Mary Ann and Molly Mathias have proven that mixing family with business can be the key to success. The mother-daughter team works side-by-side at their Dallas boutique Magic Hour, which expands into a second location in The Colony’s Grandscape on March 7.
“We’ve always been super close and very similar, personality-wise. It works for us,” daughter Molly said. “We can be really honest with each other. We are so similar. We know what our specific buttons and hot points are and can avoid them easier.”
The duo’s relaxed and eclectically chic Magic Hour is located in Bishop Arts District. The store specializes in items that are handmade or vintage and have an artistic focus, ranging from apothecary items, macrame, pottery and jewelry to yummy must-haves for your pantry.
As a lover of the laid-back yet elevated vibe of west L.A., Molly draws much of the store’s aesthetic inspiration from California and travels there often. She said her parents trust her creative vision. Her mother Mary Ann makes some of the store’s offerings, such as pillows, while Molly curates all the retail for the store.
“Most parents only see their children grow in their personal lives. I love watching Molly grow into a strong and amazing business owner,” Mary Ann said. “To see where she and I started years ago, and watch her now take charge and grow, is every parent’s wish for their child.”
Molly and Mary Ann opened Magic Hour in March 2018. At that point they had been furniture rehabbers for almost four years and had a warehouse in Dallas’ Design District where they sold their pieces. But really, it all began back when Molly was in college and asked her mother to reupholster a pair of wingback chairs with chevron-printed fabric. Mary Ann had never upholstered anything that large before, but she’d been doing sewing projects her whole life.
“Molly got a ton of compliments on the chairs when they were done, and people were asking to purchase them,” Mary Ann said. “After she had them a few years, she sold them for five times what we paid, and that’s when I knew we could turn this into a business.”
One day Molly found a little store in Dallas’ Oak Cliff neighborhood with a “going out of business” sign, and she just knew they had to make it happen. Magic Hour truly became a family affair. Molly’s father did the buildouts for the store while her brother did the artwork.
She said people often tell them that the store feels like a little oasis, and that’s the energy they wanted to create. They also encourage shoppers to not only ask about their products and learn the stories of the artists, but also touch and feel the items as they peruse the selection.
The duo are excited about their second location in The Colony, which will feature bestsellers from their current Dallas store, such as Debbie Bean stained glass and pieces from Austin’s Settle Ceramics. The new location is part of the Homestead at Grandscape development, a $1.5 billion shopping and lifestyle center in The Colony that will see a number of openings this spring as part of its first phase.
“We had a vision of curating unique businesses that are a true destination, and Magic Hour fit that perfectly. Not only do they have a wonderfully diverse product mix, they are a fantastic local business that supports other small businesses,” said Katie Wedekind, marketing and leasing for Grandscape.
Mary Ann reflected on the past two years of being a business owner, saying it’s been both incredibly difficult and rewarding.
“There is never enough time – it feels like – to accomplish what we want to. It takes patience to chip away at your to-do list to accomplish your dreams,” she said. “But I love getting to talk to customers and seeing their love for our store. Our customers are the lifeblood of magic hour!”
Magic Hour will celebrate the grand opening of its Homestead at Grandscape location from 6-9 p.m. March 7. Attendees can enjoy refreshments while they shop.
Magic Hour Website >
Magic Hour at Grandscape
5768 Grandscape Blvd. #175
The Colony, TX 75056
