Where to shop in Dallas right now: 8 must-hit stores for June

Where to Shop Now

Photo courtesy of King Ranch Saddle

Although the first day of summer doesn't hit until June 21, Dallas has been serving up serious seasonal looks for months now. In fact, we are looking for alternative options for summer when it is just too hot to function. Think tennis, golf, and even Major League Baseball. Which of your signature summer looks are you upgrading this month? Find inspiration at these eight shops - along with a Father's Day gift or two.

Active Milano
Michael Malik’s sophisticated new collection blends tech fabrics and total comfort seen in bra tops, leggings, shorts, jackets, and body suits. All items are sized small to large and range in price from $52 to $108. The line is made in both the United States and Peru. Sound familiar? Active Milano sponsored the 2022 Miss USA and Miss Teen USA competitions, outfitting contestants in activewear on stage; shop the luxe-athleisure brand online.

Photo courtesy of King Ranch Saddle

King Ranch Saddle has moseyed into The Star at Frisco.

Boho Market at The Village
The Boho Market, a popular Texas pop-up that supports small and local businesses, will set up shop at The Village, 10 am-2 pm Saturday, June 24. Visitors can shop for clothing, jewelry, accessories, candles and home décor from 30 vendor booths. Food and beverages will be available from The Village's eateries, including Anise, Buzz & Bustle, Doughregarde's, Over Under, and more. Admission is free; find the market at 5605 Village Glen Dr., Dallas.

Five54
Sisters Allison and Anna Williams, who hail from Mississippi, recently opened this Southern-chic clothing and accessories boutique on Dallas' Lower Greenville Avenue. The shop is filled with on-trend styles in perky prints, comfy knits, and breezy fabrics appropriate for hot summers.They stock about 40 different contemporary brands, including sundresses, skirts, and tops by Reset by Jane; denim from Hidden; and separates and dresses from Fate and Olivaceous. And they prioritize affordability: most pieces are under $75. Read more about it here.

Gucci x MLB
The Texas Rangers are the hottest team in the AL West, and Gucci is here to cheer them on (along with other MLB teams). First unveiled at the Gucci Fall/Winter 2018 fashion show, this newly refreshed capsule collection features ready-to-wear clothes, shoes, and accessories emblazoned team logos. Think caps, patches, denim sets, colorful t-shirts, hoodies, sweatpants, and even loafers. The collection is now available online. Go Rangers!

Hari Mari
Who would have thought that Dallas' go-to flip flop company would release a women's summer staple short that is totally necessary, as well? Called the Ladies BantamKnit Short, they're made with a custom cotton blend for extreme comfort. The performance fabric offers increased breathability with four way stretch. Read more here and get yourself a pair for $68 online only.

King Ranch Saddle Shop
A new outpost for the luxe cowboy brand debuted at The Star in Frisco on June 3, but don't be fooled by the name "saddle shop." The store carries Western-inspired menswear and womenswear, outdoor accessories, furniture, and more. The Frisco store is the sixth King Ranch location across the state and second in North Texas, following the first one in Fort Worth.

Mizzen + Main
This Dallas-based menswear brand now has a new boutique in Southlake Town Square. The opening marks the brand’s seventh retail location, following stores in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Austin. The 2,066-square-foot space was created in collaboration with Bergmeyer architecture firm to engage with guests in a more experiential way than ever before.

Todd Snyder
Since launching his eponymous label in 2011, Todd Snyder has redefined how modern American men can present themselves to the world in stylish, unexpected ways. Think dress shirts, polos, pants, suiting, and even shoes. The new boutique is now open on level one between Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom in Dallas' NorthPark Center.

Photo courtesy of Hari Mari

Dallas flip-flop brand Hari Mari takes next bold step with women's apparel

She wears short shorts

Hari Mari is helping women prep their summer wardrobes in more ways than one. The Dallas-based premium flip-flop brand is launching a line of ladies' shorts.

Called the Ladies BantamKnit Shorts, they're made with a custom cotton blend for extreme comfort, the company says. The performance fabric, they say, offers increased breathability with four way stretch. The shorts also feature a three-inch inseam, stretch-lined pockets, elastic waistband, and a drawstring closure. They're made in the USA.

“We as a brand will always focus on flip-flops and sandals, but when you’re known for making the most comfortable flip-flops on the market, your customers ask for more, and it’s exciting to be launching our first ladies' shorts as part of that demand,” says co-founder Lila Stewart.

Hari Mari has always sold hats, tees, and sweatshirts that were unisex, but the new ladies' shorts line is the company's first intentional apparel item designed specifically for women, Stewart says.

"Our men's shorts line has performed really well, so if the ladies' do as well, which is trending that way, we hope to continue to add small lifestyle pieces to our apparel collections in the coming years," she says.

Women's joggers are coming soon, she adds.

The Women’s BantamKnit collection comes in two color options - Heathered Navy and Honey - in sizes small to XL. They retail for $68, available exclusively on HariMari.com.

Since it was founded in 2012, Hari Mari has built its reputation not only on quality, fashion-forward flip-flops (and other kinds of shoes and apparel), but also on its sustainability and philanthropic efforts, which are a part of the company’s DNA. Hari Mari gives 1 percent of sales to support kids battling cancer through its called Flops Fighting Cancer initiative.

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Property Showcase

Dallas can now rent pickleball and tennis courts in people's backyards

PLAY BALL

Dallas-Fort Worth pickleball and tennis lovers can now play on courts that were previously inaccessible: in people's backyards.

The service is from Swimply, the online provider that has previously let homeowners rent out their private pools by the hour. They've now expanded their services to include courts.

Swimply says in a release that other backyard spaces for rent were the "logical next step" -- especially given the popularity of pickleball.

