How Dallas Women Do It — Oak Cliff Boutique Owner Lindsey Munchrath

Nestled in the heart Oak Cliff, Lindsey Munchrath’s shop, Beatnik Fine Goods, is a haven for breezy apparel and Moroccan-made home decor and accessories that’s constantly being edited for new and devoted passersby to discover. For Lindsey, though, it wasn’t just about style, but realizing that she could take a chance on herself.

Three years after its opening, Beatnik has become one of those extra special spots in the Oak Cliff neighborhood, full of trinkets, treasures, and hope.

Lindsey talks with PaperCity about everything from her favorite dirty matcha and her foray into energy healing, to maintaining balance on her journey to building a successful Dallas shop.

PC: What’s your Dallas-area coffee order?
Lindsey: A dirty matcha from Hola Café.

What’s the best Dallas meal you’ve ever eaten?
Nova here in Oak Cliff is really good. We’ve been going recently because it feels really comfortable and safe, and we went a couple weeks ago and they had this fish special — a red fish on top of angel hair with pesto — and it was so good.

What’s your favorite Dallas wellness spot?
Dr. Levi Richards’ practice, called the Chiropractic Co-Op. He does normal chiropractic stuff, but he does energy healing called network spinal. It has made a difference in my day-to-day wellness life, and I feel a little more at ease and at peace. I had never done anything like that in my life and I didn’t know what I was walking into, but it’s such an amazing thing. It’s easy for people to write it off as hocus-pocus kind of stuff, but he releases tension and stress in different ways.

What is your ideal Dallas hidden spot?
Ann’s Health Food Center & Market — They have everything from organic groceries to vitamins to organic skincare products, a cute little bakery and cafe. It’s a fun little spot, and a lot of people here in Oak Cliff don’t even know about it. It’s a fun mom-n-pop spot to get stuff that’s good for you!

How has your journey with small business ownership been?
I had worked in retail forever, just managing other shops. I was at Free People for like five years, and some smaller shops around Dallas. I always had a dream to open my own store, but never really had the confidence to do it. I’ve always been into fashion and was always kind of the eccentric girl at my small high school.

So I met my husband and had my son. Once I had him, I went back to work and realized this was something I could do. Motherhood also came with a little bit more self-confidence and a will to take a chance. I saw, Hey, I can do this! I can have a child and be a mom! So, this is a powerful thing: why not go for it?’

My husband and his family had always pressured me to do it, thinking I could totally be successful with it. I opened Beatnik Fine Goods a couple of months after my son turned 1. And, here we are, three years later!

How do you prioritize your own mental and physical health as a business owner?
Realizing that I’m not good at prioritizing it [has helped me with] finding my ways to improve living a more balanced life. I get so caught up with being a mom and running Beatnik that things get put on the back burner, like my social life. I’m trying to put more thought there, with texting friends, having virtual happy hours, and then doing self-care like the spinal networking has made me feel a little more balanced.

It’s just trying to be more present at home, and doing things outdoors. I turned 33 this year, and my symbol is a yin yang. I need to find some balance, and really hone in on that in my life, because before you realize it, you blink and… it’s hard. It’s hard to have that, because you get so caught up in the day-to-day hustle and bustle so you need to acknowledge it and realize it’s something you need to work on. 

What would you change about Dallas?
More space outside. I feel like we can’t change Dallas’ outdoor landscape, but I think they’re working on it with the new park around the Trinity and using open spaces to have more family-friendly spaces to exercise and have picnics. I lived in Austin for a little bit, and it’s so nice to just get away and go to the Greenbelt. We just don’t have that in Dallas, so that’s really it: just more family-friendly outdoor spaces.

What advice would you give to Dallas women?
From the movie Jojo Rabbit: “Let everything happen to you, beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final.” It resonates well with me. I have on our bulletin board in the breakroom at the shop that says, keep going.