Shopping news

Exciting new Dallas-area pop-up boutiques and markets for holiday shopping

With Black Friday upon us and the calendar-turn to December nearly here, it's time to make a holiday shopping plan — a plan that goes beyond the boring, online point and click. Here to make shopping season a bit more special are pop-up boutiques and markets. Some last a weekend, a month, or throughout next spring. The list likely will grow as more are announced, but these are some of the best new "shopportunities" to get plans started. Want some other great store ideas? Check out or latest Where to Shop column.

Sarah Flint at NorthPark Center
New York-based luxury footwear designer Sarah Flint will open a temporary store at NorthPark Center on level one, between Aesop and Lacoste, starting November 24. Shoes and accessories are hand-crafted in Italy and feature innovative, comfort-driven design that count celebrities like Cindy Crawford and Lady Gaga as fans, the brand says. The pop-up will be modeled after the designer’s own living room, outfitted by women-run vendors with cozy couches and chairs, beautiful florals, and special try-on walls, where every size of each shoe style is out on display. "Dallas is such an incredible market and I look forward to introducing its stylish residents to the world of Sarah Flint," she says. "I hope you will stop by and have a cup of tea and a homemade chocolate chip cookie while trying on shoes and exploring our latest gifting category launches like table linens and stationery." Store hours are 10 am-9 pm Monday-Saturday and 12-6 pm Sunday; open until April 30, 2022.

Something Navy at Highland Park Village
Something Navy, blogger/influencer Arielle Charnas’ clothing brand, is setting up a pop-up shop in Highland Park Village for the holidays. Open December 1 through the end of the year, the shop will occupy the former Balenciaga space next to Dior. Something Navy features cute, luxe-but-accessible women's clothing and accessories. The newest collection is maternity, A Pea in the Pod x SN, including maternity jumpsuits, cashmere sweaters, dresses, and more — perfect place to pick up a gift for a mom-to-be. The shop will be open during HPV's normal hours, which vary in December. Keep up here.

Silhouettes by Hand at Grapevine Christmas Village
A silhouette of a loved one is a lost art and a timeless gift. On December 4-5, renowned silhouette artist Lauren Muney of Baltimore, Maryland-based Silhouettes By Hand will make a special appearance in the Grapevine Christmas Village to hand-cut silhouettes. One of only a handful of freehand-scissoring silhouette artists working in the world, Muney's work is done with only scissors and without drawing, tracing a shadow, or using any machine. Silhouettes are $40 per person, which include two copies of one silhouette. Advance ticket purchase is recommended, but walk-ups will be accepted if time allows. (Each one takes about 5 minutes.) To order tickets, call 817-410-3185 or click here.

Mistletoe Mall at Legacy West
Plano's Legacy West is hosting an entire, monthlong pop-up event as part of its special North Pole festivities. Taking place 10 am-6 pm every Friday through Sunday from November 26 to December 19, Mistletoe Mall will feature dozens of small-business vendors, including LW Natural Beauty, Creteation, Design by Society, BE So Selfish, Melanated Candle Co., Soul Stonz, The Artistry of Essential Oils, Cicely’s Jazzy Art, Chandra Tea & Spice, Tinsley Allison Designs, CBY Beauty Inc., Jade Boutique, and more. Find it between Starbucks Reserve and Filson, and keep up with the schedule here.

Merry Market at CityLine
CityLine makes Richardson a red-hot shopping destination for one special Saturday in December. CityLine and The Boho Market are welcoming a pop-up event called Merry Market, 1-9 pm December 4. More than 70 small businesses will include favorite local makers and vendors from the Night Markets offering handmade and vintage goods, plus live music, treats, crafts, and more holiday fun underneath half a million twinkling holiday lights. There's even a free DIY gift-wrap station. For more information, visit the website.

Something Navy is popping up at Highland Park Village.

Photo courtesy of Something Navy

Something Navy is popping up at Highland Park Village.

shopping

RETAIL APOCALYPSE

Mall favorite Francesca's to close all stores in Dallas and nationwide

Francesca's/ Facebook

Francesca's is known for its boho-chic dresses and tops.

After a decade of falling fortunes, Texas-based women’s clothing chain Francesca’s is clearing out all its racks. The once-mighty retailer is closing all of its stores nationwide, including several locations in Dallas-Fort Worth.

Although the company has not made any official pronouncement, Women’s Wear Daily reports that the brand is currently in the process of liquidating all of its inventory. According to the fashion industry trade journal, some employees are reporting that they were let go without warning, while vendors are allegedly seeking payment on hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid invoices.

Francesca’s was founded in Houston in 1999, becoming sought out for its boho-chic offerings that occupied a similar lane to Anthropologie. Over roughly 15 years, it quickly ramped up its footprint, peaking at over 600 locations by 2016.

That explosive growth did not prove to be popular with shareholders. That same year, the Wall Street Journal reported that its stock prices had plunged to their lowest price since Francesca’s went public in 2011. Despite leadership changes, the chain has been on a downward slope since.

In 2020, Francesca’s filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection while it sought a buyer for its online operation and brick-and-mortar stores. The chain closed almost 250 of its storefronts by early 2021.

After completing reorganization and being bought out of bankruptcy by an affiliate of TerraMar Capital and Tiger Capital Group, Francesca’s attempted a revival by launching a tween line, Franki by Francesca’s, and gobbling up celebrity-endorsed lifestyle brand Richer Poorer.

Francesca's still had Dallas-Fort Worth stores in West Village, Galleria Dallas, Stonebriar Centre in Frisco, Firewheel Town Center in Garland, The Shops at Legacy in Plano, The Shops at Highland Village, Southlake Town Square, NorthEast Mall, Arlington Highlands, Glade Park in Euless, and Sundance Square and The Shops at Clearfork in Fort Worth.

It’s unclear exactly when the local stores will shutter, but the company recently changed its return policy to state all sales are final after January 14. A request to Francesca’s corporate headquarters for comment was not immediately returned.

clothing womenswear retail shopping closings