Dallas Shops

Let’s Make a Deal

Amid the clutter at these discount stores, you can find great stuff for a song.

BIG LOTS. Alongside ceramic kittens and clocks adorned with plastic flowers, you’ll discover everything you need for an evening outdoor get-together. Galvanized pails, perfect for holding bags of ice or beer and wine, are a deal at just $3. They also carry packs of 20 floating citronella candles for a buck fifty that will help keep the mosquitoes away and make your outdoor area glow. Then snatch up a few brightly colored serving trays for your barbequed hors d’oeuvres. Mon-Sat, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sun, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. 2415 N. Haskell Ave., Ste. 113. 214-887-0083. Multiple locations.

CRATE AND BARREL OUTLET. You can stock your whole kitchen with C&B’s huge, discounted collection of ceramic dishes and glasses. We spied some charming soup bowls with baby blue bases and cream rims, perfect for chilled soups in the summer and chili in the winter. Another winner was a set of four white ceramic mixing bowls that fit inside one another, making them easy to store in an already cramped kitchen. Mon-Fri, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sat, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Allen Premium Outlets, 820 W. Stacy Rd., Allen. 972-678-2888; Mon-Wed, Fri & Sat, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thu, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun, noon-5 p.m. 1317 Inwood Rd. 214-634-2277. www.crate-barrel.com.

DOLLAR TREE. Impress your girlfriend with a spa gift basket from this East Dallas shop—and it’ll only set you back about the price of a movie. Pick up a few pairs of lime-green and aquamarine bath gloves and a few three-piece spa kits, each containing a loofah, bath confetti, and creamy bubble bath in delicious scents such as green apple, strawberry, blueberry, and grape. Grab some colorful nail polishes in aisle three and then wander over to the shoe area and add a pair of chocolate brown flip-flops to your stash—you don’t want your gal pal to ruin her pedicure. Top off your gift with a terry-cloth-lined shower cap and a bottle or two of Coralba natural sparking water. Total cost: $7. Daily, 9 am-8 pm. 6060 E. Mockingbird Ln., Ste. 2. 214-370-4893. Multiple locations.

TUESDAY MORNING. Don’t be put off by the mess. We found great hand-painted pottery for indoors or out and a Jay Strongwater-esque picture frame that was too good to pass up at $6. But the best finds were in the linen department, where 500-thread-count Italian linens, sheets, and duvet covers were discounted more than 80 percent. Down-filled, European-sized pillows by Calvin Klein were $50 each. We also found a toile

BEST BUYS: Our favorite finds from the top discount shops.