Spotlight: Shopping
Best Place to Buy a Coffee-Table Book
Nest
The McKinney Avenue store is a favorite for gifts, but stocks plenty of fine print, too. Whether you’re shopping for a sports car enthusiast or decking out your own coffee table, Nest shines in travel, design, fashion, and art. And the pretty volumes say a lot about your style—literarily speaking, of course.
Best Place for Conversation Pieces
Grange Hall
Grange Hall is packed with treasures, from beautiful to bordering on bizarre—and that’s why we love it. From objects that incorporate taxidermy to exotic home and body fragrances and from pottery you won’t see anywhere else to fine accessories, the shop caters to those in search of the unconventional. Their in-store cafe offers memorable indulgences.
Best Place to Buy a Candle
Society
Take just one step inside this chic little store, and you know you’ve discovered the sweetest-smelling shop in Dallas. Moody, black walls are lined with LAFCO New York, Malin + Goetz, Thompson Ferrier, and Society’s proprietary collection, including their best-selling No. 2 candle infused with hints of cocoa bean and patchouli.
Best Gifts for Babies and Kids
Little Bean Shop
If the toy aisle gives you gift-giving anxiety, look to owner Bianca Colgin Watson’s mix of toys and playful clothing for ages newborn to 6 years. You can’t go wrong with a Siaomimi Play superhero shirt, Baby Fifi booties, a Vilac dragon tea set, or a vintage-style dress from the shop’s eponymous line—find it all tucked inside Madre. We ensure delight.
Best Place to Pick Up Party Goods
The Gypsy Wagon
Your guest of honor will feel oh-so-special with a soiree adorned with goodies from The Gypsy Wagon. Pick up paper goods adorned in pineapples, a felt garland that stylishly spreads the message, playful candles and cake bunting, and a party crown to top it off. They’ve even got a desktop party pack for a co-worker’s surprise.
Best Floral Shop
Avant Garden
With this little floral shop in Highland Park Village, owned by famed party and event planner Todd Fiscus, you aren’t just getting an average bouquet. These flowers are specifically chosen from the fields of Japan, Holland, and South America. You don’t need to go very far to get a taste of the world’s best floral arrangements.
Best Stationery Store
Paper Affair
With its Lovers Lane location and two more in Far North Dallas, Paper Affair is an easy choice when in the market for custom stationery pretty much anywhere in Dallas. It’s not just convenient— the friendly staff will guide you through the whole process and also help put together a gift with the store’s selection of cards, candles, and jewelry.
Best Toy Store
The Toy Maven
Owner Candace Williams does more than sell toys. The former teacher also wants to get kids excited about learning—and maybe off their screens for a few minutes. Here, “educational toy” is way more fun than it sounds. In addition to the original location in the Preston Royal Shopping Center, there is now a Southlake outpost.
Best Museum Gift Shop
The Lotus Shop
The Lotus Shop lets patrons take a little bit of the Far East home after visiting the underrated Crow Collection of Asian Art. But it also works on its own. The store—which moved into a larger new space across Olive Street a few years ago—offers genuine tea sets, thoughtful books, and colorful purses—you can also pick up some jewelry or textile pieces.
Best Gift Shop
TenOverSix
This L.A.-based shop’s space inside the downtown Joule hotel stocks a bit of everything, from Zanzan sunglasses and Fort Standard stone trivets to coats from Horses Atelier and Mquan Studios dog bowls. Obviously great for threads and gifts alike, TenOverSix also hosts special events and pop-ups. Follow on Instagram for glimpses.
