#Dillards Locations

[newsmarketreports]

Dillard's Locations: A Comprehensive Overview of the Retail Giant’s Presence

Dillard's Inc., a prominent American department store chain, has established a significant footprint across the United States. Known for offering a wide range of premium fashion, beauty, and home products, Dillard's strategically selects its locations to maximize accessibility and cater to a diverse customer base. This article explores the geographical distribution of Dillard's stores, highlights key regional markets, and examines the factors influencing its location strategy.

National Presence

Dillard's operates over 250 stores across 29 states, primarily in the South, Midwest, and Southwest regions of the United States. The company's emphasis on these regions stems from its historical roots and a focus on areas with strong retail demand.

Regional Highlights

Southern United States:

The South represents Dillard's strongest market, with a significant concentration of stores in states like Texas, Florida, and Georgia.

Texas, in particular, houses the highest number of Dillard's locations, reflecting the state’s large population and thriving economy.

Midwest:

Dillard's has a growing presence in the Midwest, with stores in states like Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma.

The company strategically places stores in suburban areas and regional shopping malls to attract family-oriented shoppers.

Southwest:

Arizona and New Mexico are key markets in the Southwest, where Dillard's caters to both local residents and seasonal tourists.

The brand's offerings resonate with the diverse demographics of the region, including high-end and culturally tailored products.

Southeast:

In states like Arkansas, Alabama, and Mississippi, Dillard's maintains a stronghold, leveraging its legacy as a Southern-born retailer.

The company focuses on delivering a mix of traditional and contemporary styles to appeal to a broad customer base.

Strategic Location Choices

Shopping Malls:

The majority of Dillard's stores are located in major shopping malls, often serving as anchor tenants.

This positioning drives foot traffic and enhances the overall shopping experience for customers.

Standalone Locations:

While malls dominate, Dillard's also operates standalone locations in select high-traffic areas.

These standalone stores offer greater flexibility in size and design, catering to specific market needs.

Urban vs. Suburban:

Dillard's prioritizes suburban areas, where families and middle-income shoppers are key demographics.

Urban locations are less common but strategically chosen in cities with strong retail markets.

Expansion and Consolidation

Dillard's has adopted a measured approach to expansion, focusing on sustaining profitability and optimizing store performance.

New Openings:

While the company has slowed new store openings in recent years, it remains opportunistic, targeting high-growth areas.

Expansions are typically in markets with rising consumer demand and favorable economic conditions.

Store Closures:

As part of its strategy to maintain efficiency, Dillard's occasionally closes underperforming locations.

This allows the company to allocate resources to higher-performing stores and e-commerce operations.

Online Integration

Dillard's has also enhanced its digital presence, complementing its physical stores. The company’s omnichannel strategy ensures that customers in locations without nearby stores can still access its product offerings through an easy-to-navigate online platform.

Conclusion

Dillard's locations reflect a carefully crafted strategy that balances tradition with modern retail demands. By focusing on key regions, optimizing store placements, and integrating digital solutions, Dillard's continues to serve its loyal customer base while adapting to the evolving retail landscape. With its enduring commitment to quality and accessibility, the company’s location strategy remains a cornerstone of its success in the competitive retail industry.

[alex51324]

It's Almost Here! North American Solar Eclipse, 2024

As I mentioned in that other post, it will be visible as at least a partial eclipse to most of North America, with the path of totality cutting a diagonal from Sinaloa, Mexico to Newfoundland, Canada, including 15 US states from Texas to Maine.

Don't be fooled by how we just had one back in October, and another one a few years ago in 2017: total solar eclipses are rare! They only happen when the Sun, Moon, and Earth line up just perfectly--and only for a small portion of the Earth's surface each time.

It's a wild coincidence that North America/the US has gotten three in such a short span of time; the last one before the recent trio was in 1979, and the next one won't be until 2044. (We do have a big partial coming to us in 2033!) The Northeastern US won't see another until the 2070's.

(Note: If you are not in North America, you can use these maps to see when your continent will have its turn!)

This eclipse is also really special in that its path of totality sweeps across a lot of heavily-populated areas. About 31 million people live within the path of totality, and millions more are expected to visit.

So, it's a pretty big deal, and now's the time to get ready!

If you live in the path of totality:

Lucky you! Look up your location on these maps to get the exact time and duration of totality.

Be ready for extra traffic & crowds--especially if you live somewhere with stuff for tourists, or a place that people outside the immediate area will have heard of.

Totality times are in the afternoon, ranging from about 1:30 in Texas to 3:30 in Maine (local times), so if you'll be at school, or at work in a setting where you can't choose your own break times, now's a good time to talk to whomever you need to. It's not unreasonable to ask to step out into the parking lot for the three minutes that people will be coming from far and wide to see--but depending on your setting, it may take some arranging ahead of time. (If you're in school, hopefully your science teachers have already thought of this, but if not, ask them. And if your science teachers are jerks, try other teachers.

If you live near the path of totality:

Try to go! As the American author Annie Dillard says, "Seeing a partial eclipse bears the same relation to seeing a total eclipse as kissing a man does to marrying him, or as flying in an airplane does to falling out of an airplane."

(Link is to the Atlantic; if you hit a paywall, the 12-foot ladder works.)

Here's a map of approximate driving distances to the path of totality, in the US (from this page).

If you're close enough to think about going, here are some Google maps with eclipse overlays for more detailed planning. (I like the Xavier Jubier one.)

