Back Talk Far North Dallas

New Mattel toy store now open

If you’ve got some tykes to buy toys for this holiday season, heads up. Mattel has just opened a seasonal outlet near us off Central Expressway and Spring Valley. This is location sells all the top name toys at warehouse prices, and it’s the only Mattel toy store in Dallas. Just make sure to check the website before you go because you can print some coupons to take with you before you shop. 

Harold's going-out-of-business sale

Earlier this week on this blog we told you that Harold's clothing store declared bankruptcy.

Turns out the big discount sales have already started. The national chain, which sells clothing for men and women, has marked down all its inventory. Everything will stay on sale until its cleared out--but a word of warning: all sales are final from this point forward.

All Saints Hearts & Hands Bazaar

I know you're not supposed to start thinking about Christmas until after Thanksgiving, but if you want to get a leg up on your holiday shopping you should know about the Hearts & Hands Bazaar at All Saints this weekend. There will be more than 60 local artists with all sorts of unique crafts and gifts at a bargain--plus you'll be able to get in and out without that mega headache we all call the mall parking lot.

It's holiday time at Krispy Kreme

I was buying donuts at a Krispy Kreme store Saturday, and while waiting for the box to be filled, what did I hear but holiday music wafting from the overhead speakers. They must have cranked up the holiday theme the second the clock struck Nov. 1; at least the sign on the door hyping the "holiday" collection of donuts indicated they wouldn't unveiled until Nov. 28. On one hand, it was pretty disconcerting to be already listening to holiday music, but on the other hand, given all of the bad news we've been absorbing for the past few months, maybe it's time to start thinking of something happier?

A credit card solicitation every week — what's up with that?

Not surprising news from credit card firms is that they're tightening credit, raising interest rates and taking cards away from some people. But buried in the story about the credit crunch is this interesting tidbit: "Mail offers to new and existing customers are on pace to drop below 8.4 billion pieces, the lowest level since 2004." A little quick math shows that 8.4 billion credit card solicitations divided by 300 million U.S. residents means that each of us, on average, received 28 mail solicitations this year. And if you further parse the numbers, eliminating about half of the population that is (or at least should be) too young to receive a credit card and people who don't have any income, that means that the rest of us receive about one credit card solicitation per week. No wonder so many people have more credit than they need or can handle.

Westwood choir poinsettia sale

I know Halloween is still a week away, so it's way premature to be thinking about Christmas...but if you want to get a good deal on your holiday poinsettias, now's the time to put your order in with the Westwood choir. The plants go for $10 each, and they're available in red or white. All orders are being taken now through Monday, Nov. 4, and will be ready for pickup Wednesday, Dec. 3, at the school gym. If you'd like to place an order, just contact choir teacher Joel Price.

PetSmart’s Howl-O-Ween Costume Party

Only man's best friend would put up with us dressing them in ridiculous little outfits purely for our own amusement, and still love us no less for it.

If you're one of those folks who waits all year for Halloween just so you can dress up your pup, you'll want to head to our neighborhood PetsMart tomorrow night. That's where they'll be hosting the annual Howl-O-Ween event. There will be a 6:30 p.m. parade for all pets in costume, and awards for the best get ups.

And because no Halloween would be complete without a little trick-or-treating, all dogs get goodies bags (which have some coupons for you, too).

This weekend: Arapho Fall Festival and Parkhill garage sale

You've likely noticed the dip in the temperature, and if you're anything like me, that puts you in an autumn state of mind. If you feel like digging out the sweater and sipping some cider, head to the Fall Festival at Arapaho United Methodist Church this Saturday, Oct. 18, between 10 a.m.-4 p.m. There will be all sorts of baked goodies, food, a craft fair, a pumpkin patch and pumpkin painting, carnival-style games and prizes, and a bounce house. Admission is $5 at the door, but that gets you a wristband that's good for all the activities all day.

Or, if you'd rather make the most of that weather by hitting up the neighborhood garage sale circuit, you could head over to Parkhill Junior High. That's where the PTA will be putting on one massive garage sale going on all day. There will be all sorts of trash-to-treasure finds, as well as some crafts, and of course, plenty of good bargain deals.

Weekend Deal: Addison restaurant discounts

Addison has managed to combine the two things I love most in life: a good deal, and food. If you go to to Addison's website, you'll see a link for Addison Perks (look for the purple box). If you fill in your email address, you'll start reciving special cupons. I signed up today and got about 20 online cupons, like one for a buy one dinner, get another free deal at Shish--and another for a $20 discount off your entire bill at Mercy Wine Bar.

Costume stores in North Dallas

Every year about this time they mysteriously appear in our neighborhood, randomly popping up in vacant storefronts. Then, almost as quickly as they appeared, they're gone.
I'm talking about those fly-by-night Halloween costume stores that open for about a month every year. But because they're housed in vacant stores, the location of these shops changes from year-to-year, making them sometimes hard to find.
I've been keeping a scope out for them this year, and I've spotted several here in our neighborhood. I know there's a Spirit store off Belt Line in Addison where the Thomasville store used to be. And there's another in Richardson off Coit.
This weekend I went to the Halloween USA off Campbell in Richardson and I was really pleased with their selection and prices. If you or the kids still aren't sure what you want to be this year, this is a great place to do some browsing and brainstorming. There are two other Halloween USA stores in our neighborhood: one off Preston near Valley View mall, and another on Dallas Parkway closer to the Galleria.
If there are any others out there that you know of that I don't have on my radar,  let me know so I can add it to the list.