Once Upon a Child has finally made it to Dallas proper. The owners are a mother-daughter duo, Tricia Hundley and Lake Highlands High School teacher Addi Ledford. The store, which recently opened on Skillman near Mariano’s, has a unique business approach, Hundley says, “because we are first allowed to open only to buy.” The store has to reach a particular inventory level before it can officially open to sell clothing and merchandise, including furniture, mattresses, car seats and strollers. “Once Upon A Child is a franchise that has been in existence for 25 years, and there are a number of the shops in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, but most of them are in the suburbs. We’re the only one in Dallas,” Hundley says. The store carries merchandise for children from infancy to age 8, and pays cash for new and gently used clothing and toys. 214.503.6010, onceuponachild.com, 6300 Skillman.
White Rock Dental recently welcomed Dr. Lynette Page to its team. Page lives in Old Lake Highlands and joined the practice after searching for a position close to home. “I heard about White Rock Dental’s reputation for great dentistry and comprehensive care, and I met the owner, Dr. Edward Lutz, and we got along great,” Page says. Aside from her dental work, Page also is an accomplished triathlete and enjoys working close to the lake so that she can continue her training. She says she will be competing in two upcoming Iron Man 70.3 challenges, one in Puerto Rico and the other in Las Vegas. 214.321.9191, whiterockdentalgroup.com, 8940 Garland.
He says his expertise is in “any age fitness”, and John Reeg, owner and creator of Silver Star Health and Fitness, means just that. Reeg, who lives in Lake Highlands, is a former college gymnast, Marine, Vietnam veteran, and physical education and gymnastics instructor. His business is a personal home training program that specializes in senior citizen fitness. “I’ve been in fitness for awhile, and I see that with older people, there’s a need for them to stay fit so they can stay independent, and a lot of times there is not an avenue for them to do that,” Reeg says. He takes the equipment — ranging from benches, dumbbells, bands and balls — to the client’s home, where he conducts an evaluation to discuss the client’s goals and fitness level. “Some people need ambulatory skills, where they’ve been sedentary and need a lot of leg stretching, while others might be a little bit younger and are looking to tone and shape a little more,” Reeg says, “so I tailor-make each program to the individual.” He says his biggest reward from the new business is helping people gain confidence and boost their energy. 972.800.8031, silverstarfitness.com.
Picasso’s Pizza at Skillman and Walnut Hill is now offering online ordering. Laurie Stovall, director of marketing and catering sales, says the restaurant initially tried delivery via online ordering with its Frankford-Tollway location and discovered it was a major success. “Month after month, the business has increased,” Stovall says, adding that after the Frankford-Tollway success, Picasso’s launched online ordering with its Inwood location and, shortly afterward, the Lake Highlands restaurant. “A lot of times, people are content with just perusing the menu and ordering at their leisure instead of talking to someone on the phone,” Stovall says. Customers can view the entire menu online, and Picasso’s doesn’t add a delivery charge for any order. 214.553.8100, picassospizza.com, 7215 Skillman.
The Lab at Lake Highlands is hosting a spring break camp March 14-18 with two sessions each day, 9-11:30 a.m. and 1-3:30 p.m. The theme of the $150 camp is “Animals Live”, owner Melissa Wright says, “so it is all about animal habits, and we will have live animals every day.” Visiting animals will include tortoises, iguanas, snakes, rabbits and a hissing cockroach. 214.901.4280, thelabdallas.com, 10050 Shoreview.