Once you're inside the path of totality, anywhere you can see the sun is a valid viewing location, but if you're making a day of it and you want to find a special spot, check local visitor's bureaus or tourism offices for the area you'll be in. They'll probably have a list of parks and other places. For instance, here's what Erie, Pennsylvania has.

Seriously, If you are able to drive/have a car, live within day-trip distance of the path of totality, and can be away from work/school without losing your job/being arrested for truancy, you should go. This is a once-in-a-lifetime type of thing, and there's still loads of time to plan a day-trip.

(Note: If you aren't in day-trip distance, but now you want to go, you don't have a lot of options: hotels and flights have been full for ages. However, if you're in two-days-driving distance, you might be able to find a Sunday-night base camp, from which you can get up on Monday morning and drive several more hours to the path of totality. For instance, in Pennsylvania, there are still reasonably-priced hotel rooms to be had in State College, which is--in normal traffic--three and a half hours from Erie. (You might even be able to get a little closer than that; I just checked State College because they have a lot of hotels for the Penn State football crowds.} So if you're coming from, say, Maryland or Virginia, that could work, and there may be similar creative options for other regions. Again, if this is something that's feasible for you to do, without bankrupting yourself, getting fired, or other long-term consequences, I would strongly consider doing it!

If you live in North America, but have no way to get to the totality:

A partial eclipse is still pretty cool! And again, it'll be a while before you have another chance to see one, so it's worth it to make the time.

All of the 48 contiguous US states will be able to see some amount of eclipse. So will Hawaii, Mexico, Central America, and most of Canada and the Caribbean islands, plus a little bit of South America. (Alaska and part of the Yukon are SOL, but you will have your turn in 2033!)

Use these maps to look up the time and extent of the eclipse in your location.

As of this writing, you can still get eclipse glasses here, among other places. If you run out of time to get them, check for eclipse-viewing events at local parks, libraries, etc.--they may also have some to give away ahead of time, but even if not, if you go to an event, there will almost certainly be some to share.

The plus of a partial eclipse is that you have a fairly relaxed viewing window--as much as a couple of hours, depending how far you are from the middle of the eclipse zone--rather than a standout moment that you want to make sure you're in position for.

That makes it pretty easy to get a chance to see it even if you're at work--everybody can take turns stepping outside for a look. You can share eclipse glasses, too.

[quotelr]

In the deeps are the violence and terror of which psychology has warned us. But if you ride these monsters deeper down, if you drop with them farther over the world's rim, you find what our sciences cannot locate or name, the substrate, the ocean or matrix or ether which buoys the rest, which gives goodness its power for good, and evil its power for evil, the unified field: our complex and inexplicable caring for each other, and for our life together here. This is given. It is not learned.

Annie Dillard, Teaching a Stone to Talk: Expeditions and Encounters

[shadowbrightshine]

Dillard's "Living Like Weasels" (1982) is the most furry thing I've ever read that wasn't written by an actual furry. This woman had a chance encounter with a weasel, and couldn't stop thinking about how she missed her chance to stay in that animal's mind and live under rose bushes as a weasel too. It's been a full week.

She is writing pages of description of the location and about weasels because she saw one for the first time and they stared at each other for a minute.

This feels so furry. It's so well done.

Very good. Very furry.

[goodstuffhappenedtoday]

A Pie Shop on Chicago’s South Side Serves More Than Dessert

With her first brick-and-mortar bakery, Justice of the Pies, the pastry chef Maya-Camille Broussard focuses on creativity — and inclusivity for people with disabilities.

By Kayla Stewart

The South Side of Chicago brims with inimitable African American culture and history, and the pastry chef Maya-Camille Broussard is adding her brand of sweetness to the place where she was born and raised. In June, Ms. Broussard opened the first brick-and-mortar store of her longtime delivery and wholesale pie business, Justice of the Pies. The shop, in a former dentist’s office in Avalon Park, one of the South Side’s many historic, predominantly African American neighborhoods, serves Ms. Broussard’s inventive pies and pastries, such as her calling cards — a blue cheese praline pear pie and a strawberry basil Key lime pie — along with unorthodox items like her salted caramel peach pie and a deep-dish chilaquiles quiche.

Ms. Broussard, who lost 75 percent of her hearing in a childhood accident, may be the industry’s most prominent hard-of-hearing Black pastry chef. She has gained a following for her pies through social media, pop-ups and appearances on the Netflix competition show “Bake Squad.” “I realized that being a member of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community actually gave me a superpower,” she said, “and that superpower includes a heightened sense of smell and taste.” Ms. Broussard chose her bakery’s location in hopes of encouraging other chefs and entrepreneurs to join her. “I want to force people who don’t look like me to come to the South Side if they want my pies,” she said. “I want to force people to come to a neighborhood that deserves private investment, a neighborhood that has a blighted corridor, a neighborhood that has empty storefronts.” Zella Palmer, an author and professor at Dillard University in New Orleans who grew up on the South Side of Chicago, said neighborhoods like Avalon Park deserve more inventive Black-owned businesses. “There’s a huge pride in the community to see this gleaming pie shop,” she said. “This is a pie shop that looks like it could be in Brooklyn, or on Magazine Street in New Orleans, but it’s here.”