"Pickleball is a phenomenon and there aren't enough courts to meet demand," the release says."Tennis, likewise, has historically been an exclusive leisure activity where people pay upwards of $100 an hour at private clubs for court time."

In addition to tennis and pickleball, basketball courts will also be listed for rent on the site, beginning at $25 an hour. There are currently nine pickleball courts for rent in the DFW area and one tennis court, spanning from Allen to Aubrey to Mansfield to McKinney. (The DFW service has just started and will surely amass more options.)

These join 200 spaces in Austin, and 300-plus available across markets in Houston, New York, and Los Angeles.

Swimply founder and CEO Bunim Laskin says this new launch is a "game changer" for communities whose members want greater accessibility to recreational spaces.

"We're excited to offer this new opportunity for families and friends to have fun, exercise, and connect with each other in a safe, affordable, and convenient way," Laskin says. "Our mission has always been about democratizing access to exclusive spaces and creating positive social impact, and we believe that court rentals are a natural extension of that vision."

It won't stop there: Swimply is looking into expanding their recreational offerings to include backyards for events, music studios, and more.

Fantastic visuals and original story make The Creator a must-see sci-fi film

Movie Review

In the relatively risk-averse world that is modern Hollywood, getting an original story is a rarity. The vast majority of potentially blockbuster movies these days are ones that have a connection to some kind of existing intellectual property that already has a well-established track record. So anytime something interesting arrives that’s not a sequel/reboot/remake/commercial for a product, it deserves to be celebrated.

And that goes double when it’s done as well as the new sci-fi film, The Creator. The film is set in a post-apocalyptic world in 2065, 30 years after a sentient artificial intelligence detonated a nuclear bomb in Los Angeles. Joshua (John David Washington) is an American soldier who for years worked undercover alongside A.I.-enhanced robots, many of which are fitted with clones of human faces, to try to find their reclusive leader, Nirmata, in a part of the world now called New Asia.

A personal tragedy sends him into exile, but he’s recruited back into service by Colonel Howell (Allison Janney) to seek out and destroy a weapon that may turn the tide in the war for good. Turns out the weapon is a robot in the form of a child (Madeleine Yuna Voyles), and when Joshua discovers that fact, he finds it impossible to carry out the mission. Instead, he does everything he can to protect the girl he calls Alphie, with the military hot on his tail all the while.

Written and directed by Gareth Edwards (Rogue One) and co-written by Chris Weitz, the film is astonishing in a number of ways, but mostly for its ability to draw the viewer in visually. The CGI is amazingly believable, making it easy to immerse yourself in the storytelling. From a foreboding super-weapon in the sky called NOMAD to the futuristic landscapes to the whirring metal cylinders that appear to be the brains of the robots, the film is full of fantastic details that make it a feast for the eyes.

The concept of A.I. is increasingly being used as a storytelling tool, and here the filmmakers seem to try to play both sides of the fence. Many people in the film fear its capabilities, especially given the nuclear event. But by literally putting human faces on many of the robots, it becomes more difficult to see them as pure evil, a dilemma that’s at the core of the problem for both Joshua and the audience.

Washington, who’s fast becoming as reliably good as his father, Denzel, is the star of the film, and he does a great job in that role. But stealing the show every second she’s on screen is Voyles, who delivers a debut performance the likes of which hasn’t been seen in many years. She is utterly convincing and heartbreaking as Alphie; while the story may have worked with a lesser actor, she helps take it to completely different level.

Also putting in great work are Janney, who proves herself as badass and fearsome a military leader as any man; Mark Menchaca as her No. 2; Ken Watanabe as an A.I. robot; singer-turned-actor Sturgill Simpson as a friend of Joshua; and Gemma Chan, redeeming herself after the misfire of Eternals.

Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios

John David Washington in The Creator.

The Creator could’ve earned praise simply by giving us an original sci-fi story. But by accompanying it with awe-inspiring imagery and performances that elevate the story immeasurably, Edwards and his team have made a film that will likely be remembered for years to come.

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The Creator opens in theaters on September 29.

Nordstrom bestows 2 new discount stores upon Dallas-Fort Worth

Shopping News

Dallas-Fort Worth bargain shoppers have two new stores to put on their list: Nordstrom Rack, the discount sibling of Nordstrom, is opening two locations in the DFW area, both in early- to mid-October.

October 5: Denton Crossing, at 1800 South Loop 288 in Denton
October 19: The Village at Allen, at 170 E. Stacy Rd. in Allen

Nordstrom Rack offers up to 70 percent off on-trend apparel, accessories, beauty, home, and shoes from many of the top brands sold at Nordstrom stores, such as Levi’s, Madewell, Topshop, Dr. Martens, On Running, New Balance, and Sam Edelman. It's also the largest source of new customers for Nordstrom.

The Denton store will encompass 25,000 square feet. Denton Crossing is a popular shopping center just off I-35 that is also home to Best Buy, Total Wine & More, Ulta Beauty, Old Navy, T.J. Maxx, Kroger, and HomeGoods. The center is owned and managed by Kite Realty Group Trust.

"We are thrilled to welcome Nordstrom Rack to Denton Crossing," says Kite VP Jason Kasal. "Nordstrom Rack's high-quality offerings and welcoming format will be an excellent addition to the compelling shopper experience and diverse merchandising mix offered at Denton Crossing."

The Allen store is slightly larger at 29,000 square feet, in the former Hemispheres space, where it will join a roster of stores that includes Target, Best Buy, PetSmart, Homegoods, and the similar Macy's Backstage.

These new locations bring the total number of Nordstrom Rack stores in Texas to 20; the company also has eight Nordstrom stores in Texas.

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