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Richard Rawlings Is Auctioning Off Almost All of His Cars

Catherine Wendlandt
By |
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Gas Monkey Garage founder Richard Rawlings is auctioning off almost his entire hot rod collection. Cory Mader

Three weeks ago, Richard Rawlings shocked gearheads and muscle car-lovers everywhere. In a YouTube video that’s been viewed nearly 1 million times, he stood up in front of his massive hot rod collection and announced: “I’m selling everything. All of it!” 

Well, not all of it, he tells D. He’s selling most of it: 23 cars, two motorcycles, a chassis, and a tour of the Gas Monkey Garage.

Rawlings founded his well-known body shop and garage in 2002. His fame surged in 2012, thanks to his popular Discovery Channel show, Fast N’ Loud. Rawlings and his team would seek out and restore old and classic cars. It ran for 16 seasons, ending in 2020. Since then, he’s been posting builds for his 950,000-plus followers on YouTube. 

Rawlings says the sale has been several years in the making. In the original YouTube post, he says he first approached online automotive auctioneer Bring a Trailer before the pandemic. But, Rawlings says, the pandemic made people much more comfortable with selling cars online. “Covid shocked the market,” he says. Lots of people are collecting right now, which means lots of cars are changing hands. “We just want to be on the forefront of some of these cars.” 

So, he’s auctioning off his collection.

Boston-based interior designer Julie Richard was surprised when she looked at her PayPal account last November. The CEH, a bespoke Dallas furniture company, had withdrawn $1,800 from Richard’s account without sending a final invoice. 

Five months earlier, Richard placed a $1,700 down payment on a custom coffee table, charging it to her American Express card through PayPal. She says the company withdrew $1,800 directly from her account without telling her—and the coffee table was nowhere to be found. 

She didn’t think they could do that without her permission, “but I figured, ‘okay, this seems like a legit company,’” she says. (D Magazine has reviewed records from this transaction, which show the money taken from the account and refunded by PayPal after Richard flagged it.)

Everything leading up to that had been normal. She received wood finishing samples in September. “Your table is getting close to completion” they told her in October. So, after her card was charged in November, she waited a few weeks to hear about how it would be shipped to her. Then she started trying to contact the company. 

“I’ve spent hours calling them and emailing them and panicking, like, I’m not receiving the table,” she says. 

Richard is one of at least 19 buyers across the country who have publicly accused The CEH of accepting payment for products it never delivered. Some buyers who took to Instagram to air their grievances have received their furniture. Others haven’t. 

Starting Wednesday, Texas businesses are able to operate at full capacity. They can require customers wear a mask or not. It’s now up to them; the governor is allowing the state’s mitigation efforts to expire, shifting much of the onus onto businesses.

For small business owners who are barely staying afloat, an influx of customers might be an exciting prospect. For others, the possible repercussions of welcoming dozens of patrons at once–especially those without masks–are terrifying. They worry about being caught in the middle: there is almost no way to please everyone, especially if businesses choose caution and follow science.

We asked owners of Dallas-based retail shops and fitness studios to share their updated safety protocols, their concerns for the health and safety of their staff, and their predictions for the small business community’s ability to face yet another COVID-related challenge.

This guide will be continually updated as we learn more from store representatives and community members. To share your shopping experiences, email [email protected].

Beginning Wednesday, Gov. Greg Abbott is allowing businesses to determine whether they’ll require customers and employees to wear masks. Here are the policies from grocery stores in Dallas-Fort Worth, listed alphabetically.

Grocery Stores Requiring Masks

ALDI

ALDI requires all employees and customers to wear a face covering. “For the health and well-being of the communities we serve and for the protection of our employees, we will maintain our current nationwide policy,” an ALDI representative confirmed to D on March 4. “We will continue to assess any new guidelines issued by the CDC, and will keep our customers informed of any future changes.”

Central Market / H-E-B

Though several Texas news outlets have reported that H-E-B and Central Market will encourage, but not require, its customers to wear face coverings, a company representative sent a March 5 press release to confirm to D that “mask use at our stores will remain.” Signs requiring mask use will stay at store entrances, and face coverings are provided for customers who need them.

“H-E-B has always been a strong proponent and advocate of mask use even before mandates and orders were passed,” says the press release. “Throughout the pandemic, we are thankful that we’ve seen strong compliance… But we need the help of all Texans to ensure compliance continues. The ending of mask ordinances puts real pressure on retailers to enforce an emotional topic for many. We ask for kindness and understanding from our customers in our expectation of them to wear masks in our stores.”