Several of the shop’s counters are 32 inches high, meeting the height standards of the American Disabilities Act and making them accessible for wheelchair users. Each section of the shop has a different floor tile texture, which helps patrons with limited sight who use a walking cane navigate the store. “How can I be an ambassador for people living with disabilities and have a space that isn’t accessible?” she said. Signs in the shop carry Braille inscriptions, and language is designed to be inclusive, too. (In the bathroom, there are “personal hygiene products” rather than “feminine hygiene products.”) A service door that has a bell and a flashlight allows Ms. Broussard to remain aware of important deliveries.

more at the gift link

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Daniel Owen Stephens, Total eclipse, June 8, 1937

* * * *

“This is all I have to tell you. In the deeps are the violence and terror of which psychology has warned us. But if you ride these monsters deeper down, if you drop with them farther over the world’s rim, you find what our sciences cannot locate or name, the substrate, the ocean or matrix or ether which buoys the rest, which gives goodness its power for good, and evil its power for evil, the unified field: our complex and inexplicable caring for each other, and for our life together here. This is given. It is not learned.” — Annie Dillard, “Total Eclipse” from Teaching a Stone to Talk

[Alive On All Channels]

[madamlaydebug]

June 23, 1997 — Malcolm X's widow Betty Shabazz passed away today 🕊️

Born Betty Dean Sanders, she was an educator, civil rights advocate and the wife of Malcolm X.

Dr. Shabazz grew up in Detroit, Michigan, where her foster parents largely sheltered her from racism. She attended the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, where she had her first encounters with racism. Unhappy with the situation in Alabama, she moved to New York City, where she became a nurse.

It was in New York that she met Malcolm X. The couple married in 1958.

Along with her husband, Dr. Shabazz left the Nation of Islam in 1964. She witnessed his assassination the following year.

MEMORIALS:

•In late 1997, the Community Healthcare Network renamed one of its Brooklyn, New York, clinics the Dr. Betty Shabazz Health Center, in honor of Shabazz.

•The Betty Shabazz International Charter School was founded in Chicago, Illinois, in 1998 and named in her honor.

•In 2005, Columbia University announced the opening of the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center. The memorial is located in the Audubon Ballroom, where Malcolm X was assassinated.

•In March 2012, New York City co-named Broadway at the corner of West 165th Street, the corner in front of the Audubon Ballroom, Betty Shabazz Way.

PORTRAYALS IN FILM:

🎬Yolanda King, the daughter of Martin Luther King, Jr., and Coretta Scott King, played Dr. Shabazz in the 1981 television movie Death of a Prophet.

🎬She was portrayed by Angela Bassett in the 1992 film Malcolm X.

🎬Bassett also played the part of Dr. Shabazz in the 1995 film Panther.

🎬Dr. Shabazz was portrayed by Victoria Dillard in the 2001 film Ali.

🎬Dr. Shabazz was the subject of the 2013 television movie Betty and Coretta, in which she was played by Mary J. Blige. #MalcolmX #BettyShabazz

[lichensings]

🌲🐺🍁🌕 for dillard?

okay so the funny thing is that dillard is the name of the town that my yearlong motw campaing was set in. second funny thing is that this campaign had its finale session five hours before you sent this ask in.

original character? no. original CITY. its heavily inspired (directly lifted) from the town i live in so i'm gonna be vague as hell about some things on here, and might just go on tangents about npcs when applicable.

🌲 - Do they have a favorite location to hang out in? Given that Dillard is a location itself i'm just answering this for the party. they would visit one member's arcane library (grad student office) every session to research the monster that week. my favorite location as the game master was the deep cavern under the city where a great dragon slumbers <3

🐺 - How does this oc deal with solitude? choosing to answer this from some npc's perpectives. first off the npc The Coyote bc of the wolf emoji for this question: likes it fine but CAN work with people. i just think its funny how when they went evil for a bit they were just hanging out and living in a mad scientists lab. there was a sitcom there off-screen i know it. also answering for another npc, destiny sr.: she doesn't like it. she's a professor who's been monster hunting for decades, and knows that safety in numbers is tried and true. when her last monster hunting bud was hospitalized she immediately recruited the party to try and help her. despite this, she is bad at talking to people and drives away everyone who cared about her who WASN'T in on the monster hunting (including her ex husband and daughter). she really should've gotten into rock climbing. it wouldn't have saved her (she totally died) but it would have been funny.

🍁 - What is this oc’s favorite season? since it's literally just the town i live but with magic and an excuse to make up buildings, MY favorite season there would be winter. summer so hot it kills you spring so pollen it makes your head explode. fall alternating between stupid hot and stupid cold. yes winter also sucks but its the most tolerable

🌕 - If this oc was an animal, what kind would they be? (if my city was an animal there is a clear answer but its so clear its personally identifying. so i shan't say.) OKAY SO. a dragon. listen in the worldbuilding dragons existed, but went exinct in the permian 250mya, and are insanely magic due to other worldbuilding (magical diseases and symbiotic organisms). one crash landed into the ocean, and the impact formed a cave where the dragon has just been hibernating for millennia, and throughout tectonic activity that area is now the town of Dillard. to me the dragon is the soul of dillard - its why there is so much weird supernatural stuff going on in there. and also if it ever wakes up and emerges that WOULD trigger the apocalypse. shoutout to the great beast pendragon ig

(this also makes the question below that one, "Very serious question… are they more like a dragon, or a unicorn?" very funny.)

[nickgerlich]

Looking For A Miracle

In the history of American retailing, there has never been a chain whose name became synonymous not just with an event, but an entire holiday season. While younger generations may not have the same level of intense memories as their parents and grandparents, it is still part of our fabric. It starts on Thanksgiving and runs through Christmas.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is as much tradition as is the turkey that will be front and center on dining room tables later that same day. The parade dates to 1924, and it was a shrewd move on behalf of the department store to put its name on it. Little did they know then it would become synonymous with not just the parade, but also the day and the holiday shopping that would ensue the day after.

