Off The Rack Is On The Table Around Cedar Creek Lake

By Di Johnson

Cedar Creek Lake is home to a number of beautiful little shops carrying unique finds and the trendiest clothing for all ages. From Kemp to Mabank, Gun Barrel City and Malakoff, dazzling boutiques and markets selling handmade goods speckle each town.

On historic Market Street in downtown Mabank sits The Nest, a beautifully renovated antique building filled to the brim with treasures. Not only is the store itself stylish, with wood floors, high ceilings with ornate silver tiles, cow hide rugs, metal art and even more animal print abounding, it also has vast selections of home decor, gifts, clothing and shoes to greet you when you enter the store, bright colors catching your eye in every section.

Girls’ clothing surrounds a play fort on the left wall, giving children activities while their mothers shop the beautiful arrays of shoes, home goods and the most fashionable clothing styles. In a corner on the right wall, The Nest has a large collection of home fragrances, holding scents in the forms of traditional candles, wax melts, liquid melts and oils to fill your home with calm serenity. Across from this are bath and beauty products to amplify that at-home spa feel.

Towards the back is a room devoted to accessories, with purses and sandals lining each wall. Tables adorned with lovely jewelry displays are placed down the center of the store. For those who plan to spend a day on the lake, The Nest has a wonderful selection of skin care items to keep you glowing and unblemished by the sun, along with clothing and tote bags to take with you.

In nearby Gun Barrel City, Funky Junk contains exactly what the name suggests - the funkiest decor for your home and yard. Gypsy Joint is just down the road and offers something for the hippie inside all of us.

W Haus Decor & More in Gun Barrel City is home to an elegant boutique, a lush garden, and an art gallery offering more than 600 square feet of works from regional artists as well as high-end glasswork.

The boutique features a selection of shimmering costume jewelry, handbags, clothing and accessories, fragrant candles, pet couture, colorful glassware and statement pieces for your home. The inventory is constantly updated, so every visit becomes an opportunity to find new gems.

The garden serves as a comfortable place to sit and relax with friends while shopping at the boutique and as a venue for private parties, meetings, weddings and more. W Haus also has an event planning team to assist with any event held there.

Kemp is home to Heritage Market Pennsylvania Dutch Foods, a market devoted to delicious foods, gifts, candies, decor and more. Next door, there is Cedar Creek Furniture, which not only has everything you need for inside your home but also a stunning collection of adirondack chairs in every color imaginable. These businesses are on 274 in the middle of the city. Nearby is Hotties Tan & More, which features a boutique carrying western styles, jewelry, fragrances and more.

In Malakoff, on the south end of the lake, sits Opal & Viv’s boutique. The boutique sits in the 1908 First State Bank building, which still retains some of its original features, such as an iron crest reading “BANK” at the entryway and the original vault, which owner Kathryn deBoer uses to house some of her favorite items she keeps in stock. Opal & Viv’s is a beautiful mix of the old and the new, combining rustic wood floors and ceilings with modern pendant lighting and striking displays.

Having attended fashion school, deBoer ’s store is stocked with stylish items unseen elsewhere and she offers personal shopping, personal styling and wardrobe consulting, along with event styling and more services. From dresses and street style, to bags, scarves and hats, to the coziest sweatsuits, this charming store carries a little something for everyone.