Dallas has a surfeit of shopping centres and is perhaps the epitome of the American city. It was the toil of mostly Jewish dealers following the railroads snaking westwards that set off the American economy with its shopping culture. The entire structure however depends upon the spending of the ordinary man.
It is interesting to find out how these shops are holding out against the attack of the foreclosures and crisis.
Rich Hippie is a boutique at the juncture of two savvy localities of Preston Hollow and University Park. Two ladies are the owners – Nikki Solomon and Mindi Kahn. They were born here in Dallas and sales flows through their blood. They have shown how it is possible to survive during troubled times.
During the time of the sub-prime mayhem they gave attention to the very basics of salesmanship. They served the customers, regularly attended the store, built up positive relationship with the vendors and timely cleared bills.
The two women also saw that everyday goods were on the shelves while keeping a good stock of the splurging stuff like handbags made of snake skin and swank cocktail dresses frilled out with scoops. These saw to the upper price niche and that is why the shop is named not ‘Poor’ but ‘Rich Hippie’. Here there was a noticeable absence of the mega designer bands.
It was a matter to think over. It is pleasurable to wear handsome well cut clothes but the lust for designer labels betrays high anxiety levels in the brain. Dallas is noted for its social climbing. But Mindi explained, “I think the economy gave a lot of our new customers an excuse to break from name designers. Maybe some of them still buy designer, but now they’re buying us too”.
This brings up the question as to whether the much awaited and much disputed recovery figures are real and tangible. Mini said that there is no doubt the people have been spending more lately. Good news leads to positive thinking but reality is something to be dealt with. It can well be only bubble and pop!
Highland Park Village set up in 1931 is proud of being the first suburban shopping enclave not only in America but in the world. Once this modest place was full of local institutions like S & S Tea Room where the loudspeaker would remind the guest for sitting around too long. But this has long been taken over by latest ritzy culture. Here brand names dominate. But today most of the shops there were no customers – looked like time has forgotten them. Recovery seems to have left behind the brand culture.
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