As if that weren’t enough, Hollywood picked up on this beautiful romance, and in 1947 released Miracle on 34th Street. It was almost like it was a 96-minute commercial for Macy’s as it spun the tale of a drunk man hired to play Santa Claus at their downtown store.

With all of that good fortune, it would be easy to think the company was set up for life. Alas, no one is immune to change, and even Macy’s, which continues to benefit from its association with the parade as well as the month that follows, is in trouble. They just announced 150 more store closings, leaving the chain with 350 stores. It once had many hundred more.

The news comes not long after Macy’s rejected a $5.8 billion buy-out bid. They must be feeling pretty confident that they can take it from here, choppy waters be damned.

But this does not address the elephant in the room, that being the one whose name is Change. Much has indeed changed in the century since the birth of that parade, when downtown flagship department stores were a matter of civic pride and family tradition. I remember my family always traveling to downtown Chicago to go to Marshall Field, then the leading store in the region. It was an event, complete with seeing Santa, dining in the restaurant, and shopping all day. Side note: Macy’s eventually bought Marshall Field and changed the name, but Chicagoans still refer to that downtown location as Field’s.

Today, department stores are in the throes of death, along with the suburban malls in which they reside. Whereas mall owners could once count on these anchor stores to attract the foot traffic that would keep the ship and its smaller tenants afloat, that is no longer the case. The US is littered with abandoned malls or those so eerily like a ghost town that you begin to wonder why we went down this road in the first place.

Of course, we can point to e-commerce as a big contributor for this decline. This includes Amazon as well as the upstart fast-fashion site Shein. But there’s more. COVID taught us that curbside pickup and delivery are also viable options. Mass merchandisers like Target and Walmart have upped their game, and provide more outlets for our shopping dollars. All of these have combined to create a perfect storm.

It’s not like Macy’s hasn’t mounted its own response with a reasonable e-commerce site. It’s just that through so many decades of focusing on its roots that it overlooked the need to grow in new ways. Worse yet, it has developed a rather stodgy image. Just like Sears did toward the end of its life, Macy’s is now where your old aunt shops.

Eeewwwww.

I have to wonder how much longer the chain will survive. I hope they do not face the same fate as Sears. For that matter, I would not wish upon them the challenges that JC Penney has faced. At best they can hope for the comparatively calm seas that Dillards finds itself in.

This is the challenge for every legacy retailer. You have to maintain relevance. And while an annual parade may stir romantic notions, I don’t think it is going to be close to enough to keep the company going for 12 months a year, not just one. I hate to rain on their parade, but it’s looking kind of overcast out there, and it’s time to reach for an umbrella.

Dr “But Miracles Do Happen” Gerlich

Audio Blog

[jules-has-notes]

Can't Believe It — VoicePlay music video

The guys met Emoni Wilkins from the group Ten during The Sing-Off and became fast friends. Being singers with family-friendly reputations, they made this club jam their own by implementing some strategic lyric substitutions and more complex vocal lines. What was once unabashedly sexual is now more playful and (pardon the pun) cheeky in its appreciation of the human form.

Details:

title: Can't Believe It (feat. Emoni)

original performers: Flo Rida, featuring Pitbull [NOTE: The original lyrics and video are a fair bit racier than VP's version.]

written by: Tramar "Flo Rida" Dillard, Armando "Pitbull" Pérez, Mike Caren, Luca Ciampi, Breyan Isaac, William Lobban-Bean, & Alexander Williams

arranged by: Layne Stein, Geoff Castellucci, & Hannah Juliano

release date: 16 December 2013

My favorite bits:

the boys giving Emoni a spaghetti western entrance sting

the staccato harmonies from Tony, Eli, and Earl, with Emoni's sultry vocalizations flowing underneath

Layne taking the drum line from a bouncy salsa beat to an electronic breakdown and back again

Geoff dropping it low with ⇘ ♫ "She got that" ♫ ⇘

Emoni's incredible riffing, all the way up and back down multiple octaves

♫ "Boop!" ♫

ending on that smooth minor chord

Trivia:

This video was filmed overnight in a local candy store called Rocket Fizz. The owners enjoyed watching the process and hearing them sing so much that they waived the location fee, and gave them free candy.

When Emoni joined the guys for the 2014 Sing-Off tour, they included this song in their set.

[thmgau]

CHAPTER 20 - A DAY AT THE MALL [wattpad link]

---

During the drive to the mall, Spring & Storm had explained to the group why exactly they were on Earth in the first place. Apparently, their father had told the girls about their mom running away to Mercury last night, when nov SHOULD have told them about it 2000 years ago. That was pretty much the gist of it, anywho. Now, Spring & Storm want to have a little fun on Earth before they deal with the divorce.

Cherry pulled her car into the parking lot. As everyone unbuckled their seatbelts, they hopped out of the car.

“Welcome.. to the mall.” Cherry said, gesturing at the mall. “Ta-dah.” “Oooh! It’s so big!” Spring gasped, in awe of the mall. “Man, I haven’t been to the mall in years!” “We literally went last month.” “Your point?” “What are we waiting for?! Let’s get in there already!”

The 7 of them walked into the mall. It was massive inside, as most malls are. Shops & stores were lined across the walls, with an escalator leading up to a second floor, with presumably more stores. In front of the group was a map of the mall, labeling where all the stores & exits were.

