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Courtesy Dollhaus Design, LLC

Greta Gerwig could've saved herself half the movie budget: Dallas has its own Barbie house, and it's available for shoots. Owner Rachel Page has created a dream house — doused in pink and overrun with cute props — that screams (well, murmurs like Marilyn) Old-Hollywood glamour and dollhouse coziness. The space is a private residence in Arlington available to rent for the day or by the hour, so go live your pinkest Barbie or Elle Woods fantasies. If these walls could talk, they would simply purr.

D Magazine recently named Tailwaters Fly Fishing Co. as the Best Fly-Fishing Outfitter, but we go there for a different reason. The Design District shop, with its own backyard river bank, is where you go to look like a fashionable fisherman without ever grabbing a pole. The plentiful selection of vintage-inspired Howler Brothers pearl snap Western shirts with colorful embroidery is ideal for fun on the river or on dry land, and the shop's offerings of Simms moisture-wicking button-down shirts look sharp on a boat or in a boardroom. Of course, there are cool caps, pants and shorts to add to your purchase as well. This is the type of style that says, "I'll be in the meeting, but I'm not staying long. There's fun to be had."

When Tumbleweed TexStyles opened its flagship store in Frisco in 2020, it had already been the coolest T-shirt slinger in North Texas for several years. But instead of being able to catch the colorful Tex-centric merchant only at a local music festival or online, now you can visit their kitschy-chic shop and leisurely peruse. You've probably seen the must-have, officially licensed Whataburger designs or, perhaps, the shop's big-selling "Texas Chica" tee, crafted to recall the Topo Chico logo, but there's much more to be had. The shop's clever original designs with a vintage flair and a Lone Star State vibe beat the hell out of a graphic tee from Target.

You wouldn't know it by walking in there now, but Bloom's Candy and Soda Pop shop in downtown Carrollton started life as a flower shop. Its current owners purchased the place in 2008 and added candy to the floral offerings. In 2010, the candy and soda lines took over the space entirely. An epic array of vintage brands (Astro Pops and Banana Split Candy Chews, among many others), and straight-up crazy selections (candied crickets and brisket-flavored candy canes, anyone?) can be washed down with a frosty glass bottle of one of the dozens of hard-to-find root beers, ginger ales or flavored cream sodas from the store's coolers. The vintage toy and knickknack collection lining the tops of the candy shelves is worth its own moment of attention if you can pull yourself away from the sweets.

With several locations in Dallas and across North Texas, you won't have to go far to find a CBD American Shaman. With a focus on health and wellness, the place sports some of the best selection of CBD and hemp products and so much more. Don't know what you're looking for? One of the friendly staff at CBD American Shaman can always help find the products just right for you. Whether you want something that can get you high or something more therapeutic like CBD for you or your pet, this place has you covered.

You can find everything you need to get your smoke on at Smokin' Glassworks. The chain has been selling CBD since 2014 and has several storefronts in North Texas where the staff is chill and helpful. Inside, you'll see a range of products from CBD to hemp-derived THC, and a variety of bongs, pipes and bubblers to smoke it with. The store also has a wide range of edibles and tinctures, and accessories to go with your smokin' set up, like papers, grinders and rolling trays. The only thing that would make Smokin' Glassworks better is if they had a location in Dallas, but it's always worth the drive to the suburbs.

Patrick Williams

The Joule downtown carries itself more as an attraction than as a hotel in some key, eye-catching ways. Of course, there's the 30-foot fiberglass eyeball across the street, but inside, there's plenty to attract non-hotel guests as well. Perhaps chief among them is the one-two retail punch of the Taschen Library and the hotel shop. A cozy alcove packed with colorful coffee table books, the Taschen Library offers large, vibrant and sometimes edgy books filled with striking photography covering everything from modern art and sports to hip-hop and world travel. Across the way, the hotel shop goes beyond basic sundries to offer bottles of bubbly, flowery essential oils and special-edition Kate Weiser chocolates, inspired by the big eyeball.

If you're into mountain bikes, there are the well-known national chains (Sun & Ski Sports) and adored local chain (Bike Mart). Thankfully, a few independent shops have sprung up lately offering a range of bikes, components and gear while also providing personal, top-notch service and repairs. CFB Bike Shop in Farmers Branch, just north of LBJ Freeway, is the kind of place that's homey without feeling small, well-equipped without feeling like a warehouse. The employees there stay busy, but you don't feel like yet another burdensome number. And it's never a surprise to cross paths with a biker you might've just seen on one of the many North Texas off-road bike trails.

Patrick Williams

This homegrown Oak Cliff store has many mood boards, from vintage pieces to airy Boho and little black dresses and accessories. The shop supports independent fashion designers, all with an eye toward easy-to-wear, chill pieces. This is a boutique shop for those who both love and hate shopping (they'll style you if you're the latter). Brunch to couch? Sure. In the office with an air of casual indifference? That, too. Plus it's a cool space. Go ahead and treat yourself.

Candles by Carol, which has been going strong since 2000, is run by a three-person team, founder Carol, her son Ryan and Lydia. Hand-poured candles come in more than 10 categories (from Fabulously Fruity to Rugged Retreat), with lots of unique smells in each, such as Pomegranate Noir, Lemon Bergamot and Hawaiian Breeze, to name a few. The candles here have strong staying power and come in bright colors in glass containers. They also sell scent sprays, essential oils and tarts for all your good-smelling needs. You can find Candles by Carol at its storefront near Lake Ray Hubbard or the online store, which offers delivery and pickup.

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