Say Hi to Santa

Get party-ready with fashion, food + more at The Plaza at Preston Center

Let Abbey Glass outfit you for the holidays.

Photo courtesy of The Plaza at Preston Center

If your 12 days of Christmas are beginning to look a lot like six weeks of holiday hustle, then The Plaza at Preston Center is what holiday dreams are made of.

This luxe, open-air shopping destination will supply you with all the fashion, food, and fa-la-la you need to get through the busy celebration season, all while offering an elegant shopping experience topped with dazzling decorations at every turn. You can even stop by to say "hi" to Santa on certain days in exchange for a donation to North Texas Food Bank. Now that's the spirit of the holidays.

For her holiday ensemble

From the perfect LBD to festive cocktail numbers and black-tie fits, Abbey Glass has the dress code covered. Abbey designs every one of her luxury womenswear pieces from start to finish, creating an aura of bespoke charm and playful elegance that’s always in style.

Pockets menswear Photo courtesy of The Plaza at Preston Center

For his holiday ensemble

Whether the invite prescribes festive casual or suited-up formality, Pockets Menswear is the place to find a range of high-quality menswear and tailoring.

Matthew Trent jewelry Photo courtesy of The Plaza at Preston Center

For sparkling jewels

No holiday look is complete without a little dusting of sparkle. At the Matthew Trent studio, you’ll discover a spectacular collection of one-of-a-kind, unique jewelry that will make any look shine.

For the holiday potluck

Sure, you could assemble your own charcuterie board for the next party or potluck, but who has the time? Leave it to the culinary experts at Trova Wine + Market to create delicious boards that are works of art. While you’re at the cozy wine shop, grab a few bottles to have on hand for host gifts.

Trova charcuterie board Photo courtesy of The Plaza at Preston Center

For the perfect scent
Speaking of gifts for friends, neighbors, and coworkers, the incredibly festive Texas holiday candle collection at Society is right on theme. Notes of toasted pecan, vintage leather, spiked eggnog, cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon instantly set the mood for a Lone Star holiday. If you want to think beyond this festive time of year, the options are endless for any scent or style you could want.

For the white elephant party
If a white elephant or office gift exchange is on the calendar, swing by Swoozie’s for playful options (ugly sweater beer bottle cover, anyone?). Of course, the shop has so much more to offer, including the largest selection of designer invitations in the country. It also offers lithography and thermography printing, so your holiday cards are now handled, too.

For the holiday cards
At The Plaza at Preston Center, you can even cross photos for those holiday cards off the list. Santa Days are here again, which means a complimentary photo with Old St. Nick when you make a donation to the North Texas Food Bank. Bring the whole family — fur kids are allowed, too!

Santa Days Photo courtesy of The Plaza at Preston Center

Santa will be ready for all the photo opps on December 7, 14, and 21 from 11 am-4 pm. You’ll find him indoors at 8383 Preston Center Plaza Dr., suite 160, next to Society and Double R Brand.

For a full list of The Plaza at Preston Center's boutiques, restaurants, and events, head here.

fashion holidays promoted santa days shopping

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.

broadway store garland thrift store goodwill industries home goods shopping