“Alright, mall time!” Kalani cheered. “Wait! Before we go anywhere,” Nora started. “It’s going to be impossible for all 7 of us to shop if we all have to stick together. I think we should form 2 separate groups.” “There’s 7 of us, yea? These groups are gonna be uneven.” “I for one approve of this group idea. Even if it’s uneven, it’ll be fun.” “Ok, fine. We can do groups.”

& so, the group strategically split themselves into 2 groups. The first group was Leslie, Spring, & Juniper, while the second group was Cherry, Storm, Nora, & Kalani.

“Alright. Let’s agree to meet back at the food court in.. an hour? Is an hour good?” “We can work with that.” “Alrighty! See you in an hour!”

With that, the two groups went on their merry way.

“So!” Nora clapped her hands together. “What store are we hittin’ first?” “I don’t actually know. We only went here because Leslie wanted to get a present for Natalie.” “We could.. go to Dillard’s? Have you ever been to Dillard’s, Storm?” “This is literally the first time I’ve ever left the Castle. I don’t know anything about your human locations.” “Yea, that’s.. fair, actually.” “I think you’d like it. C’mon!”

-

Leslie & Juniper found themselves inside of Old Navy. Juniper had asked where Spring wanted to go, & she spun around & pointed at the Old Navy. Leslie doubted it’d find anything Natalie would want in an Old Navy (it seemed like Spencer’s or Hot Topic would be more her style, anyway), but it could use a new pair of jeans anyway.

“Ooh! What’s that?” Spring asked, pointing toward a mannequin styling a blouse & a pair of leggings. “Oh, that’s a mannequin!” Juniper said. “People use them to model clothes & all that sorta jazz.” “That’s neat!” she hummed. “I didn’t know humans had different types of clothes.” “You- You didn’t?” Leslie questioned. “No. The only other human I’ve met is Betty, & she doesn’t talk about what Earth was like often.”

Betty.. that name sounded familiar. It was in the list of Celestials that Leslie & the group were reading just a week ago.

To avoid talking about Celestials in the middle of an Old Navy, the group decided to put the topic at rest & ask more about Betty later.

“Oh! These look cool!” Spring ran up to a pair of jeans with a flower embroidered on it. “Oh, that is cool.” Juniper nodded. “If it’s in your size, you could probably get it. What size are you?”

Spring turned to look at Juniper.

“Oh. Yeah. I don’t think Celestials know what pant sizes are.” “I mean, hey! If they’re too big or too small, we could probably get Natalie to fix ‘em up. She did make that villain costume herself, after all.” “Well, I’ve never worn pants before, so this’ll be an exciting experience!” Spring grinned. “I’ll take ‘em!”

-

“So what, this place just sells.. foot gloves?” “They’re called shoes.” “Whatever.”

Cherry, Nora, Kalani, & Storm were in Dillard’s, a very widespread department store. The group typically didn’t go in here often, but it seemed like a general enough store for them to go to for now.

“I mean, Dillard’s sells more than just shoes. There’s bags, dresses, jewelry.. I think this is where I got my first skirt, actually!” “Oh yea, this is where you got your first skirt! It was you & me & Sorrel, who had just gotten their driver’s license, & they took you here to shop around!” “Why did you tag along again? I always forget.” “I think I wanted to skip out on some event my mom wanted to take me to. I dunno.” “Can we just shop?” Cherry crossed her arms. “We are shopping! Look at all this shopping I’m doing!” Kalani grabbed a sweater off from the hanger it was on. “Look! Doesn’t this look cool?” “That does look.. kind of cool, actually.” Storm said.

The sweater was dark blue, with a yellow thunderbolt design crocheted into it.

“Oh, yea. Thunderstorms are kind of your thing, huh?” “Duh. Why do you think my name is Storm?” “I mean, if you want the sweater, we can get it for you.” “Really?” “Of course!” “Well, then.. I’ll take it.”

-

A feeling of dread & agony quickly washed over Leslie & Juniper when they saw what store they were headed to next. It was purple, bright, sparkly, & not a very good place to get your ears pierced (Leslie would know, from experience).

Claire’s.

Leslie was certain it wasn’t going to find anything here for Natalie’s birthday, & Juniper’s punky aesthetic clashed with the store’s vibrant colors. Nevertheless, this is where Spring wanted to go, & the two of them weren’t about to say no to a Celestial.

Spring was in awe of everything in the store. It kind of reminded Leslie of when they walked into Claire’s for the first time. They just desperately hoped Spring wouldn’t ask to get her ears pierced here.

“Ooh! Look at this!” Spring gasped, holding up a pendant with a little white daisy on it. “Oh, that’s cute!” Juniper smiled. “I think that’d be perfect for you!” “Really?!” “Of course! C’mon, let’s go pay for it!”

As Juniper & Spring went up to the front counter, Leslie looked at all the necklaces that Claire’s had to offer. It wasn’t sure if Natalie would like these necklaces, let alone want a necklace at all. If they had known it was Natalie’s birthday beforehand, Leslie could have made cupcakes for her. They sighed, holding a pair of BFF Yin & Yang necklaces in their hand.

Yin & Yang are, to put it in simple terms, opposites that are interconnected. Did Leslie & Natalie really feel interconnected? Without delving too deep into it, the two of them could be considered opposites. Light & dark, passive & active... All sorts of things that are together in some way. Leslie’s only known Natalie for a month, but she’s always been intertwined in their heroic adventures. Helping out with the bananapocalypse (as Leslie liked to call it), fending off Pim & The Auctioneer, & even fighting the puppets on stage. Despite only having a squeaky hammer as a weapon, Natalie might as well be just a part of the group as anyone else.

