Welcome James Farmer to The Exchange!

Plan to join us on Wednesday, March 28 between 2:00 and 4:00 when James Farmer will be signing books in The Exchange!

James Farmer is the author of the Wall Street Journal best-selling garden book, A Time To Plant; Sip & Savor; Porch Living; Wreaths For All Seasons; A Time To Cook, Dinner on the Grounds, A Time to Celebrate and A Place to Call Home.

Born and bred in the South, James is a professional garden, floral and interior designer; cook; author and lifestyle expert.  Additionally, James is editor-at-large for Southern Living and a frequent guest on television and radio. His natural Southern grace and warm personality light up any room! Whether he’s teaching how to plan the perfect summer picnic, using everyday items to create exquisite tabletops, creating stunning flower arrangements and wreaths, or making his grandmother’s skillet peach pie, Farmer masterfully guides his audience through the art of elegant garden living.

James’ newest book, A Place to Call Home, showcases homes he has “had the honor of working in”. He shares with us how he brings together new and old furnishings — creating scenes for Christmas mornings, family dinners and Sunday nights watching TV. The title was born of his appreciation for the opportunity to create spaces that dear friends, adored clients and even family all call home. 

His designs combine the rich traditions of the past with the sensibilities of contemporary life.  Effortless elegance, comfort and harmony are the hallmarks of James Farmer designs.  Join us on March 28 to meet this charming Southern talent!

Spring Has Sprung!

Get rid of the winter doldrums and lighten and brighten your home! The mercury is beginning to creep upward; you’re planning a spring break trip and well, you’re just ready for some springtime! A few well-placed accessories in your home can brighten any mood and refresh any room. 

The Exchange is filled to the brim with flowers, lambs and bunnies of all shapes and sizes. Perhaps you’re drawn to some springtime symmetry? A pair of white ceramic bunnies to grace your mantel or table would be a great addition to your home.

We love our bunnies which are made from recycled magazines! They come in three sizes and are going fast And remember the Jeff Coons’ Balloon Dog replicas? Now we have bunnies in two sizes for a contemporary look.

Brighten your home, or someone else’s, with silk flowers which always look perfect with your blue and white accessories.

Spring accessories for your little ones to wear and some for you too, are also arriving every day…but more about that next time!

Love is in the Air

We are ready for Valentine’s Day at The Exchange!  Looking for the perfect gift to let someone know you’d like to be their Valentine?  No worries—we can help.  

Perhaps a hand-blown glass and German nickel heart by Jan Barboglio, which can be on display all year long to remind your sweetheart how much you care.  Maybe a heart-shaped gold dish to hold coins or earrings is the perfect Valentine this year.

A set of Rose Gold All-Weather Bangles from BuDhaGirl is sure to please!

How about some specialty chocolates as a Valentine treat?  Heart-shaped chocolates by Dallas chocolatier, CocoAndre or Louis Sherry New York Chocolates in their iconic pink tin would be perfect!

Linen cocktail napkins to go along with that special bottle of champagne you plan to share with your sweetheart would be a nice touch don’t you think?

And don’t forget the littlest Valentines!  They will be delighted with one of our Valentine children’s books or stuffed animals.

We have Valentine gifts and heart shaped goodies everywhere you look!  We would LOVE for you to stop in to see our selection and select a heart-felt gift for someone special.  And of course you know we’ll wrap it.

Sixty Never Looked So Good!

Guess what happened in 1958?  25 cents bought a gallon of gas…A loaf of bread at Tom Thumb cost 19 cents…Elvis Presley joined the Army…Frank Sinatra crooned on the radio…South Pacific played at The Village Theater…Dwight Eisenhower was our President…the Hula Hoop was introduced…And St. Michael’s Woman’s Exchange opened its doors at #5 Highland Park Village!

Yes, that’s right!  Dallas’ favorite gift shop turns 60 this year!  Over the last six decades, generations of volunteers have helped Dallas shoppers select decorative items for their homes, choose special baby gifts, order the perfect wedding invitations, purchase beautiful smocked toddler clothes and find wonderful gifts for friends and family.  And many of those purchases have been artfully wrapped when the customer walks out the door!

The plan from the start was to give away our profits each year.  Charitable Organizations in the Dallas community and beyond would be the beneficiaries of our labors.  And there hasn’t been a single year when the store didn’t make money and distribute grants!  That first year $8000 was given away; and now, in our 60th year, just over $9 million has been given to agencies which serve our most vulnerable citizens.  These organizations whose names are so familiar to Dallasites serve the homeless, the hungry, at-risk children, battered women, immigrants, the disabled, seniors, the sick and those in recovery.  To view a current list of our beneficiaries click here.

