The retail landscape in downtown Houston recently grew a bit with the addition of an unusual store.
Located on Grand Avenue across from the Texas County Administrative Center (the old courthouse), the addition is called “Dixon’s Buy It Now.” It opened for business on Sept. 8 and is owned by local residents Tessa and Justin Dixon.
Tessa, who will be the couple’s daily representative in the store, said the store offers new and nearly new closeout, surplus or returned items obtained from a wholesale supplier who gets them from several sources. Shelves inside will be stocked with a wide range of items, including tools, electronics, boots, food, household goods and more.
“What we have in stock will constantly be changing,” Tessa said. “It could be virtually anything, but the one thing that won’t be changing is that we’ll stay full. Also, I want to point out that people often associate ‘return’ with something being wrong with an item, but that’s not usually the case. People return things mostly because they didn’t want it or it didn’t fit, and a lot of stores then can’t resell it.
“Everything we carry will be guaranteed to work and we promise satisfaction to all our customers.”
Dixon’s sister-in-law, Wendy Sholtz, is also involved in the new venture, and part of the store’s space is dedicated to her Loving Stitches custom sewing business. Sholtz specializes in aprons and child’s wear, and also offers custom small embroidery and painted wooden signs.
“I pretty much do things I like and my girls like,” she said. “I’ve done full nurseries, and I have aprons as far away as Africa, and baby blankets in Norway.”
Also a professional photographer, Tessa Dixon has moved her Joyful Expressions Photography business into the Buy It Now space from its former location down the street above Memories and Dreams and Elmore’s Men’s and Boys Wear.
“We wanted to more accessible to my clients, and more visible,” Tessa said. “I work with people of varying ages –– I do 50th wedding anniversaries and I do little babies –– and sometimes just getting people through the door can be hard when you’re on the second floor.”
Hours for Dixon’s Buy It Now are 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. A grand opening is set for Oct. 16 and 17, including drawings for prizes and gift certificates.
“We’re always looking at new loads and what people will like next,” Tessa said. “We want people to get good items at a discount price. We wanted to do something nobody else is doing around here, and nobody else is doing that.”
Joyful Expressions accepts walk-in customers during the same hours, but is also available by appointment on weekends.
For more information about any of the businesses mentioned in this article, call 417-217-1443.
We want people to get good items at a discount price. We wanted to do something nobody else is doing around here, and nobody else is doing that.”