BUSINESS BUZZ

The lowdown on what’s up with neighborhood businesses

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Little Bean and Madre

A charming new children’s boutique opened in March at 4715 W. Lovers. Madre, which has teamed with Little Bean, sells children’s clothing, interiors, toys and art.

You’ll find all sorts of treasures to outfit a nursery or kids’ playroom, including teepees, which have become quite popular these days, customized furniture, linens and gifts. Check littlebeanblog.com for more.

Trader Joe’s Preston Hollow

The new Trader Joe’s store at Preston Hollow Village features Preston Hollowthemed murals. They depict Ebby’s Little White House, where the original town of Preston Hollow once operated before it was annexed to Dallas in the 1940s. Also included is Mr. Blanding’s Dream House, a replica of the house from the classic film. The home was built at 5423 Walnut Hill in 1948, and its opening was timed with the release of the movie. This is the second Trader Joe’s for our neighborhood, following the Inwood Village store, which opened in June.

Another pretty face

Online sunshine

Twin sisters Laura and Amanda Ernst of Midway Hollow have put their own worldly spin on fashion. The women recently opened an online boutique, sunshinetienda.com, featuring clothing, jewelry and accessories from artisans around the globe. The shop includes items such as handcrafted jewelry from Kenya, Balinese beach towels, Guatemalan runners and hand-woven bags from Bolivia. Laura and Amanda graduated from the Laboratory Institute of Merchandising in New York City. Laura became a fashion forecaster and stylist while Amanda took time off to travel the world. Their combined experiences led them to Sunshine Tienda.

Benefit Cosmetics had been expected to open by the end of March in the Plaza at Preston Center. The San Franciscobased make-up brand is known for its girly and playful atmosphere. The store will feature brow bars, “beauty armories,” and bronzing and waxing rooms. This would be the company’s first standalone store, between Sprinkles and Apples to Zinnias.

Radio Shack over and out Fort Worth-based Radio Shack filed for Chapter 11 bankrupty protection in January and announced it would close 1,784 of its more than 4,000 U.S. stores by March 31. That includes all of our neighborhood locations at Preston and Royal, Marsh and Forest, and on Lovers Lane, along with about 12 other Dallas stores. The closest Radio Shack remaining open is on Lemmon Avenue near Bachman Lake.