Austin shops and creators highlighted in Best of ATX 2026 feature

August 29, 2026

Vico Puentes operates an independent magazine and art book shop in downtown Austin that emphasizes printed materials and tactile browsing. The ultramarine blue store stocks curated magazines, art books, Spanish-language titles and stationery, positioning itself as a deliberate space away from digital media.

Waterloo Records moved a few blocks north from its longtime corner at Sixth Street and Lamar Boulevard and reopened with more room than before. The relocated store keeps a large vinyl selection and added facilities including an expanded area for in-store performances, a podcast studio, a spatial audio mixing booth and a cafe where customers can buy coffee or beer while they browse.

Designer Sarah Teresinski began making children’s clothes after becoming a mother in the early 2000s, teaching herself to sew and repurposing thrifted materials and old maternity shirts. That work evolved into the Redeux Kidz brand and later Redeux Style, which expanded into home decor and lifestyle projects and grew to nearly a million followers across social platforms.

During the pandemic a viral DIY video led to an invitation to appear on The Drew Barrymore Show. Teresinski has since been featured on TODAY with Hoda and Jenna, created an upcycled gameday collection for Flea Style and the Dallas Cowboys, and joined the UN Fashion and Lifestyle Network. She cites Armstrong Vintage and the Dripping Springs Senior Center as local resale resources and encourages small upcycles, estimating widespread adoption could divert about 1.5 million pounds of waste from landfills. Her social handle is @redeux_style.

Jewelry designer Nina Berenato makes keepsakes from pets’ nose prints, converting a mold into a solid brass replica. Her process involves pouring wax into a heat-activated mold created from the animal’s nose print, then producing necklaces or keychains that reproduce the pet’s unique imprint.

BookPeople, which has served Austin since 1970, launched a paid membership club with two annual tiers. Members receive benefits such as discounts, a tote bag, free hand-selected first editions and access to members-only sales.

FM Western Store founders Dylan Wilkerson and Drew Fisk moved from pop-up events into a South Lamar Boulevard storefront where they shape custom cowboy hats by hand. The shop also accepts commissions to style headwear for private events including weddings and corporate gatherings.

Artist Kelly Frye Campbell repurposes painters’ studio drop cloths into one-of-a-kind clutches, preserving original brushstrokes and paint marks. A new Romance bookstore in Austin stocks popular titles including Heated Rivalry and A Court of Thorns and Roses, and hosts book clubs as well as group silent reading hours.

Allens Boots, a city mainstay since 1977, opened Outpost Vintage this year. Curated by manager Paul Walker, the outpost offers faded Wrangler denim, pearl snap shirts and well-worn cowboy boots aimed at shoppers seeking unique Western pieces.