Leslie grabbed the necklaces off from where they were hanging.

-

“So.. how do I look?”

Storm stepped out of the dressing room. Instead of the dress & hood the group had met her in, she now donned the sweater from earlier, along with some ripped jeans & fuzzy boots.

“Oh! You look so cute!” “Fuckin’ awesome, girl.” “Thank you!” Storm spun around a little bit. “This.. ‘sweeter’ thing is a lot softer than I had anticipated, but I do like it. A lot.” “I’m glad you enjoy it! Clothes shopping can be so much fun sometimes. We really need to do this more often!” “Oh yea, totally. It has almost been an hour though, so we should-”

Cherry paused, spotting 2 girls entering the store they were currently in.

“Oh no.” “Huh? What’s up?” Nora asked. “My sisters are here.” Cherry shuddered. “Oh, Poppy & Carmine? We haven’t seen them in years!” “Yea, for good reason. Those bitches always got on my case for breakin’ the rules.” “Ohh, yea, now that I think about it, they were kind of dicks to all of us, huh?”

Poppy & Carmine turned around & spotted Cherry.

“Cherry!!” Carmine waved as the two of them walked toward the group.

Poppy & Carmine were dressed a lot more fancy than Cherry was. Carmine, the middle sister, wore a white tube top & red, baggy pants. Poppy, the youngest, wore a red dress with a white belt & an opal necklace around her neck. Along with that, Poppy also had a red headband keeping her hair behind her, & some fancy dangly earrings. If you put Cherry, Poppy, & Carmine in a line together, you wouldn’t be able to tell Cherry was even related to them.

Cherry groaned, stuffing their hands into their hoodie’s pockets. “Hey, Poppy. Hey, Carmine.”

“What a pleasant surprise running into you here!” Carmine grinned. “Hey, what’s up with the necklace?” Poppy asked, pointing at the red tie necklace around Cherry’s neck. “You didn’t have that last time we saw you!” “Jesus, you’re not even going to say hi?” “Greetings are reserved for people who don’t wear lame old hoodies & necklaces shaped like ties.” “Oh, whatever. You & Mom have always been on my case over what I wear.” “Well, we are Russells.” Carmine said. “We’re expected to be the example.” “Yea, & as the oldest out of all of us, you should know that the best, Cherry.” Poppy crossed her arms.

Cherry groaned. Nora & Kalani stepped back a little, Storm following along.

“Who cares about being the example or whatever?” “You know Mom only pays for you & your friends’ rent because she thinks you’re out wearing dresses & being fancy instead of wearing trash like this, right?” Carmine raised an eyebrow. “Of course I do.” Cherry lied. “You have a standard to uphold, Cherry. We all do. So you better start upholding it.”

“WELL THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT MEETING BUT WE HAVE SOMEWHERE TO BE!” Kalani grinned, pushing Cherry out of the store as Nora & Storm followed. “YOU TWO HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY! SPARKLE ON!”

As soon as the group was out of range from Poppy & Carmine, Cherry sighed, sitting down at a table in the food court (which just so happened to be nearby).

“God, I fuckin’ hate my sisters.” “Yea, they suck bad.” “They’re probably gonna tell my Mom about this encounter & she’s gonna stop paying for our rent. I honestly considered going into Hero Mode just to fuckin’.. stab ‘em with my sword or something. I don’t know.” “I don’t even think you’d need the sword, honestly. Haven’t you been working out? You could just beat ‘em up!” “Yea! You’re right!” “You are not going to beat up your sisters, Cherry.” “Well, duh. But I wish I could.” “Hey! Over here!”

The group looked up & saw Leslie, Juniper, & Spring from across the food court.

“Les! Juni!” Kalani waved.

The two groups ran over to each other.

“Did you all have fun?” “Yea, it was awesome!” “Storm, check out my new outfit!”

Instead of the yellow & orange dress Spring was wearing earlier, she now wore a yellow t-shirt with a pocket (a picture of a flower was on the pocket), some jeans with a flower embroidered into them, & flip-flops. A necklace with a white daisy on it was also around her neck.

“Woah, that’s cool.” “Thanks!” “Alright! Who wants lunch?” “Ooh! Lunch time!”

-

The rest of the day went as well as it could. After the group had lunch at the food court, they went to the park, which Spring & Storm had enjoyed quite a bit. Then, they visited the museum for a bit & got some stuff at the gift shop.

By the time the group made it back to the dorm building, they were absolutely worn out.

Cherry parked their car as everyone unbuckled their seatbelts & hopped out.

“Jeez, it’s getting late.” Cherry yawned, looking up at the sunset. “We should be heading to bed soon.” “What about us?” Storm asked. “Yea, where are we gonna stay?” “Oh, you two can stay in my apartment if you want!” Nora suggested. “Really?” “Of course, I’ve got plenty of room! Hope Sorrel doesn’t mind!” “Wow.. you 5 truly are heroes.” “I suppose we are!” Leslie chuckled. “& tomorrow, you 5 are gonna get our parents back together!” “Oh. I forgot about that. There goes my Saturday.” “I’m sure it’ll be fine!” Kalani said, a twinge of doubt in his voice. “Let’s just head to bed for now. G’night, everyone.” “Goodnight!!”

