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THE CONSUMER WINDFALLS

By D Magazine |

For a Good Tome, Call 271-0115



For a city that boasts of its sophistication, Dallas offers its bibliophiles few opportunities for self-actualization. But one of the best is Mary Anne’s Books at Vikon Village, an enormous indoor flea market that not only maintains a complete collection of National Geographic back to 1920, but offers a large selection of paperback books at one-third the original price. Mary Anne Stout and her husband Phil spend the week picking through attics, estates, and garage sales searching out books for themselves and for other collectors.

Because Vikon Village is open only two days a week, Mary Anne has to “move a lot of books.” The majority of that movement comes from paperbacks, old comic books, and remainders. The finer books are under glass. If you do not find what you are looking for, leave the title. If the Stouts find the book, it’s yours for cost plus 10 percent. Mary Anne’s Books, Vikon Village Flea Market, Kingsley at Jupiter. Sat &Sun 10-7. 271-0115.

– Jane Albritton

Chocolart



If a simple box of candy seems inadequate, you can have your favorite sweetheart, guest of honor, or head of state immortalized in chocolate. Gerd Lunkowski, pastry chef for the Fairmont Hotel, is the man for the job; he is an artist and chocolate is his medium. His creations have delighted visiting celebrities, but anyone can commission a work by Lunkowski. Arrangements may be made through the Fairmont Hotel’s public relations department. 748-5454.

– Sam Meador

Heir Apparel

A mother’s delight may be watching her children grow up, but that usually means watching them grow out of their clothes. Take heart, moms – there is help at the Snider Plaza Children’s Exchange, the place to find some of the highest quality re-cycled childrens clothes available (infants through size 14). Everything from caps to coats comes in on consignment – the owner receives 60 percent of the selling price. The average dress sells for $7, cloth coat for $20, and fur or suede coat for $50. There are some maternity clothes, too. Everything is pressed, polished, and displayed as if brand-spanking new, so shopping is a real treat. But recycling is only part of the story. Owner Cora Bill-ingsley, her staff, and contributing artisans pride themselves on their hand-crafted gifts, accessories, and custom-designed clothing. See it all at the Children’s Exchange Gallery, 6829 Snider Plaza. Mon-Sat 10-5. 363-1012.

– S.M.

The Joy of Sacks

For answers to your storage problems, check out The Container Store. Open since July, this small shop specializes in containers of all varieties – from Thai silk jewelry boxes to mechanics’ leather tool bags; from stamp-sized plastic boxes to industrial storage bins. Garret Boone, Kip Tindell, and John Mullen scour catalogues and haunt national markets looking for containers – from dairy catalogues come colorful milk cartons; the poultry industry offers egg-collecting baskets; brown industrial bottles with corks welcome home-brew. The Container Store, 6081 Forest L.ane (at Preston Forest Shopping Center). Mon-Sat 9:30-6. 386-5054. – J.A.

Tuning In

The typical car tune-up day begins early – at least an hour earlier than usual so that you can drop your car off at the shop in time for a courtesy car or a faithful friend to take you to work. Sorry, no tune-ups on Saturday when you have time.

Enter Maqbool and Abbas Merchant with Top Tune Mobile Tune-Up Service. For $29.95, Abbas will come to your home or place of business and install new spark plugs, points, and condenser in your engine, clean the carburetor and adjust the timing and points (he will not change the oil).

If your car is untunable, the brothers Merchant will credit their $10 service charge to a tune-up within 90 days. They guarantee their work for 6,000 miles or six months. 7 days week, 9-5. 350-3008. – J.A.

Putting on the Dogie

Suppose you don’t want to be a cowboy badly enough to lay out $90 for a genuine one-gallon felt, $45 for an Oxford cloth Western-cut shirt, and $20 for Mr. Levi’s most special jeans. If so, wave to Cutter Bill’s as you pass on LBJ, and do not stop until you get to Garland and the Resistol Hat Factory.

Resistol, one of the largest manufacturers of cowboy hats in the world, offers a complete line of factory-seconds in Western wear (the flaws are virtually invisible), as well as demonstrator models. Twenty-five dollars will put you in a felt hat creased to your specifications; thirteen gets you a summer straw. After the hat, the rest is simple: mosey on over to the shelves of traditional pearl-snap shirts, slip into a pair of factory second blue jeans, and pick up a belt and a buckle. Let Danny Turner help you make your selections – he’s an arbiter of Western taste.

Now, all you need to remember is never wear felt after February, and never stick your pants in your boots. Resistol Hat Factory, 601 Marion Dr., Garland. Mon-Fri 7:45-4:30. 276-5101. – J.A.

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