Visit a round-up of retail stores - Texas style - Dallas

Discount Store News, April 15, 1996

Welcome to Dallas, one if the nation's top retail markets. Like southern Florida, Southern California and Chicagoland, Dallas is a wellspring of new retail concepts and home to the latest in established chains' prototypes.

At the same time, the market contains older versions of many store concepts, allowing the observer to isolate what's actually new in a new prototype.

TOUR A (Addison)

From the Anatole, turn left on Market Street, then right on Harry Hines Blvd. Go left on Wycliff, then enter the Dallas Northern Tollway headed north. Exit at Belt Line.

This tour basically revolves around the intersection of Belt Line and the Tollway service roads, marked by the 11-story headquarters of CompUSA (you can't miss the logo). It can be conducted in any order, and some backtracking is inevitable. The following order is suggested, however, due to traffic considerations.

After exiting the Tollway, turn left on Belt Line (which is often spelled Beltline). The Container Store and Office Depot will be on your right a few blocks down (Office Depot is behind The Container Store). These are both older units.

Continuing on Belt Line, a new interactive arcade concept, Fun Fest, will be on the right, about two miles from Office Depot. The concept includes laser tag, virtual reality rides and other advanced arcade games and rides.

Directly across Belt Line is a power mall containing CompUSA's new 40,000-sq-ft. concept store, with an attached training center. A nearly new Kmart store is next door, giving retailers a chance to see some of the things this chain does right.

Baby Superstore is on the other side of CompUSA. If it's lunch or dinner time, a new concept in Italian dining, Capellini's, is located on an outpost in the power center. The family-style servings are humongous and terrific, with extremely fresh herbs and greens, several kinds of fresh bread, homemade pastas and wood-grilled meats and seafood.

Reverse direction on Belt Line. Sam's Club (a converted Pace unit) will be on the right.

Continue to the Tollway service road and turn left. Computer City, heralded by its clever "computercity right.here" billboard, will be on the right, followed by OfficeMax, and just past the intersection of Arapaho Rd. lies an Oshman's SuperSports USA.

Just down Arapaho is a strip center with Toys "R" Us and Kids "R" Us stores and a Best Buy Concept II superstore. Concept II was the original superstore concept from Best Buy. Dallas is one of the few markets in which both store models are on display (see Tour B below). Montgomery Ward's Electric Avenue is directly across the street.

Return to the Tollway service road and turn left. The Grand Kempinske hotel, with fine-dining options, will be on the right.

Turn left on Belt Line. Service Merchandise will be immediately on your light. Continue on Belt Line to Preston Road. Barnes & Noble, a Tom Thumb superstore and Linens 'n Things will be to the right, with Blockbuster Music, Old Navy and T. J. Maxx on the left.

Return to Belt Line and go right. The organic grocery superstore, Whole Foods Market, is at the right-hand corner of Coit Road in Richardson, about two miles from Preston. A Kroger superstore is on the left side of Belt Line on Coit.

Reverse direction on Belt Line and return to the Tollway service road. Turn left. Proceed to the service road marked by Aaron's Rent-a-Center and turn left. Nordstrom will be directly in front of you, as well as Neiman Marcus and other upscale department and specialty stores. This Nordstrom unit, the first in Texas, just opened in late March.

Stay on the service road northbound. The Home Depot Expo and Bed Bath & Beyond will be on the right, with the former featuring a fast-but-fresh-food cafe.

TOUR B (Farmer's Branch)

Return to the intersection of Tollway and Belt Line, and reverse direction (going southbound) again. Follow signs to 35E West, but exit onto the service road, marked by a Hilton Hotel. Best Buy's Concept III and Sears' Home Place will be on the right. Return to the service road; Wal-Mart, in a converted Pace Club, will be a block fu ther on the right.

TOUR C (Irving)

If you are starting your tour here, take 35E south to Loop 12 (a left exit) to Route 183 (Airport Highway). Exit at MacArthur and follow the service road.

If you are continuing from Tour B turn right from the Wal-Mart parking lot and immediately enter 635W on your right. Continue to 35E southbound, then exit left onto Loop 12. Follow to Route 183 and exit at MacArthur.

Office Depot will be on the opposite side of the highway. Return to exit ramp. The service road is bordered by a nonstop string of strip malls. In order, you'll see RadioShack, Albertson's, Service Merchandise, Circuit City and Toys "R" Us. These are primarily older units, and some are in obvious disrepair.

Target is next up, with a Microplay next door. Microplay is a video game and CD-ROM retailer, catering to the hardcore gamer with a full selection of video game systems and software, most of which is available both for sale and for rent. The chain is franchised around the country.