Our shoppers love our mission of course, but really come in for the unique and elegant mix of merchandise.  So come to Highland Park Village, stop in our beautiful store to say “Happy Birthday”, purchase something lovely and admit that …Sixty Never Looked So Good!

"Shop Once, Give Twice".

As we all know, Dallas is a very philanthropic city.  There are scores of nonprofits based here, doing important and life-changing work.

Feeding hungry children, offering shelter to the homeless, providing aid to the disabled, the sick and the elderly, offering comfort to the battered among us...and the list goes on.  Chances are that for most of us there is an issue or agency that is of particular concern-- a problem that tugs at our heartstrings and our checkbooks more than the others.  Well if that is the case for you, then the odds are good that you will find the group that does the work which means the most to you on the list of agencies supported by the profits of St. Michael’s Woman’s Exchange.

Most of our shoppers know that for nearly 60 years our store has distributed our yearly proceeds to others in need.  You may be unaware however of the specifics!  Take a look at the list below of the agencies we funded this year.  If you see a group whose work you admire, remember to shop with us!  If you see the group that warms your heart, remember to shop with us!  If you see a group doing work that you know is vital to our city, our nation or the world beyond, remember to shop with us!  At The Exchange you really can “Shop Once, Give Twice”.

Click here for a current list of our beneficiaries.

Holiday Gift Guide

We've gathered some of our favorite things from around the store to help with your gift-giving decisions.  Whether your prefer to give gifts they'll wear or gifts to adorn their homes, we've got you covered.  And we have so much more from each of these designers! We know your friends and family will love receiving gifts from a store that gives its proceeds away each and every year.  Worthy agencies which literally change the world for those they serve receive our profits.  (See the list of current beneficiaries on our website)  So the more you shop, the more good we can do together.  

Join Us for a Book Signing!

Coffee Table books make beautiful gifts during the holidays…and when you can give a signed copy, well that is even better!  We have two book signings during November and the first one is next week; so plan to join us!

Tuesday, November 14  1:30 - 3:00

 First we welcome Laura Dowling, author of A White House Christmas.  Christmas at the White House is the most beautiful and grand celebration of the year. As Chief Floral Designer during the Obama administration, Laura Dowling was responsible for the dazzling floral pieces that made the season so memorable.  Laura Dowling comes to St. Michael’s Woman’s Exchange to sign copies of her book, A White House Christmas.  She invites readers behind-the-scenes of this complex yearlong planning process where some of the most innovative and ambitious handmade displays were created. From architectural details to sugar paste floral vases and robotic versions of the First Family dogs, the décor inspired and delighted visitors and guests from across the country and around the world.

 In addition to her White House experiences, Laura shares advice and ideas, tips and techniques for planning holiday displays at home, including step-by-step instructions for re-creating some of the most popular and original White House holiday designs.

Gray Malin Book Signing

Gray Malin is an acclaimed photographic artist whose iconic prints are loved by those who love a clean, contemporary and unique perspective in their art.  He lives in LA but is originally from Dallas!

This fine art photographer and NY Times bestselling author shoots aerial bird’s eye views of beaches and landscapes around the world; and has just released his second book.

His first book, Beaches, was a runaway hit; and now the talented Gray Malin takes his astonishing photography beyond the beach. Malin’s latest work, Escape, includes awe-inspiring images from 22 destinations across 11 countries, including the dry plains of Namibia, snowy Aspen Mountain and the warm sun of Bora Bora. Escape will inspire lovers of travel to plan escapes of their own.  

On Friday, October 13 from 1:00-3:00 the ESD grad will sign copies of his new book at The Exchange.  We are honored to host Gray Malin on the first Dallas stop of his book release tour!

Welcome to our Blog!

We are so happy to have you follow our story and our mission of providing our customers with beautiful things and then using our profits to benefit others.  Some of our customers shop with us because they love the interesting and elegant merchandise mix.  Some shop here because they grew up shopping at The Exchange with their mothers and grandmothers, and can’t remember not shopping here!  Some customers come because they depend on us to beautifully wrap each and every special gift they give, whether they purchased it from our store or not.  Some are loyal customers because they love our mission and feel good knowing that every dollar spent on something lovely in our store is given away to worthy agencies which are changing our community and our world.  What ever your reason, we are always glad to see you at #5 Highland Park Village.  And if you are new to us, do stop by!

Take a tour around our website to learn more about our story...and to see some of the treasures you’ll find around the store.  Gifts and Home Decor.  Classic Children’s Clothing and Toys. Baby and Layette. Inspirational and Religious Gifts. Gourmet Food and Cookbooks. Custom Stationery. Everything you need, really. 

And remember, we gift wrap anything purchased here or elsewhere. 

We plan to use this blog to update our followers about the newest arrivals in our store, the trends we see coming, and to spread the news about special events we have planned.

Thanks for joining us!