As much as officials hoped a revival of the Denton Square would draw an oasis of patio dining and maybe even a Banana Republic, a new shop could draw a different scene to the center of the city -- the one that we thought was bulldozed with Fry Street.
The newest business to join late-night dives like Fuzzy Taco and the new HotBox Pizza in serving Dan's Silverleaf patrons is the closest thing to New Fry Street seen so far. In a prime spot on Hickory Street, situated curiously across from Burgundy steakhouse and D'Vine Wine and next door to Natalie's Hookah Lounge, High Times Lifestyle is open for business.
"We came to Denton originally, but we couldn't find a place big enough. We looked and looked, and eventually went to Arlington," said Jimmy Z, director of operations for the store, which mantains a location on Cooper. This isn't just a smoke shop, Jimmy Z cautioned us as we peered in on Friday, aghast at the expanse.
A look inside the front room, open to kids under 18, confirmed this, sort of: Bob Marley posters plaster the walls; beaded curtains partition the place, and caps adorned with rhinestones and tie-dyed t-shirts line the place in neatly organized bins. It's hard not to notice the hookahs first, filling shelves up to the ceiling near the entrance.
Z told us he hopes a hefty inventory of body jewelry, shisha and demand-based stash of cigarettes that will arrive soon can convince customers to come to High Times Lifestyle for more than run-of-the-mill head shop goods, though glass pipes and vibes will be available in the back.
"I look at them as apples, and we're oranges," Z said.
High Times Lifestyle just opened its doors Tuesday and will host a proper grand opening, Z said, when the inventory is in place. For now, the shop is open from noon-10 p.m. daily.