Central Market’s other safety protocols, like proper hand washing, plexiglass partitions, sanitization, and social distancing, remain in place.

Costco

When asked about current regulations, a Costco representative directed us to a statement by Craig Jelinek, President and CEO, from November 2020.

“Effective November 16, entry to Costco will only be granted to those wearing a face mask or face shield,” said Jelinek. Costco has had a face mask policy in effect since last May, but shoppers who could not wear a mask due to a medical condition were exempt. As of November, they’re no longer exempt and must wear a face shield to enter. “This updated policy may seem inconvenient to some,” continued Jelinek. “However, we believe the added safety is worth any inconvenience. Our goal is to continue to provide a safe shopping environment for our members and guests, and to provide a safe work environment for our employees.”

Costco will still offer priority access to frontline workers, including healthcare workers, first responders, police officers, EMTs, and firefighters. These shoppers can move to the front of the line by showing an employee I.D. and Costco membership card. Customers with disabilities, those who are immunocompromised, or those who are 60 or older will still have access to special operating hours from 9 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday.

Kroger

The Kroger Family of Companies will continue to require face coverings for both shoppers and staff. A company representative issued a statement that its priority is to “provide a safe environment for our associates and customers while meeting our societal obligation to provide open stores, e-commerce solutions, and an efficiently operating supply chain so that our communities have access to fresh food.”  The representative said that The Kroger Family of Companies will continue to require masks nationwide “until all our frontline grocery associates can receive the COVID-19 vaccine.”

Sprouts

Sprouts stores will maintain its face covering requirement in all locations, a company representative confirmed. All shoppers older than 2 must comply. The policy is communicated at store entrances, and masks are provided to those without them.

“Although we encourage our guests to wear face coverings in accordance with CDC recommendations, we are also allowing face shields in our stores,” says Sprouts on its website.

Shoppers who are medically unable to wear a face covering or face shield can contact their local store to arrange a personal shopper. The grocery chain also offers free curbside pickup.

Sprouts promotes social distancing via floor markers at register lines and plexiglass register barriers. Store managers also regulate the number of shoppers inside to prevent overcrowding.

Target

At Target stores in North Texas, customers must wear masks or face coverings while shopping, a Target representative confirmed on March 4. Guests with underlying medical conditions and young children are exempt, but those who have been vaccinated still need to comply. Social distancing measures are still in place.

Target provides disposable masks at all store entrances to guests who do not have one. Signs, overhead audio, and team members will frequently remind guests to keep their masks on.

For those who don’t want to wear a mask, Target encourages no-contact fulfillment options like Drive-Up, Target.com, and Shipt.

Tom Thumb: Face Coverings Required

When the mask mandate was first lifted, Tom Thumb’s parent company Albertsons announced that its Texas stores would no longer require customers to wear masks, WFAA reported on March 3. Last Friday, however, Albertsons reversed this decision. Face coverings are still required for both shoppers and staff at Tom Thumb and other Albertsons-owned chains like Safeway and Randalls. “While we know that mask requirements have been controversial and polarizing across some of our operating areas, we also know that masks in combination with social distancing and proper cleaning and sanitization can work to prevent the spread of the virus,” said Albertsons in a press statement on March 5. “Although the State mandate will be lifted effective March 10, 2021, our front-line associates have not had full access to the vaccine. Subsequently, our stores and facilities in Texas will continue to require masks for associates, vendors, and customers regardless of the mask mandate being lifted.”

Trader Joe’s: Face Coverings Required

On March 5, Trader Joe’s updated its corporate website to confirm that masks are still required in all nationwide stores. “Based on conversations with Crew Members across the country, we will continue to require all customers to wear masks while shopping in our stores,” said Trader Joe’s. “As we have done previously, any customer with a disability that precludes them from wearing a mask will be accommodated. Young children are encouraged but not required to wear masks in our stores. Our Crew Members wear masks approximately 8 hours a day and we ask our customers to wear them for the short time they shop with us.” Trader Joe’s has been among the most stringent grocery chains in terms of safety precautions during the pandemic. The Lovers Lane and Knox Street locations have each been incredibly diligent in limiting capacity and maintaining socially distant lines at entrances and registers.

