Shopping in Grand Prairie

A kaleidoscope of colors and patterns bewilders shoppers as they enter either of Quilter’s Stash's two locations. Some confused patrons report having found the end of the rainbow, but they are really seeing more than 15,000 bolts of 100% cotton fabrics by Marcus, Henry Glass, and other top designers. Staff members wait at attention to direct customers to the latest threads and patterns, and a few on-hand wizards can resuscitate a range of sewing machines from different brands. The crafty gurus are also enthusiastic about leading quilting and sewing classes that cater to students of all levels, and the shop's shelves are stocked with how-to books that facilitate at-home learning.

Mothers who prefer to keep their child's gender a secret can browse Babytique's stock of neutral gifts or await pink or blue garments from the Not Finding Out product line. To keep babies' secret identities confidential, expectant mothers can ask doctors to covertly tick off the correct gender on a Shhh! Card and mail it to the store, where gift items take the forms of pink blankets or blue pickup trucks. Gender-neutral items such as plush-toy pacifiers, eco-friendly organic cotton-and-soy onesies, and business-school admissions tests are also available, as well as an array of toys, apparel, and bedding in gender-matching colors and designs.

At the Dallas Vintage Clothing and Jewelry Show—the largest show of its kind—vendors from Atlanta, Chicago, and locally gather to showcase vintage apparel and accessories. By reading tags or sawing items in half and counting the rings, shoppers will find items that date from the 1890s to the 1980s. Vendors include Vintage Martini, which won D Magazine's 2011 editor’s choice award for best vintage clothing store, and Lush Life Antiques, a retailer that specializes in distinctive fine and costume jewelry. Though the inventory varies, previous finds have included mink stoles, jeweled brooches, and 1950s formal dresses.

Aqua Trek Sports’ team of SSI-certified divers shares the adventure of underwater exploration and aims to turn aquatic neophytes into lifelong diving enthusiasts by staging classes and shelving rentable and purchasable scuba gear. Whether getting their feet wet during a Try Scuba class or training for SSI certification of their own, students of all expertise levels gain insight into their own technique from their helpful instructors. In the facility's dive shop, technicians repair and service existing equipment or outfit visitors with new or rental gear, including underwater cameras that capture aquatic landscapes and film documentaries about Flipper the dolphin's directorial debut.

After more than 35 years, the walls at Paperbacks Plus in Mesquite couldn't cope with all the books. So the owners expanded into the city proper, setting up two new shops under the name Lucky Dog Books. Shelf after shelf of volumes greets the eye at each location; alongside the paperbacks and hardbacks sit myriad other forms of media, from used CDs and DVDs to LPs, magazines, and comic books young and old. Chairs dot the landscape at all three bookstores, inviting customers to flop down and flip through the pages of a novel or pretend to read a comic book that conceals a history textbook. In addition to selling its wares, Lucky Dog Books also offers cash or store credit for used items and takes its services on the road with a Books at Home program.

Tracey Williams’s reasons for founding Back to the Rack Resale Boutique were twofold: she wanted to run a business that gave her maximum time with her kids, and she wanted to bring trendy resale shopping to Dallas-Fort Worth. Nearly a decade after opening, Tracey and her staff of fellow working moms keep the store’s racks teeming with INC International Concepts dresses, jeans, costume jewelry, and Coach handbags, none of which have missing buttons, rips, or pet-hair appliqués. The shop carries sizes 0 to 20, and keeps its racks current with a rotating selection of seasonal fashions no more than 2 years old. Back to the Rack’s supplementary eBay shop presents prospective shoppers with a representative glimpse of the store’s selection.