liquidating product with a 50 percent-off sale starting August 8. Although no exact closure date has been established, the company expects most stores to wrap up by the end of August due to the busy back-to-school shopping season.

The DFW stores closing include locations in Town East Mall in Mesquite, The Parks at Arlington, The Shops at Willow Bend in Plano, Fort Worth's Hulen Mall, and Grapevine Mills.

The company also shuttered its online store on August 1 in anticipation of its final chapter. It is still honoring returns on non-final sale merchandise purchased 30 days prior to that date.

A’Gaci was founded in 1971 in San Antonio and quickly became a mall staple. Although its affordable, body-conscious clothing has a considerable following among fashion bloggers and Instagram influencers, a series of missteps ultimately led to its downfall.

First was a poorly timed, 21-store expansion between 2016-2017. As customer shopping habits shifted online, major debts were maturing and profitable stores in Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico took a hit from major hurricanes, according to the first bankruptcy filing.

At the time of the 2018 restructuring, A’Gaci closed 20 of its locations and renegotiated several leases. The move, however, was not enough to make the company profitable. As of closure announcement, it was more than $6 million in debt.

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Shopping News

Where to shop in Dallas right now: 7 zany new stores to check out

Thrifted Threads

Thrifted Threads chill vibe

With the holidays on the horizon, shopping is on the rise. This November edition of Where to Shop, CultureMap's monthly roundup of new shops, sales, and alternative shopping, has five unique new openings, ranging from fashion to skin care to sports apparel.

The roundup also includes two non-traditional entries, including a new benefits program at an area mall, and a place to get your passport — in case you're planning on shopping abroad.

Here's where to shop in Dallas for November:

Baseballism
Baseball camp that transformed into an off-field baseball clothing brand is now open at Allen Premium Outlets. The store offers baseball-themed clothing, hats, and accessories. Their collection features collaborations with several big league names, including MLB, Babe Ruth, Vin Scully and Field of Dreams. Caps and hoodies are especially popular items, such as the Junior's Silhouette for $36 or the short Sleeve Yankees hoodie for $79.

Firewheel Town Center
Garland shopping center is in the giving spirit with its latest Shop, Dine & Save program. Visitors can shop or dine at select stores, including Buckle, DSW, and Razzoo's, Ferah Tex-Med Kitchen, and receive a $25 Simon giftcard when they spend $150 or more. To get the giftcard, receipts have to be shown at the mall management office and include at least one shop and one restaurant from the same day. The special lasts through November 27.

Hill House
Originally a bedding company that launched in 2016, Hill House has extended their collection to offer home, accessories, baby & kids, bridal, and apparel. They opened a location in NorthPark Center at the end of October — their first in Texas and only their fifth store. Hill House is best known for the "Nap Dress," a flowing dress made for day or night wear. There's also a short version of the dress, such as the Scarlett Long Sleeve Mini, a plaid dress for $188. Just in time for season, they've launched holiday pajamas, featuring pajama sets, robes, and children's sets.

Glossier
Skincare, beauty, and fragrance concept just opened a 1,000 square-foot store at NorthPark Center, featuring its trademark whimsical displays that one might mistake for an art supply or paint store. They sell fragrances, scented skin creams, balms, cleansers, moisturizers, makeup, eyelash curlers, and other beauty products, a little on the pricey side, but they make the shopping experience fun with an immersive shopping experience. That stuff doesn't come for free. This is their 12 location in the U.S., joining Atlanta, Boston, Brooklyn, Chicago, DC, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, NYC, Philadelphia, and Seattle.

Rally House
Sports apparel chain opened a location at Rockwall Crossing Shopping Center in Rockwall, with merchandise — headwear, accessories, collectibles — dedicated to Dallas-area teams including Dallas Cowboys, Texas Rangers, Dallas Stars, and college teams like the Texas Longhorns, Texas Tech Red Raiders, and Texas A&M Aggies. They also offer locally-themed apparel and accessories that celebrate Dallas destinations and landmarks, such as an Uscape Pom Mens Knit Hat with a graphic of the Dallas skyline for $30 or a long sleeve Dallas sweatshirt for $42. This is the 22nd location in Dallas-Fort Worth.

Thrifted Threads
Houston-based vintage clothing reseller just made its debut in Deep Ellum at 2646 Main St. #620, next to Vidorra. Thrifted Threads was founded by Laith Awad, who began reselling clothes in 2017, initially as an online store until he opened a location in 2022 in Houston's Montrose District when he was only 18. He opened a second store in College Station in 2023. Deep Ellum is the third. They're known vintage apparel from jerseys to sweatshirts and hats, as well as collections of color-sorted clothes from the 70s to the 2000s. It's more than a store, with arcade games that don't require coins to play, a motorcycle display, and ice cream.

Collin County Passport Office
If you're "shopping" for a passport, a passport office just reopened in the Collin County Courthouse at 2100 Bloomdale Rd., McKinney. The new passport acceptance office will initially be appointment only, with bookings available through the District Clerk's website. Plans are underway to introduce same-day and walkup services in the near future.

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