[penig]

I once worked a temp jobin that office building directly across the street from the Alamo (Here seen in rear view). It spent a lot of the 19th century being used as a warehouse. The building to the left of the shot is a historic hotel, the Menger. (Teddy Roosevelt recruited rough riders there; also it's haunted as all get out) The building across the street to the left is now a Dillard's, a big department store that was built around an historic church (out of frame) that refused to sell land to build the store. A large shopping mall has been grafted onto that Dillard's, extending back out of frame towards the viewpoint.

When I was working there, I liked to take my lunch on the terraced steps beside the office building, following the course of the acequia down to the River Walk, with chunks of the excavated walls of the larger mission (the Alamo is just the chapel and some barracks; the Plaza was entirely enclosed with living quarters for Indians and the monks evangelizing them) preserved and labeled. The building on the corner to the right was built as a Woolworth's when I first moved here in 1979. Across the street to the right - which is Houston Street - the pavement you can just see across from the Cenotaph is the sidewalk in front of the main post office. I used to go there to mail manuscripts - most of my day jobs have been located downtown and it was easier to go there on my lunch hour than go to my branch on the weekends.

The Alamo is only one of five missions in town. All are open for visiting; one of them is still in use as a neighborhood church.

People who are disappointed to come to the Alamo, or prefer the movie set out in Bracketville, are ignorant snots. The Alamo has always been right in the center of town. It was in the center of town when Santa Ana surrounded it. The people who defended it, for the most part, lived here.

I love this town.

I really like how many of the world’s most iconic structures and places are just right next to some of the most mundane stuff imaginable, for example

Stonehenge

Is right next to a busy road

The Pyramids of Giza

Are at the outskirts of Cairo

Niagara Falls

Are part of the town of the same name

And Agrippa’s Pantheon

Is crammed inside downtown Rome

It just so interesting to notice.

[lboogie1906]

Recy Taylor (December 31, 1919 - December 28, 2017) was a woman who was raped on September 3, 1944, by six white men. Her refusal to remain silent after her rape brought attention to the sexual abuse of African American women in the Jim Crow South. Born to Benny and Alma Corbitt, she was the oldest of seven children. Her mother died, and she had to care for her younger siblings. She and her husband, Willie Guy Taylor, had a three-year-old daughter.

She was walking home from Rock Hill Holiness Church with a friend and her son. They were stopped by men in a green Chevrolet truck. The men forced her into their vehicle at gunpoint, blindfolded her, and drove her to the middle of a forest, where they each raped her. Her father found her, and they both went to Three Points police station where she told Sheriff George H. Gamble what happened that night.

The sheriff was able to locate its owner, Hugo Wilson. He was brought into the sheriff’s office, and she identified him as one of her attackers. He named the other men involved, he insisted that there had been no rape because they paid her for sex; he was not arrested.

Her house was firebombed, forcing her family to move in with her father and siblings. She received support from the Black community, including newspapers and civil rights organizations. The NAACP responded by sending Rosa Parks to investigate. She interviewed her twice despite the sheriff’s threats to jail her if she returned to Abbeville. A grand jury was convened, but the six men accused of rape, Hugo Wilson, Herbert Lovett, Dillard York, Robert Gamble, Joe Culpepper, and Luther Lee were not indicted.

People all over the country became involved, petitioning the Governor to hold another grand jury. The second grand jury hearing was convened but resulted in no indictments.

The brutal rape left her unable to have additional children. She and her husband separated. She continued sharecropping in Abbeville. Her only child died in a car accident in 1967.

In 2011, the Alabama legislature passed a resolution giving her an official apology. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

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[waterfallclubevents]

Enchanting Wedding Locations in Rabun County

Rabun County, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia, is a dream wedding destination for couples seeking a combination of natural beauty and Southern hospitality. The area boasts scenic landscapes, from majestic mountains and crystal-clear lakes to lush forests and charming small towns, making it a picturesque setting for your special day. Whether you envision an intimate outdoor ceremony, a grand celebration, or something in between, Rabun County offers a variety of stunning wedding locations to suit any style or vision.

The Allure of Rabun County for Weddings

Rabun County is known for its breathtaking scenery, making it a perfect destination for couples who want to exchange vows surrounded by nature. The region’s vibrant fall foliage, cool mountain breezes, and tranquil lakes provide a romantic backdrop for weddings year-round. Whether you’re planning a rustic mountain wedding or an elegant lakeside ceremony, Rabun County’s natural beauty and welcoming atmosphere make it an ideal wedding location.

Top Wedding Locations in Rabun County

The Waterfall Club One of Rabun County’s most luxurious wedding venues, The Waterfall Club, offers stunning views of Lake Burton and the surrounding mountains. The venue’s outdoor ceremony site, perched high on the club’s terrace, provides an unforgettable backdrop of mountain vistas and the glistening lake below. The elegant clubhouse, with its spacious ballroom and floor-to-ceiling windows, is perfect for a reception that blends sophistication with the beauty of the outdoors. Couples and guests can also enjoy world-class amenities, including a golf course, spa, and on-site lodging, making The Waterfall Club a top choice for destination weddings.

Lake Rabun Pavilion If you’ve always dreamed of a lakeside wedding, the Lake Rabun Pavilion offers a serene and intimate setting. Located on the shores of Lake Rabun, this charming venue features a rustic pavilion with open beams and views of the water, creating a romantic and laid-back atmosphere. The nearby boathouse and dock are perfect for a waterside ceremony, and the surrounding forested hills make for stunning wedding photos. The Lake Rabun Pavilion is an excellent choice for couples looking for a cozy, nature-inspired wedding venue.

