6 Exciting New Shops for September
You'll perhaps notice that our monthly round-up is arriving later than usual, for obvious reasons—we pressed pause to see which (if any) openings that Harvey would put on hold, and also because it felt, frankly, pretty awkward and insensitive to be suggesting that a city that just suffered a devastating natural disaster spend money on anything besides charitable endeavors. But Houston, as Mayor Turner declared, is back in business, and so are these brand-new retail options.
Heights Mercantile
This unorthodox development between Heights and Yale is still under construction, but there are also several retail options that are now open for business. The latest is Rye 51, the Dallas-based menswear company, which just opened a pop-up that will run at least through the end of the year, and focuses on the brand's more casual wares. It joins comfortable basics purveyor Marine Layer, fratty shorts maker Chubbies and a locally customized Lululemon, not to mention Define Heights. Also in the works on the retail side: another outpost of the luxurious Australian apothecary line Aesop, Houston's first Warby Parker and a new concept called Kindfolk from Dallas-based boutique The Gypsy Wagon.
Image: courtesy of Marianella
Jaboneria Marianella
This Texas-based line of luxury bath and body products feels and smells so amazing that we'd need scratch and sniff smartphones to fully convey its delightfulness. Owned by a mother and son team, Marianella takes its inspiration (and its name) from the former's childhood making soaps and beauty products by hand in Venezuela. The products are free of parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate and other harsh chemicals. After New York, Houston is one of the first two cities in the country to check them out with a pop-up "bubble" inside the Galleria, in front of H&M through January.
Raspberry Rose at Rebecca Lankford
Rice Village is beloved for its local boutiques, but few have proved as popular or long-lasting as Raspberry Rose. With the storefront needing significant renovations in the wake of Harvey, the owners have teamed up with Rebecca Lankford Designs in the Heights for a one-night-only pop-up shop tonight—money spent will not only help this small business, but a portion of proceeds will also be donated to Kolter Elementary School, which was also damaged by the storm.
Switch 2 Pure
Houston socialite Estela Cockrell couldn't figure out what was causing her mysterious symptoms—allergies? An autoimmune disorder?—until she took a hard look at the products in her beauty cabinet. After a journey to discover beauty, skincare and home products that actually worked as promised while remaining free of parabens, gluten and phthalates, Cockrell has launched switch2pure.com.
The goal is to make it easy for those with sensitivities, allergies, autoimmune issues or simply a preference for non-toxic products to find them all in one place. The web-based shop offers makeup, skincare products (including Houston's Source Vital), baby products, cleaning products and wellness items (think teas and essential oils). Customers can also try a subscription box ($57) or one of Switch2Pure's themed kits, from "Glam Squad" to "Immune Boost."
Flamingos Vintage Kilo
If you, like us, have ever dreamed of taking a road trip to the legendary thrift shops down by the Mexican border, where everything is so cheap that it's priced by the pound, than get yourself to Flamingo's. This established resale chain owns 25 stores in Europe but opened its first American location in Houston in Upper Kirby last month. Goods are priced per piece if customers only want one thing, but the store's central concept is that everything inside is priced at $13.99 per pound. Based on the crowds waiting outside the doors for the grand opening, people are into it.
Lululemon Outlet
First, the bad news: the highly anticipated Lululemon outlet coming to Houston Premium Outlets in Cypress has had its grand opening, originally scheduled for Sept. 23, has been delayed. But look at the silver lining: we're getting a Lululemon outlet! In this case late is most definitely better than never.