Grocery Stores With Unclear Policies

Walmart / Sam’s Club: Face Coverings Required, As Of November 2020

Walmart did not respond to requests for comment and has not released any press updates, though the Dallas Morning News reported on March 2 that the company’s nationwide COVID-19 policies remain in place. In November 2020, Walmart’s corporate division assured customers that its commitment to safety is “as strong now as it was when the pandemic began.” At that time, the 5,000 Walmart and Sam’s Club stores nationwide were requiring masks, enforcing social distancing, maintaining heightened cleaning standards, and appointing staff as “Health Ambassadors” to remind customers about safety standards as they enter the store. Walmart also offers grocery pickup, with the first pickup hour of the day reserved for customers over 60, first responders, customers with disabilities, and anyone else who is high-risk. To confirm that these policies are still in place at your local Walmart or Sam’s Club, call before shopping.

Whole Foods: Face Coverings Required, As Of July 2020

Whole Foods did not respond to requests for comment and has not released any press updates. The Whole Foods website stated in July 2020 that face coverings are mandatory while shopping; however, the policy also mentions that “stores will continue to follow local ordinances regarding personal protective equipment.” To confirm the policies at your local Whole Foods, call before shopping. In our experiences, most Whole Foods locations in Dallas have been proactive at limiting capacity and requiring masks.

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Dallasites101 typically shares restaurant openings and local happenings with its 200,000-plus Instagram followers, but in light of this week’s storms and unprecedented power outages, the popular social media account has pivoted to address the city’s most critical needs.

Today, Dallasites101 began crowdsourcing information from its followers, asking them to report on what’s open and what’s stocked in their neighborhood. All tips are then compiled into an invaluable resource list for the public.

Need gas? Click here to find a gas station that’s still operating, according to those who live nearby. Need pet food or dog boarding? Click here for suggested pet resources. Maybe you need to venture out to a grocery store; click here for tips on what’s open and whether their stock is depleted. There’s also a tab to request help (a ride to a warming center, an extra log for your fire, and so forth) from your fellow Dallasites, and a place to offer your surplus supplies to those who need them.

You can access the entire resource guide here. Follow Dallasites101 for real-time updates.

Sunday afternoon, Team Rogers made its annual Yuletide sortie to Home Depot for a Christmas tree. We went to the location on Garland Road, over the objections of my wife, who wanted to go to the location on Skillman because a co-worker of hers had told her the selection there was better. As I explained, though, we’d have to transport the tree farther, which would mean —

Never mind. Let’s not bog down in that whole debate. We went to the location on Garland.

So we are in the tree tent. Me personally, I’m feeling a bit claustrophobic, what with the mask and the close quarters and the other tree shoppers disregarding the one-way signage. The missus grabs an approximately 9-foot noble fir, stands it up, and asks for my opinion.

“Too tall,” I say. “We do this every year.”

I am 6 feet tall. We live in a midcentury modern with a sloping ceiling. At its lowest point, where we put the tree, I can reach up and nearly touch the ceiling. So every year I stand next to the first four or five trees she selects, and I raise my hand as high as it will go, and I say, “Too tall.”

This is what I’m doing Sunday — standing next to the tree with my hand raised like I’ve got a pressing question and am eager to be called upon — when the missus lets go of the tree. The tree falls into the aisle where a 4-year-old boy is innocently walking, unaware of the dangers that surround him. He’s probably thinking about Oreos. Bam. The noble fir scores a direct hit, takes him cleanly off his feet.

Shopping

What Was NorthPark Like Last Weekend?

Sarah Hepola
By Sarah Hepola |

I’ve never seen the parking lot of NorthPark this empty on a Saturday. It’s May 2, one day after the governor began creaking open the door on our state, but I glide my car into that perennially bustling marketplace like a thief working the after-hour shift, even though it’s a sunny 1pm. Cars are clustering over by Nordstrom’s, which is closed like every department store, but it’s situated near a side entrance where people in face masks stream in and out. A small woman wearing a tuxedo and a blue face mask holds open the push-door for customers. (I’m going to stop mentioning the face masks, but everyone in this story is wearing one.) Right inside, there’s a table with a bottle of hand sanitizer, a police officer seated next to a blonde woman who looks like she runs marathons.

“Welcome to NorthPark,” she says.

If you grew up in Dallas, especially if you are a girl, this upscale mall is a ship of memories. The pond where the penguins used to roam, the corner of Dillard’s where you bought your prom dress, the Neiman-Marcus makeup counter where your mother splurged on a high-end makeover, because it was the late Nineties, and everyone was rich, even your scrappy family, the Lululemon store where you bought the yoga pants that made your ass look way better than your ass looks. Every one of those stores is shut down today. A slip of paper taped against the glass. Temporarily closed.

