One of the oldest retailers in downtown Fort Worth’s Sundance Square is closing.
Marie Antoinette Parfumerie, across from the Renaissance Worthington Hotel, will close Nov. 30 after more than 29 years in the Bass-owned development, Dr. Marie Holliday, the owner, said. Holliday, a dentist, will keep the practice in Sundance Square and her Flowers to Go shop there.
Several retailers and restaurants at Sundance Square have closed this year. Sundance Square was already amid a major management transition to new owners Sasha and
Ed Bass, who took 100% ownership from Ed Bass’ brothers and brought in Henry S. Miller to manage Sundance Square, when COVID-19 hit. The pandemic has meant the loss of foot traffic from downtown office buildings, business and leisure travel, and local visitors; closure of the square’s highly popular Sundance Plaza gathering spot for months; and cancellation of major events such as MAIN ST. Arts Festival. Sundance has not said whether it intends to put up its annual Christmas tree and Santa Claus station at Sundance Plaza, an annual tradition that draws thousands.
The plaza’s closure, by itself, has been a big blow. “It seems as if Sundance is actually closed,” Holliday said in an interview. “But we have businesses that are open and struggling.”
Revenue is off 80% at the 1,750-square-foot Parfumerie this year, Holliday said. “I had to make a decision.” She said she reached an agreement with Henry S. Miller to terminate her lease and is taking the business online.
Sales at the 930-square-foot flower shop are off 30%, Holliday said. The shop is full-service, handling events, providing flowers to private residences and offices, and selling arrangements for holidays such as Mother’s Day. Flowers to Go, which Holliday founded 15 years ago at Sundance Square, also is a sponsor for numerous events, such as downtown’s annual Main Table fundraiser.
The shop re-opened for Mother’s Day and has continued operations with nearly normal hours, Holliday said. She attributed the continued recovery of Flowers to Go to the continued recovery of the Reata restaurant across the street and other downtown restaurants. “We’ll just have to see how things continue to do.” The dentistry was closed eight weeks amid COVID-19. “That’s doing great,” she said.