The Farm at Old Edwards For a rustic yet elegant wedding, The Farm at Old Edwards is one of Rabun County’s premier locations. This sprawling farm venue offers couples the chance to say “I do” in a beautifully restored barn or on the expansive lawn with panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The property’s lush gardens, picturesque meadows, and luxurious accommodations make it an idyllic setting for a mountain wedding. The Farm at Old Edwards is known for its attention to detail, ensuring that every couple’s wedding day is both memorable and seamless.

Tallulah Falls Overlook For a wedding with a view that will leave your guests in awe, the Tallulah Falls Overlook is a breathtaking choice. Situated high above the dramatic Tallulah Gorge, this location offers unparalleled views of the gorge’s cliffs and cascading waterfalls. The overlook provides a unique and stunning setting for an intimate ceremony, making it a popular option for elopements or smaller weddings. The combination of the gorge’s natural beauty and the excitement of being surrounded by such a dramatic landscape makes Tallulah Falls Overlook a one-of-a-kind wedding destination.

Rabun Manor Resort Located in the charming town of Dillard, Rabun Manor Resort offers a blend of historic charm and modern elegance. This 19th-century mansion features beautifully landscaped gardens, a grand ballroom, and a spacious veranda overlooking the surrounding mountains. Couples can exchange vows in the picturesque garden, followed by a reception in the mansion’s elegant dining room. The on-site accommodations make it easy for couples and their guests to relax and enjoy the wedding weekend in style. Rabun Manor Resort is perfect for those seeking a classic Southern wedding with a mountain backdrop.

Why Choose Rabun County for Your Wedding?

Rabun County’s combination of stunning natural beauty, diverse wedding venues, and small-town charm makes it an ideal location for couples looking to celebrate their special day. From luxury resorts to rustic farms and lakeside retreats, the county offers a wide range of wedding locations that can accommodate different styles, preferences, and guest lists. Its proximity to major cities like Atlanta and Asheville also makes it convenient for couples and guests, while still providing the peaceful, scenic atmosphere that makes mountain weddings so special.

Rabun County is the perfect blend of elegance, nature, and Southern hospitality, ensuring that your wedding day will be as magical as you’ve always imagined.

[evelyns-nyc-fashion-study-tour]

Blog Post #13: Splendid's NYC Corporate Office

On Thursday, December 5, 2024, my Study Experience for NYC Fashion Students course had the opportunity to visit the Splendid corporate headquarters in New York City. I was very excited about this opportunity because I had previously visited their Soho retail location and enjoyed trying on their coordinating lounge sets. Splendid is a company I recently discovered while studying here, but I still did not know much about it. During the site visit, it was fascinating to learn more about the brand's origins and current operations.

Splendid began with a specific quest: to create the ultimate T-shirt with perfect softness. Although the brand started with T-shirts, it quickly expanded its product assortment. Today, Splendid offers an extensive range of products, including sweaters, bottoms, outerwear, tops, dresses, jumpsuits, shorts, skirts, sleepwear, intimates, denim, accessories, shoes, and swimwear. During our visit, the speakers even announced an exciting collaboration with Wild One to create a line of pet and owner-coordinated sets. I found this market segment both unique and amusing. After studying in New York, I realized there is a substantial market for such offerings due to the deep bonds owners have with their pets and their willingness to prioritize specialty items for them.

When we entered the showroom where the site visit was conducted, I immediately recognized their monthly product assortment boards displayed on one wall. At my current internship, I manage similar product assortment boards used in departmental meetings with creative teams like design and marketing. It was insightful to hear Brittney and Courtney, the speakers, discuss how various departments collaborate to create these boards. I particularly enjoyed their explanation of how collections often feature rollover items while fashion colors must vary enough to encourage customers to purchase new items. They used the example of pink color in their holiday collection and how it compared to pinks from previous months. It was also interesting to learn about the process of deciding which items are dropped and which are put into a collection.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Splendid’s business model and how it maintains relationships with department store buyers. Before this visit, I was unaware that their products are also sold through retailers like Bloomingdale’s, Dillard’s, and Saks Fifth Avenue; my past experiences with the brand were limited to shopping at their brick-and-mortar retail locations. Hearing how they collaborate with retailers to ensure mutually beneficial agreements was fascinating. The speakers elaborated on how different retailers purchase varying products from their lines based on price points and consumer preferences. I asked how the brand compromises with retailers on pricing without sacrificing the creative direction of their collections. The speakers explained how they negotiate pricing and markups for specific garments. Interestingly, Splendid retails its line at about a 60% markup from the unit price, which is lower than some competitors’ markup rates, allowing it to remain profitable.

This visit provided a unique perspective on being a wholesaler while maintaining retail channels. The company I’m interning with this semester follows a similar business model, so comparing their approaches to balancing wholesale and retail operations was fascinating. Additionally, I learned that the showroom featured not only Splendid’s current retail lines but also those of the brand Florence by Mills. The speakers explained this was due to Splendid’s manufacturing services. It was intriguing to discover that their manufacturers also work with other brands, including Skims.

Overall, this site visit was an incredible experience. It gave me a deeper understanding of the fashion industry's manufacturing and wholesale sectors while allowing me to learn more about a brand I admire. Hearing from Courtney and Brittney about their career paths was also inspiring, which helped me envision steps I can take post-graduation to start my own career in the industry. I enjoyed hearing about their company's internship opportunities as well. Their passion for Splendid and the fashion industry was evident and motivating. This visit has encouraged me to further explore potential career paths in this field.