Pop-Up Style

Dallas-born kids clothing line with global reach celebrates local first

Children's clothing brand Chooze is hosting a pop-up shop November 11 through mid-December.

Chooze, the whimsically mismatched children's clothing brand, has taken the world by storm since Sharon Blumberg founded it in Dallas five years ago. Now, the brand is opening its first ever pop-up shop.

"Our Dallas customers are great local supporters," Blumberg says. "This is a great chance for them to touch, feel, and [let their kids] try on our full collection."

The pop-up shop opens November 11 and runs through mid-December at Preston Royal Village East, Suite 125. Chooze's full collection of girls, boys, and baby clothes, as well as shoes and backpacks, will be on display. Customers can shop new fall and winter designs and slippers, which make great stocking stuffers, Blumberg says.

Since 2011, Chooze has expanded into Dillard's, Nordstrom, and countless boutiques. The brand has dedicated stores in countries outside the U.S., such as Ukraine and Costa Rica, and has a presence in dozens of other countries throughout Europe, Asia, South America, and beyond.

"We sell in so many different types of stores," Blumberg says. "Our collections have such a variety of styles and products that appeal to girls, boys, and all age ranges."

But it's more than Chooze's signature mismatched patterns and colors that make the pop-up festive. The retailer is also celebrating its fifth birthday November 18-20, with a portion of Chooze's profits that weekend benefiting the Birthday Party Project, the local philanthropy that throws birthday parties for homeless children.

"Paige [Chenault, founder of the Birthday Party Project] and I met when we were both launching our companies, so we've been on a similar journey," Blumberg says. "Our mission is all about inspiring kids to be more creative, and then using that creativity to make a positive impact."

Blumberg says the Birthday Party Project's mission fits in perfectly with that.

Besides a birthday party, throughout the pop-up Chooze is also hosting pajama parties, story times, yoga and music classes, and other kid-centric activities.

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Holiday shopping

New giant Quge-tip from Dallas-based Q-tip sells out in 24 hours

Q-Tip

Q-tip's Quge-tip

A giant version of an everyday product has sold out in 24 hours: Called the Quge-tip, it's a 6-foot version of the iconic Q-tip, the beauty staple that's been around for more than a century.

Measuring nearly six feet from tip to tip, Quge-tips feature enlarged swabs and a sturdy stick modeled after the original Q-tips swabs design.

The Quge-tip was released on December 9 and sold exclusively online in limited quantities for $35. Alas, according to a spokesperson for Dallas-based Elida Beauty, the parent company of Q-tip, the product flew off the virtual shelf.

"Now that they’re sold out, Q-tips is surprising fans with social giveaways," the spokesperson says.

The Quge-tip is one of two products just released by Dallas companies — both of which feel like they could be April Fools Day jokes — except that both are for real.

Dave & Buster's Claw PurseD&B

Dave & Buster's Claw Purse
The Dallas-based eatertainment chain is leveling up holiday gifting with the debut of the Claw Purse, a limited-edition purse designed by Chain. The Claw Purse is inspired by one of the brand's most iconic games — the claw machine — and according to a release, is "the season's most unexpected fashion statement" for anyone who loves bold style, nostalgia, and a little bit of play.

To mark a milestone for the brand, the Claw Purse launches alongside the expansion of Dave & Buster's Human Crane, a viral, full-body game experience that turns guests into the claw — where they are lowered down into a bin of huge prizes to grab whatever they choose.

Beginning in December 2025, the Human Crane will appear in over 112 Dave & Buster's locations with additional stores rolling out nationwide throughout the season.

But back to the purse: It made its debut at Chain's Holiday House, an event at the company's HQ in L.A., where "it quickly became a crowd favorite among creators, stylists, and culture icons," or so says the release. Which also calls this "the first creative collaboration" between Dave & Buster's and Chain, bringing together Dave & Buster's beloved gameplay with Chain's signature culture-forward point of view. So maybe there will be more collaborations in the future.

Q-tip's Qugetip Q-tip's Quge-tipQ-tip

Q-tips Quge-tips
The Quge-tip is a nearly six-foot supersized version of the "iconic" Q-tip cotton swab, first invented in 1923 and the go-to for beauty, baby care, first aid, cleaning, and everyday moments that call for a gentle, precise touch.

The six-foot Quge-tip features enlarged swabs and a sturdy stick modeled after the original Q-tips swabs design — offering a new way to experience an iconic tool at a dramatically large scale, designed as a playful, oversized tribute.

The release nots that Quge-tips tap into a rising trend of consumers using Q-tips swabs for alternative tasks, which now make up a meaningful share of cotton swab use: From dusting high shelves and cleaning hard-to-reach corners to large-scale art projects.

The six-foot Quge-tip features enlarged swabs and a sturdy stick modeled after the original Q-tips swabs design — offering a new way to experience an iconic tool at a dramatically large scale.

The company insists it's a real thing — they do a very funny video mocking late-night ads for cheap products — and that after debuting at qugetips.com on December 9, they sold out of their initial run. One note: They do not reveal how many Quge-tips were sold. It could just be, like 10 that were for sale.

There's a chance they'll be doing another issue, and they encourage interested shoppers to diligently follow their social media.

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