I got emails about three very different and super cool, locally owned retail boutiques in East Dallas today. None of them are new, but all of them are news to me. It is a shame I didn’t know about them before, and we don’t want that happening to you.

Babytique is an online baby store with headquarters in East Dallas. The company’s spokeswoman, who lives in Lakewood, emailed me today because the boutique has launched a baby registry for people who don’t want to know their child’s gender before he or she is born. It’s called, appropriately, Not Finding Out.

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The T Shop is virtually out my window, in the Lakewood shopping center, and it’s been open for a little over a year. The shop carries unique gifts, including stuff from local artisans, plus fresh flower arrangements and lots of other cute gift items. The shop also has a “book chat”, and the next one is Aug. 26.

Keep U In Stitches is an established White-Rock-area business. But I just found out today that the store offers free ukulele lessons on the second Saturday of every month. The ‘hood just keeps coming up with hidden gems.