An escape from the bustling, book-toting campus of Southern Methodist University doesn’t have to be a vacation or a trip back home.
Cancel the plane ticket and venture out to the numerous neighborhoods that Dallas has to offer.
Outside of the close-knit community of University Park, Dallas’ cultural repertoire has grown to develop unique, interesting areas that have made tracks all over the city.
Museums, galleries and amphitheaters are waiting to be discovered in the Arts District.
Frozen yogurt spots, clothing boutiques and delectable burger bars have staked their claim in Uptown.
Old-fashioned soda fountains and brew houses are lingering around every corner of Bishop Arts.
And within the last five years, a new borough has burgeoned onto the Dallas scene — North Henderson Avenue.
The eastern counterpart to Knox Street has become the habitat of home décor and patio dining. It boasts a collection of stores including gift and art gallery We Are 1976 and antique haunt Again & Again. It also includes restaurants like the Neighborhood Services Tavern, Hibiscus and The Porch.
We Are 1976 was started by Vynsie Law and her two siblings, Derek and Jully. The shop takes on chameleon-like qualities, as its shelves are filled with everything from collectable toys and home goods to art and apparel.
It opened its doors last November, and Vynsie Law has seen the positives of setting up shop in the Henderson community.
“Starting our business here has been really fun. We’ve received a lot of support from our neighbors,” Law said. “We’re all independent business owners, so everyone offers support and encourages one another.”
SMU students can check out of their semester routine and release some creativity with We Are 1976’s frequent workshops taught by local artisans.
The informational, hands-on lessons range anywhere from belt tooling to paperback book recovering. To see a list of their upcoming events and pricing, visit www.weare1976.com.
Leslie Pritchard, owner of vintage furniture boutique Again & Again, also foresaw the potential of owning a business on North Henderson Avenue.
“Henderson has a bohemian, low-key, casual flair,” said Pritchard. “Shop owners welcome and embrace everybody — from a grandma to a SMU sorority girl.”
Again & Again is a furniture store of a different making, separate from the typical design warehouses college students so often frequent when decorating their first apartments.
Pritchard’s mantra is “recycle, reuse, reinvent,” and her store embodies just that.
She searches attics, alleyways, estate sales and curbsides for discarded and unwanted pieces of furniture.
“All I care about is the body style because I know I can alter them and fix them up,” she said.
Pritchard transforms the old chairs, tables and anything else she can get her hands on into updated, unique pieces upon client request.
And the part that is most attractive to college students? “It’s totally green,” Pritchard said. “An old chair can be repainted and upholstered to be very modern and very relevant to today.”
One SMU student that is catching on to what this thriving neighborhood has to offer is sophomore John Angle, who repeatedly makes treks to North Henderson. He credits the restaurants for initially attracting him.
“My favorite place to go is for sure Porch! I also like Hibiscus, especially its macaroni and cheese,” he said.
And while he is currently living on campus, Angle plans to visit North Henderson for all his future apartment needs — something he believes fellow students should seek out as well.
“I think SMU students should go there more because the area has a lot of character and most of the places are locally-owned,” he said.
“I’m a big fan of supporting locally-owned restaurants and shops, so I really enjoy that part of town. It’s just so cool!”
Henderson Avenue is located just one exit south of Mockingbird Lane on Central Expressway.
