BROOKLYN, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Home furnishings retailer West Elm announced today that it will open a new retail store at 6910 Fayetteville Road in Durham, NC on August 23rd, 2012. Located in the Streets at Southpoint, the new store will feature a distinctive living wall and open with the brand’s complete Fall collection. To celebrate the store opening, the brand is hosting a sweepstakes* offering a chance to win a $2,000 shopping spree and access to the store’s pre-opening event on August 22nd. The event will be hosted in partnership with SEEDS, a Durham-based non-profit dedicated to promoting principles of sustainable agriculture, organic gardening, food security and environmental stewardship through garden-based programs. West Elm will be donating a portion of sales through opening weekend at the new Durham store to SEEDS.
In addition to the partnership with SEEDS, the West Elm design team is working closely with Michelle Smith, founder of The Rock & Shop Market and indieNC, to design the interiors of the Raleigh-based non-profit shop, Kindred. Kindred is a collaboration between Smith and EntreDot, a North Carolina mentoring organization comprised of seasoned business executives that volunteer their time to assist entrepreneurs, and will incubate emerging artisans via mentoring and a boutique.
“It’s our goal with each new store we open to develop connections with local organizations around shared causes in the community,” said Jim Brett, president of West Elm. “We’re particularly passionate about supporting emerging artists and the environment, so we are excited to be celebrating our opening with these two amazing local organizations in Raleigh-Durham.”
The new Durham West Elm will open with the brand’s Fall collection which includes handmade crafts and one-of-a-kind discoveries collected during recent visits to Cape Town and Johannesburg that showcase the rich color palette and varied design influences of South Africa. Included in the assortment are designs from collaborations with 16 of South Africa’s premiere artisans including furniture designer John Vogel, ceramicist Gemma Orkin, and the artisan collective, Potter’s Workshop. New furniture, textiles, decorative accessories and gifts round out the assortment. Several of West Elm’s signature furniture pieces have also been updated for Fall including new finishes on the Parsons collection and a tufted version of the popular Tillary sofa.
As in other West Elm locations, associates at the Durham store will be focused on helping customers express their personal style at home. Together they can work on space planning and customized design projects utilizing the tools available at the store’s Design Lab, or in a customer’s home – all free of charge. West Elm Durham is open Monday-Friday 10-7, Saturday 10-8, and Sunday 11-6.
About West Elm
Mixing clean lines, natural textures and global accents, West Elm creates unique, affordable designs for modern living. Headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, the brand introduced its first catalog in 2002 and opened the doors of its first retail location in 2003. The brand’s complete collection of modern furniture and room décor, including, modern dinnerware, wall shelves, and modern bedding is available in 39 retail stores and around-the-clock at www.westelm.com. West Elm is a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. portfolio of brands.
*Deadline to enter sweepstakes is August 19. For official rules and entry form please visit: http://www.westelm.com/contest/durham/