What-a-bracelet

Whataburger and James Avery Jewelry link up for charming collaboration

Texans love Whataburger. Patrons try to "out Whataburger" each other with creative topping combinations. Senate candidates ridicule each other over their orders. Zealous defenders fire back at clueless Yankee transplants who try to garner cheap page views with pointless insults about its quality.

Given all that, perhaps it was inevitable that the San Antonio-based fast food chain would link up with another Texas brand to provide a way for fans to show their devotion. For the second year in a row, the company is uniting with Kerrville's James Avery Artisan Jewelry to produce a Whataburger-themed charm: a sterling silver totem shaped like a Whataburger cup and hand-painted with orange enamel.

It is available now via the James Avery website or Whataburger website for $80. The cup charm joins a Texas-shaped charm with the "flying W" logo in a growing Whataburger-inspired collection.

The charms are a hit. Last year's initial run sold out in less than 24 hours and fetched big bucks on eBay before supplies caught up with demand.

"We have a long history of designing jewelry that is meaningful to our customers,” James Avery chief operating officer John McCullough says in a statement. “The Whataburger collaboration is one way we are able to connect customers to two of their favorite iconic Texas brands.”

Still, it seems fair to ask: who are these for? And what does it say about the person who wears one? Would anyone feel the same impulse to buy a charm that depicted McDonald's Golden Arches or a Burger King crown?

Maybe don't answer that.

Most James Avery charms depict a hobby, interest, or accomplishment. It makes sense that someone might want to pay tribute to a favorite pet, an instrument they play, or graduating from high school. On the other hand, a Whataburger cup represents, what exactly? A fondness for sitting in a drive-thru line at 2 am waiting for taquitos?

Also, how many more of these can the companies develop? Should we expect a box of fries in 2019 and a to-go bag in 2020? Should we start speculating about what a Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit looks like in sterling silver?

No one's saying people shouldn't buy this charm as a gift for a friend or loved one. Just be careful in choosing the recipient. After all, it's a thin line between "I think you're a fan of kitschy Texas memorabilia" and "you sure seem to drink a lot of Dr Pepper."

Whataburger and James Avery have collaborated on a new charm.

Courtesy photo

Whataburger and James Avery have collaborated on a new charm.

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Thrifty shopping

Massive Goodwill store in Garland reopens as 2nd largest in the U.S.

Photo courtesy of Goodwill

The Goodwill in Garland is the largest in Texas.

A major expansion has made a Garland Goodwill store nearly the largest of its kind in the country. Goodwill Industries of Dallas officially reopened its "Broadway store," at 451 W. Interstate 30 #100, on April 30 after a major renovation. The new-and-improved store is twice its previous size.

According to a release, at 31,000 square feet, the Broadway Store and Donation Center is now the largest Goodwill in Texas and the second largest in the U.S.

The expansion will significantly boost inventory turnover. According to the organization, the store will introduce about 10,000 new items daily, including clothing, home goods, and accessories. At that pace, inventory cycles through the store roughly every four weeks, they say.

“Our newly expanded Garland store sets the gold standard for Goodwill in Texas — not only as our largest location, but as our most operationally complex,” says Tim Heis, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Dallas, in the release. “Turning out 10,000 fresh items every single day requires a tremendous, coordinated effort behind the scenes to make sure our shelves are always stocked with new finds."

The reopening comes amid "explosive growth" in the resale sector, Goodwill says. A 2024 report from ThredUp found that the U.S. secondhand market grew 11 percent in 2023 (growing seven times faster than the broader retail clothing sector) and is projected to reach $73 billion by 2028.

“As consumers are increasingly turning to resale for its affordability, unique product variety, and positive environmental impact, the new Garland store redefines what’s possible — every visit promises one of the widest, most frequently refreshed selections anywhere in North Texas,” says Joel Ibanez, vice president, Donated Goods Retail.

To support its larger retail footprint and meet demand, Goodwill Dallas has also expanded its donation network, they say, opening new Donation Express locations in Frisco, Plano, and Lantana in recent months and bringing the total number of donation drop off locations in North Texas to 52.

The Garland store includes a drive-up donation center, and additional sites are in development across North Texas, they say.

"Over the past two years, Goodwill Dallas has experienced record-breaking performance, earning recognition as the top performing Goodwill in the country for two consecutive years," they say in the release.

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