Who Says Retail’s Dead? These Brick-and-Mortar Shops Are Alive, Well and Ready for Holiday Shoppers

Who Says Retail’s Dead? These Brick-and-Mortar Shops Are Alive, Well and Ready for Holiday Shoppers

This Wild West dress, $148, is one of several stylish finds at new Heights-area Oak & Sparrow.

HOUSTONIAN COURTNEY PELL Wilkerson has opened Pell 1990 (24811 Gosling Rd.) in The Woodlands. It’s a “wink to the ‘90s,” she says. Find posters and photos of ‘90s-era fashion icons and pop-culture moments; a custom neon sign featuring everyone’s favorite Clueless quote, “As if!"


And after nearly 12 years of operating as an e-commerce site, Golden Thread (9135 Katy Fwy.) opened its first retail storefront in Spring Branch, featuring the jewelry designs of former neonatal-ICU-nurse and native Houstonian Jennifer Welker.

Women’s boutique Pell 1990 has opened in The Woodlands.

In the Heights, ethical fashion boutique Oak + Sparrow (1051 Heights Blvd.) by Houstonian Elizabeth Berg touts fair-trade and eco-friendly clothing and accessories. And florist Phuong Nguyen opened her Casa Mi Bella Rosa (1815 Taylor St.) by-appointment storefront with floral arrangements and accessories and gifts for home. It is open to all on Nov. 27 — perfect timing for holiday shopping!

And go-to online giftshop Birdie’s has announced it will open a brick-and-mortar location in River Oaks, where customers can shop for unique, one-of-a-kind and buildable gift baskets for all occasions.


Birdie’s has gifts for adults and kids alike.

Style
Meet Brian Boyter, New High-End Residential Broker with an Unique Background

BRIAN BOYTER IS a Houston native with an interesting background in real estate. After an impressive 16-year tenure managing commercial transactions in a Fortune 500 Real Estate Investment Trust, he recently made the shift to high-end residential brokerage. The experience left him uniquely suited to thrive in the sometimes-emotional world of buying or selling a home.

Keep Reading Show less

THE TRUFFLE MASTERS is returning for its 11th year on March 3rd. Now a Houston tradition of sorts, the competition sees top chefs creating a dish using black truffles all benefitting Southern Smoke.

Keep Reading Show less

A new look from the soft landings collection

FROM THE OWNERS of popular Montrose haunts Traveler’s Table and Traveler’s Cart is another jetset-focused business. Owners Thy and Matthew Mitchell launched Foreign Fare in the fall of 2023 with long-haul travelers in mind. The pieces are wrinkle-free and designed to be functional as well as stylish. The line was recently featured in Travel & Leisure as a “first class look.”

Keep Reading Show less