1. Merry Heart TeaRoom

In this quaint lunch spot, men are about as scarce as empty seats. Women, on the other hand, flock here for the exact reasons the guys steer clear: to share gossip while snacking on the signature “toasties” (essentially croutons with a kick), to eat dainty portions of King Ranch chicken crepes, and to sip Earl Grey from floral teacups at the afternoon tea service. A real man, of course, isn’t afraid to admit that happiness is a warm scone. 110 N. Houston, 800-354-1670

2. Almost Heaven

This thirty-year-old decor and gift shop may be aiming for celestial heights (a horn-playing angel is on the sign out front), but it dredges up at least three of the seven deadly sins. Greed will spur you to grab as many of those peacock headbands as you can. Envy will bubble up when another customer takes the last ultrasoft Scene Weaver bamboo throw. And pride will consume you after you hang that amber glass pendant lamp, making your entryway shine just a touch brighter than your neighbor’s. 118 N. Houston, 817-573-1591, almost-heaven.com

3. Brazos River Trading Co. antiques

If your absurdly wealthy third cousin twice removed dies and leaves a cache of collectibles to some less-deserving relative while you get bubkes, console yourself with a spree at this well-kept antiques emporium. Perhaps a new-to-you orange-leather Ranch Oak barrel chair would temper your loss. Or you could play the “we used to have that” game and snatch up—in the name of posterity—thin beaded souvenir belts, mint copies of Conan the Barbarian, and unglazed piano baby figurines from Germany. Sometimes the best heirlooms are the ones you buy for yourself. 113 E. Bridge, 817-573-5191

4. Wagon Yard

Tucked behind the Historic Nutt House Hotel (we kid you not), this home-shopping landmark specializes in imposing furniture (aspen-log beds, heavy cherrywood desks), striking fixtures (wagon-wheel chandeliers, elaborate door chimes), and reproductions (Crosley turn-tables, faux-vintage baseball posters) meant to stoke our wistfulness for days gone by. Which makes it something of an unofficial man-cave outfitter. Add a cowhide rug, a stack of fifties-era Life magazines, and a pair of bronze deer-head gun hangers, and all your buddies will be saying, “Love what you’ve done with the place.” 213 N. Crockett, 817-573-5321, wagonyard.com

5. Granbury Live

Don’t be surprised if a raven-haired lady jumps out to greet you as you dawdle past this black-and-white art deco theater. Owner Sandi McRae likes to extend personal invitations to the “nostalgia concerts” staged here fifty weekends a year. With a rotation of nine or ten shows, there’s a genre (rock and roll, country) and a decade to suit every musical fancy. If you can’t make it to a performance, take up McRae’s offer to sneak a peek inside: The intimate venue, with its 248 antique red-velvet seats, looks grand even when it’s empty. 114 N. Crockett, 800-989-8240, granburylive.com

6. The Pan Handle

You could perform neurosurgery with fewer instruments than it takes to cook a gourmet meal these days. But even if your utensil drawers are already stuffed with gadgets, you’ll still find something you don’t have among the expansive assortment here. You may not need kneading gloves, bendable Fire Wire grilling skewers, or an Orka silicone tagine, but they might inspire a Julia Child—like confidence. Or perhaps they’ll make you realize how much you’d benefit from the cooking classes offered each month. 106 N. Crockett, 817-579-1518, thepanhandle.com

7. Hank’s on the Square

January’s low-fat resolutions will evaporate the moment you get your hands on the menu at this cozy hangout. You will, in other words, break down and order the BLT Avocado: five thick bookmarks of bacon and a schmear of avocado on butter-saturated toast. And if you’re going to backslide, you might as well assuage your guilt with the beer sampler (a quartet of four-ounce pours) and a slice of the Dr Pepper cake too. 115 E. Pearl, 817-579-1116

8. Rio Grande Mercantile

To add a dash of Santa Fe panache to your wardrobe without looking as if you’ve merely swaddled yourself in a Pendleton blanket, take a few pointers from the saleswomen at this Southwestern clothing boutique. Ditch the muumuu-like ponchos for a figure-flattering yellow Bryn Walker wrap coat made of soft bamboo and cotton or a luxurious Rico scoop neck sweater handcrafted in Thailand. Instead of piling on turquoise, slip on a slender wood cuff, and above all, remember that the only thing that should resemble a Navajo tapestry is your roomy new carpet bag. 111 E. Pearl, 817-579-0089