Seasonal Shopping and More, Collin County Has Everything
Heading northward from Dallas’ urban sprawl toward Collin County’s stellar collection of bustling cities and smaller towns doesn’t mean scrimping on shopping convenience or losing access to your retail meccas. The region has three traditional shopping malls — two in Plano and one in Frisco — plus endless strip malls placed along every major thoroughfare. Additionally, the historic and artsy downtown areas of cities like McKinney and Frisco draw shoppers from miles around.
For your holiday shopping sprees — as well as year-round retail therapy— here’s a short list of the county’s dominant shopping hubs:
Indoor Shopping Malls
Stonebriar Centre
2601 Preston Road, Frisco
A traditional five-level mall with an AMC movie theater and anchors like Nordstrom, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Sears, Stonebriar Centre keeps the kids entertained with fun eateries such as Dave & Busters and California Pizza Kitchen and promises to earn repeated visits to the main mall as well as its surrounding retail zone. Creature comforts range from free Wi-fi to stroller rentals, and new development is underway to add 20 more tenants to its current list of 165 retailers.
Collin Creek Mall
8111 North Central Expressway, Plano
One of Plano’s original shopping destinations, Collin Creek long dominated the region’s retail landscape and remains a nostalgic symbol of a time when shopping was almost secondary to hanging with friends at the mall. Its classic two-story design and anchors of JC Penney and Sears accurately point to origins in the 80s, when large, interior malls defined shopping in America, but the city of Plano is investigating a redevelopment plan which might eliminate a parking lot covering nearby Spring Creek and outdoor development to breathe new life into the old-school favorite.
The Shops at Willow Bend
6121 W. Park Blvd., Plano
There’s something for everyone at Willow Bend, starting with upscale treasures found at Macy’s and Collin County’s Neiman Marcus location, and plenty of window shopping fun at retailers like Swarovski, Crate and Barrel, Brookstone and Z Gallerie. Catering to the younger set, the mall is designated as the future location of a Crayola Experience indoor amusement center, set to open in the spring of 2018.
The Shops at Willow Bend
Outdoor Shopping Centers
Watters Creek
970 Garden Park Dr., Allen
Major brands at Watters Creek range from Charming Charlie and Eddie Bauer to Ann Taylor and Sephora. Located behind Market Street and surrounding a stream, the popular shopping venue creates a quaint village effect and includes a children’s playground and pet adoption events most Saturdays. Eating options are plentiful too, with choices like Grimaldi’s Coal Brick-Oven Pizzeria, The Blue Fish, Brio Tuscan Grille, and P.F. Changs enhancing the list.
The Shops at Legacy
5741 Legacy Dr., Plano
Clustered in the heart of northwest Plano’s Legacy Business Park, a 2,600-acre master-planned community that’s home to notable companies like JC Penney, Frito-Lay, Ericsson and PepsiCo, The Shops at Legacy creates a vibrant urban retail hub with a collection of high-end boutiques and retailers like Urban Outfitters, Brooklyn + West, ella blue, Kendra Scott and lulumon athletica. Specialty shops like Culinary Connection and Oil & Vinegar flesh out the mix as well as eateries like Del Frisco’s Grille, Benihana, Firestone Pies, Café Istanbul and Pepper Smash.
The Shops at Legacy
Fairview Town Center
329 Town Place, Allen
In Allen, this outdoor mall is a beacon for families with fun on their minds and money to burn given a plethora of specialty boutiques and restaurants gathered along Stacy Road. Amid anchors like iPic Theaters, Whole Foods, Dillards and Macy’s, Fairview Town Center covers all the bases with brands like Pappagallo Classiques, Frenzi and a Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop plus restaurants such as Cane Rosso, Wild Salsa and Zoes Kitchen.
Photos Courtesy of VisitPlano.com