Each year, D Magazine has the privilege of helping our readers celebrate Mother’s Day. Our dining guides showcase the best brunch options in town, while our gift guides feature locally-sourced products that Mom is sure to love. You support neighborhood businesses and make your mother feel special. Win/win. In past years, we’ve even rounded up family-friendly events, creative classes, and outdoor activities.

This year, though, we’re faced with unprecedented challenges. Texas is slowly reopening, but many of us aren’t ready to return to normalcy. Shopping for Mother’s Day gifts feels daunting. Going out to eat requires careful consideration. Simply paying family members a visit poses risks.

Even so, mothers deserve to be celebrated, and we want their loved ones to stay safe as they do so.

That’s why our 2020 Mother’s Day Guide was reimagined with you, the reader, in mind. You’ll find dozens of gifts from stores with curbside pick-up and local delivery. We determined which florists still deliver, and which bakeries can bring sweet treats straight to her door. We threw in a few Mother’s Day cards and specified which stores offer gift wrap. Most importantly, we curated a list of to-go brunch options, cocktail kits, and more, so you can toast to Mom from home. Cheers to that!

View our 2020 Mother’s Day Guide here.

A special thank you to our Mother’s Day Gift Guide sponsor, Mozart Chocolate Liqueur.

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My mom is 75. She’s a teacher and an artist — fiber, watercolor, pretty much anything you throw at her. With the CDC’s new recommendation, she made me some masks. All respect, but they aren’t pretty. That said, they seem to work well, far as I can tell. They have a bendy metal piece sewn above the nose. I wore one yesterday, for the first time, to shop for groceries, some of which were for her. It was a weird experience.

First, the shelves at my Albertsons in Casa Linda look like the shelves in a country that is not the richest, most privileged place on the planet. Some items are stocked, others aren’t. You don’t make a shopping list and tick it off anymore; you have a general idea of what you need, and then you just grab what’s available, even if you don’t need it.

Then there is the mask. I’m sure I’ll get accustomed to wearing it. But for my first shopping excursion, I felt claustrophobic. And everyone else, of course, looks like they are about to stick you up and demand your eggs. The variety of masks interested me. Some surgical, some homemade, some just a scarf. I saw a woman in the produce section wearing a rainbow-print mask and I said to her, “Hey, that’s a cool mask.” She looked at me and made a noise I couldn’t classify. It’s hard to tell what someone thinks when you can’t see her face. Did she think I was being sarcastic and that I was homophobic? Ugh. This is what I was worrying about when I was grabbing some romaine and saw a dude riding a Rascal that I nearly got into a fight with.

Yesterday, Neiman Marcus Group announced that it would be furloughing most of its 14,000 employees. Those remaining will take temporary salary reductions.

Says CEO Geoffroy van Raemdonck, “I have decided to waive 100% of my salary to do my part to support our company, and my direct reports have also decided to waive a significant amount of their salary as well during this temporary furlough.”

The decision is subject to review on April 30. Neiman Marcus Group stores (Neiman Marcus, Neiman Marcus Last Call, and Bergdorf Goodman) are tentatively scheduled to re-open at that time. All have been closed since March 18.

“While these are the most difficult decisions to make, our focus is on ensuring our business is protected over the long-term so we can continue serving our associates and customers,” says van Raemdonck.

Neiman Marcus Group’s previous response to COVID-19 has been both commendable and questionable.

Runs on toilet paper and margarita mix may have turned some grocery stores like Tom Thumb and Kroger into places with worse traffic than the Central Expressway at 4 p.m. on a Friday. Meanwhile, one D Magazine staffer reports her Whole Foods trip was mostly successful. Which is to say, shopping right now is a moving target. While clerks are working on restocking those shelves, here are a handful of other markets to consider for your pantry-stocking needs. And as always, practice patience and stay safe and well, everyone.

Home & Garden

North Haven Gardens Is Rebuilding After the Tornado

Caitlin Clark
By Caitlin Clark |
North Haven Gardens in North Dallas
via North Haven Gardens on Facebook

A stalwart of the Preston Hollow neighborhood, North Haven Gardens, was hit hard by last month’s tornado. But the beloved nursery didn’t waste any time announcing that they planned to return, promising to once again become the horticultural resource Dallas has turned to for decades.

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