Dennis Beckman has always been a talented designer and collector. But even those born with the talent and “the touch” will agree — a little luck now and then never hurts.

While running his San Francisco shop, The Enchanted Crystal, Beckman stumbled upon the Mardi Gras mask-making business. “When I was visiting Paris one year, someone told me about these amazing antique silk flowers,” says Beckman.

“I bought them all to showcase with some jewelry. A bride came into the store one day and said she wanted to wear them in her hair for her wedding. She asked if I could put them into a comb and add crystals and pearls. I said ‘sure.’’

After the bride’s request that day, Beckman started making bridal headpieces.

“I made thousands of oneof- a-kind headpieces,” says Beckman. “One day, one of my brides said she really wanted to walk down the aisle and surprise everyone by wearing a mask.”

“I made her an elaborate mask to go with her gown.

She was a celebrity after that. Everyone loved it. Her friends were all asking me to make them one.” In addition to the masks, Beckman designs Mardi Gras wreaths, pens, and crowns for Mardi Gras Kings and Queens around the area. All his ideas for the elaborate mask and crown designs come from his travels.

He loves to travel. Always has.

Originally from Shreveport, Beckman ran the San Francisco shop for 42 years after a military assignment brought him to the West Coast.

“My military assignment was very unique,” says Beckman. “They sent me to San Francisco with a whole civilian group to review major core projects. It was also the beginning of the environmental revolution.”

Beckman went on to develop what became the National Environmental Policy Act.

“The law says any federal actions have to review the environmental, social, and economic impacts of a project,” says Beckman. “I developed the whole concept.

Then I went to Washington, D.C., and they made it into law.”

With a Master of Environmental Design degree from LSU, Beckman then worked on designing a park in Hawaii and one outside of Las Vegas. He also worked on the redesign of a Florida sanctuary.

When Beckman opened The Enchanted Crystal, he was the first guy in America to begin importing the world-renowned Swarovski crystals.

“I happened to meet the Belgium and Austrian representatives of Swarovski crystals,” says Beckman. “They had mentioned to me how they started making paperweights and decorative pieces.”

Beckman told them he was interested and became the inaugural American Swarovski crystal importer.

You can check out Dennis’s masks at his sister Debra’s shop, Enchanted Garden, on Line Avenue in Shreveport.

“People will come into my sister’s shop all the time and tell her, ‘I’ve been to your brother’s shop,” says Beckman.

Creativity and talent run deep in the Beckman household. Dennis’ son, Stefan Beckman, is a renowned designer of sets, fashion shows, and exhibitions.

Main Squeeze on Airline Drive in Bossier City has been a popular and healthy spot for many of us in the Shreveport/Bossier area for years now. Everything they offer is vegan and gluten-free.

Jon and Taylor Shellhaas officially took ownership of the Bossier Main Squeeze store in January of 2023. Their beautiful store has a great, big moss wall when you walk into the lobby on the right. Just below the wall is a little seating area to hang out in. There are plenty of plants and greenery covering the lobby area, as well.

Very cool atmosphere at Main Squeeze. And if you have ever tried any of their healthy, tasty juices and smoothies, you already know they match the aura.

That’s because their drinks are made without the added junk some other places use.

“We don’t use any added sweeteners in our smoothies,” says Jon Shellhaas. “All other places use turbinado.”

At Main Squeeze, your smoothie is never watered down either because they don’t use ice, ensuring you get all the nutrients and taste with no filler. Instead, they take the fruit, freeze it, and that emulates the ice in a smoothie. They also offer acai bowls with imported acai from the Amazon rainforest in Brazil.

Main Squeeze has expanded their food options lately. They have a great kitchen, and they have been putting it to use. Some quick and healthy food options are their new grab-and-go wraps. The chipotle wrap has black beans, corn, pico de gallo and comes with a side of their homemade chipotle sauce. The hearty wrap includes black beans, pico de gallo, sweet potatoes, cashew cream and spinach.

Of course, Main Squeeze has always been known for their cold-pressed juices.

“Cold-pressed means it’s going to be free of high-pressure pasteurization,” says Shellhaas. “It also means we don’t use any chemical preservatives, as well.”

It’s basically using a grinder to grind all the fruits and vegetables between two metal plates.

They can make anywhere from 20 to 100 bottles of juice in each batch.