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Antique shop with automotive theme to open on East Dallas main drag

White Rock Automotive will soon be home to an antique shop.

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A new antique shop with an automotive theme is coming to East Dallas from the team behind the legendary Curiosities antiques store.

The new shop will open at 8916 Garland Rd., next door to Curiosities in the space that was formerly White Rock Garage.

Construction is underway and it'll open in the fall.

Owner Jason Cohen is calling it a satellite — a new "transportation wing" of antiques with vintage signs, motorcycles, bicycles, a car or two and other transportation related goodies. His working title is "Curious Garage."

“We have always dealt with advertising and signs antiques," he says. "We have not delved too heavily into motorcycles and cars so represents something new. We will have antique tools and signs, vintage bikes, whatever the space allows."

Jason and his mother Terry started Curiosities in 2006 in Lakewood, before relocating to 8920 Garland Rd. in 2022, joining a garden shop they'd opened there in 2016.

Dallas antique fans will recall that Terry and husband Harmon used to deal antique clocks, then Victorian area jewelry and textiles.

Jason, an art major, opened Forbidden Books in 1990 in Fair Park, then Forbidden Gallery and Emporium, a celebrated art gallery, before opening Curiosities alongside Terry. The shop is a destination for locals and out-of-town visitors, known locally and nationally for its unique collection of oddities and historical items, unique vintage jewelry and fine art.

White Rock Automotive Garage has been there since the '60s. Current owner Mark Loving, who took it over from previous generations in his family, retired in June.

Jason liked the idea of keeping an automotive theme to the building, a realm for which he also has a passion.

He'll keep the building's classic sign that has become a landmark on Garland Road, as well as its signature pink paint job — pink being a favorite color of family matriarch Ruby Loving.

"They were known by many for being the pink auto shop — I want to keep its character," Jason says.

With the original industrial look staying mostly intact, Jason anticipates renting out the space for photo shoots; they're adding a stage as well as a tiki bar.

"We're hoping to create a cool environment, a meeting space for car collectors, auto clubs, and antique lovers to hang out," he says.

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Swedish Fish News

Popular Ikea furniture chain to open 4th Dallas store in Rockwall

IKEA

Ikea sign - instantly recognizable

Dallas-Fort Worth is getting a new Ikea store in Rockwall. Located at Stodghill Road and I-30, it'll be the third Ikea in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and is due to open in December 2025.

Ikea is the world's largest furniture retailer, founded in 1943 by Ingvar Kamprad, and known for its simple, modern approach to interior design at an affordable price, its ready-to-assemble furniture, and its amusement-park-like stores.

Ikea will be the anchor in a 65-plus acre mixed-use development with a location chosen for its accessibility not only to the east side of DFW but also to major highways that connect to faraway towns like Texarkana and Little Rock. Rockwall to Texarkana is 155 miles or a 2-hour-and-22-minute drive — surely doable if you're hot to get a great quality mattress at a good price or stock up on Swedish gummy red fish.

According to a release, the store represents Ikea's intention to become more accessible, affordable, and convenient for the many here in the U.S., even those who live in places like Casa View and Mesquite, and the store will offer a new way of reaching customers both in-store and digitally.

The store's footprint is 108,000 square feet — almost a third smaller than the existing locations in Frisco and Grand Prairie, which both span 293,000-plus square feet (although Grand Prairie is one story while Frisco is two-story). There's also a pickup-style store in Southlake that's 10,809 square feet.

“Our expansion goal is simple. We will be where people are, whenever and however they want to experience Ikea," says Ikea U.S. Ceo and Chief Sustainability Officer Javier Quiñones. “We have been testing different store formats to increase customer convenience, make home delivery more cost-efficient, and reach our customers where they live, work, and socialize. IKEA Rockwall represents a key milestone in this ongoing journey.”

Though smaller than the other area behemoths, Rockwall will nonetheless be serving Ikea's trademark meatballs at a new Swedish Deli concept, a Swedish cafe to enjoy meals onsite, and a Swedish Bistro for quick takeaway items that can be enjoyed in the outdoor seating area or at home.

The space will include multiple fully furnished room settings that showcase “local living” solutions reflecting the unique needs of the residents of the local community. Rockwall embroidered pillows, maybe?

Additionally, Ikea Rockwall’s design will include features for improved sustainability, specifically solar power, LEED certified construction, EV chargers, onsite recycling and native plant materials to reduce water consumption.

“We are strongly committed to the communities in which we operate. IKEA Rockwall provides an even more seamless omnichannel shopping experience throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, and we look forward to welcoming residents and surrounding neighbors to this new Ikea experience,” says Ikea U.S. Area Market Manager Rob Parsons.

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