Although small in square footage, the permanent Dallas pop-up aims to make a mighty impact for local small businesses, artists and creators.
Petite Saison is the brainchild of creator and creative director LeRoy Poignant, who wanted to add life to some formerly dead retail space at the center of North Bishop Avenue. Poignant and others at Exxir Capital, the real estate development firm behind many Bishop Arts businesses, reviewed ideas for the under-the-stairwell cove such as a souvenir shop or visitor info center. Petite Saison falls somewhere in the middle of the two, Poignant says, in terms of look and purpose.
The vintage-styled shop, co-designed with Adriana Pacheco, AIA, design and development project manager, comes complete with timeless stripes and classic cinema-inspired signage. The space acts as more than just a local pop-up — it offers local artists, entrepreneurs and small businesses their first experience taking up a brick-and-mortar space. Each month, the miniature space transforms as a new vendor takes over Petite Saison to display their work and showcase their talents.
“If you’ve been here [in Bishop Arts] before, you notice that there's no big-time retailers here,” Poignant says. “It's very small-business oriented. And so it just kind of goes to show why Petite Saison and its purpose is in the Bishop Arts culture to tailor to artists and tailor to small businesses.”
Each business and artist brings their own flair to the Petite Saison space, but details inside the small building display the shop’s Bishop Arts roots throughout every season. Frames hung at the back of the wall display vintage photos of old and classic Oak Cliff buildings, such as the Texas Theatre, and celebrities who are either from or have visited the area, like former Oak Cliff resident Yvonne Craig. Custom scented candles, patchwork “214” denim jackets, Dallas-themed pins and more goods from a variety of other businesses and boutiques located throughout the district are also displayed and available for purchase at the store.
“Knowing the history of old Bishop and new Bishop and the culture that’s been made here, I think that’s why we are so unique,” Poignant says. “We just play into it, because it's so charming, and there's nothing else in Dallas that looks like that, feels like that. I think what's super important is that we even stay true to that.”
Très Mignon
Poignant and Exxir Capital Director of Marketing Sierra Tuthill believe that Bishop Arts’ old history, along with new and emerging entrepreneurs and creatives, are what truly sets the district apart from other areas in Dallas. By displaying Bishop Arts’ rich culture and the people who help define it, Petite Saison aims to create its own collaborative community space uniquely built for locals.While many Dallasites have likely interacted with local business owners at weekend markets or through online storefronts, Petite Saison is meant to craft a special, more intimate connection between small business owners and their customers. The shop's limited space almost forces a one-on-one interaction between patrons and artists, who get a chance to share their story on a larger stage.
“We personally know basically every single business here and their family and the story behind what they do,” Tuthill says. “But they’ve already been here in Bishop Arts — there are still so many other small businesses who we haven’t had the chance to meet or see yet. So Petite Saison is really showing how shopping small is important because you're getting to experience so many different things in this area. There's a story and heart put behind the product you're getting over here.”
The micro-retail space, which has been in the Bishop Arts scene since early 2024, recently launched its Instagram account and held one of its first pop-ups on Sept. 1 with Vagabond Hats. Future collaborations have yet to be announced, but Tuthill says the Petite Saison is booked through December and will feature retailers ranging from florists and bakers to jewelers and cocktail makers this fall and winter. Other local artists and businesses interested in making their own miniature Bishop Arts debut can visit the shop’s website to fill out an application for future pop-up dates.
