I would advise newer pilots to avoid nitroplanes and banana. Too many threads about unresolved issues with products and service.
In the Dallas area we have some decent hobby shops
Mike's Hobby Shop http://www.mikeshobbyshop.com is on I-35E in Carrollton. Mike focuses on cars but he is a pilot and the last time I was there they had a good selection of electric models
Roy's Hobby Shop http://www.royshobby.com (web site was down today) is in Hurst. It's a long drive from where I live in Garland but they have the best selection. 1309 Norwood Drive, Hurst, TX 76053 phone
(817) 268-0210
A-1 in Mesquite http://www.a1rchobby.com is hit or miss from a customer service standpoint but they can pack a lot of stuff into a small store.
Plano RC http://planorc.com has varying selection. I really like the owners.
Wild Bill's Hobby Shop (no web site) 535 E Shady Grove Rd, Irving, TX 75060 phone (972) 438-9224

If you do decide to shop online, a few reliable dealers are
www.towerhobbies.com and their sister company www.omnimodels.com Tower offers a lot of discount codes; Omni always has free shipping at $100 for most items
www.horizonhobby.com
www.hobbypeople.net
www.advantagehobby.com they sell products from multiple distributors