Best Flower Shop 2012 | Dirt Design Studio | Best of Dallas® 2020 | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Dallas | Dallas Observer
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Best Flower Shop

Dirt Design Studio

There's something whimsical about Oak Cliff's Bishop Arts District, and at the center of it all is Dirt, a flower shop that shares the artistic atmosphere of the neighborhood. The smell of seasonal flowers and the dark colors of the rustic walls and distressed wooden tables have a calming effect. They have the basics covered: roses, peonies and succulents, and there are usually a few exotic flowers to mix in. They take a European style approach to flower design, but by using wildflowers, they create a countryside-inspired design of their own.

Best Cobbler

Shoe Pro

Nice pairs of shoes get worn out. City sidewalks can chew up the soles of boots and shoes long before they've taken their last step. In that case, hidden in the downtown Dallas tunnels, Shoe Pro has set up shop. Whether your entire shoe collection needs repair or you just need a shine, they do a good job for a low price, and, most important, they get the job done quickly, in most cases on the same day.

  • 1717 Main St., Dallas, 75201 Map

Best Place to Buy Children's Clothing

The Cozy Cottage Boutique

How many children's clothes, toys and ephemera can you can squeeze into the first floor of a renovated Victorian house? If you've been to The Cozy Cottage Boutique, you'll know that it's a surprising amount. The shop, on 8th Street in the Bishop Arts District, is cozy, as its name implies, but without being cluttered. The selection of clothing, which ranges from newborn to about 6, is varied without being overwhelming. Help's available if you need it, but no one's breathing down your neck. Also, if your toddler pees himself because he won't put down his Hunky's hot dog to go to the bathroom and you realize you don't have any spare pants, The Cozy Cottage has you covered.

Best Record Maker

A&R Record and Tape Manufacturing Co.

Stan "No, Not That Stan Getz" Getz is approaching the 30th anniversary of his employment at the record plant, a business he liked so much he bought the company. Yet he still exudes a youthful enthusiasm for vinyl, the format that seemed to be facing an all but certain death just a few years ago. We're glad he stuck with it and that the old-school platters are making a comeback, as it's an honor to have in our city the company that top acts such as the Flaming Lips come to have their discs pressed. A&R is staying on top of the game, offering colored and color-swirled albums to a new generation of musicians who insist on the nostalgia and audible warmth of vinyl.

Best Salon

Sweet 200

The stylists at Sweet 200, which moved from Deep Ellum to the Bishop Arts area in 2008, have cut and colored for some of the city's prettiest of pretty people for modeling shoots and fashion shoots. Some of them, including owner Annette Jensen, have salon education and training that make our own schooling pale by comparison. We also think it's pretty cool that it donated hair to help soak up oil from the British Petroleum Gulf oil spill. But our favorite part of the experience just might be the wait. Rather than a handful of ancient issues of Time, there's a hip selection of music and fashion magazines and, best of all, a pool table that's in better shape than those at some of our favorite bars.

Best Eyebrow Wax

Avalon Salon and Spa at the West Village

Eyebrows can make or break a person's face. Too thick and you look like Groucho Max, too thin and your forehead will transform into a fivehead. That's why it's important to see an aesthetician who knows what she's doing. And when it comes to eyebrow knowledge, nobody knows how to shape, groom and color brows quite like the Avalon Salon and Spa at the West Village. On top of excellent service, the spa is soothing, separate from the bustle of the salon. The combination of fountains and soft music is enough to put a person to sleep (that is, until the waxing begins). And sure, parking in the multilevel parking garage at West Village can be extremely stressful, but if you arrive early, Avalon will happily help you calm those nerves with a complimentary glass of wine.

Best Barber Shop

Floyd's 99 Barbershop

We're generally happy with a barber-shop experience as long as the tonsorial artist is semi-competent with the scissors and clippers and the haircut is cheap. Both are the case in our experiences at Floyd's 99. The extras are nice, too, as any cut includes a straight-razor neck shave and a quick neck and shoulder massage. Buzz cuts are less than $20, most of the music playing in the shop at high volume is good or at least tolerable, and attractive barbers of both sexes ensure we're repeat customers.

Best New Purveyors of Poster Art

Rigor Mortis

As an extension of Napkin Art's poster pop confections, Rigor Mortis has taken on the more musical elements of the scene, efficiently wiping down album art for the likes of the Polyphonic Spree, and even getting into the skateboard and T-shirt biz. More good poster art is good for the city and its many nooks and crannies.

  • 10025 Garland Rd., Dallas, 75218 Map

Best Place to Get Your Hair Did While Listening to Rap

Studio 410

Earlier in the summer, Studio 410 hosted a Cinco de Mayo afterparty in its back parking lot. It was one of those nights where everything converged just so: good hip-hop, people dancing and the chance to roam around in Studio 410's salon/art space. During the day, Miriam Ortega and her team of stylists let the good vibes of that space influence the haircut and color you get. She also knows how to flip a wig like a pro.

Best Place to Get Back at Your Dad

The Anger Room

The Anger Room is just that: a space where you (or you and a friend) pay a fee and are set loose in a room to smash someone else's property with a bat — or use your hands, if you're more tactile. This alternative to therapy (or prison) offers everything from a 15-minute Office Space package to 25-minute extended jams for the more thoughtful patron. (The rooms are designed to imitate an office, kitchen or living space.) You can basically do everything short of Angela Bassett lighting her ex-husband's car on fire in Waiting To Exhale.

Best Of Dallas®

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