HOME RETAILER WEST ELM OPENS SECOND HOUSTON STORE

October 22, 2015

West Elm CityCentre to Feature Locally Made Goods from Nine Texas Artisans

Brooklyn, N.Y. based home furnishings retailer West Elm will open its second Houston location at CityCentre on Thursday, November 5 at 10 a.m. The new location will open with West Elm’s holiday assortment and signature mix of Mid-century and modern furniture and accessories, Fair Trade Certified and handcrafted products, and suite of complimentary design services. A selection of locally made products from nine Texas-based artists will be available in store as part of West Elm’s LOCAL initiative, which supports community artisans by helping them connect and grow their businesses.

"Texas has a long tradition of craftsmanship and artistry, and Houston is home to a burgeoning creative scene,” said Jim Brett, president of West Elm. “At Houston's CityCentre we have the opportunity to connect Texas artisans to our community of 500 local designers, artists and makers."

As part of the West Elm CityCentre opening, the LOCAL assortment will include products from these nine Texas-based makers:

  • Desert Beauty Soaps & Lotions: El Paso-based maker of all natural hot and cold processed soaps.
  • Creative Kids: An El Paso non-profit, community-based art agency that works with disadvantaged youth to create art pieces that are then turned into pillows and prints.
  • Hemlock & Heather: Have been working with West Elm since 2014 and are part of the “Best of LOCAL” assortment on westelm.com featuring their Texas-shaped wall hangings made from 100 percent reclaimed materials.
  • Leah Duncan: Abstract prints inspired by Texas flora from the Austin-based illustrator.
  • Lilco: A Dallas design and letterpress studio with Texas-inspired notecards and tea towels.
  • Marfa Brands: All-natural soap bars from the west Texas town of Marfa.
  • Son of a Sailor: Handmade geometric jewelry and accessories from an Austin-based husband and wife team.
  • Tiny Fawn: Whimsical animal prints from Dallas-based artist Darrah Gooden.
  • Workhorse Printmakers: Houston-based letterpress and printmaking studio that highlights the history of the city’s bayous.

West Elm will host a pre-opening celebration on November 4 and store opening activities including a sweepstakes* offering local customers a chance to win a $2,000 gift card and invitation to the evening’s party. A portion of the proceeds from the November 4 event will benefit the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, a local non-profit arts organization founded to advance education about the process, product and history of craft. In addition, West Elm has partnered with Houston-based LOCAL collaborator Workhorse Printmakers to design an exclusive tote bag that will be given to the first 300 shoppers with a $50 minimum purchase at the grand opening on November 5.

West Elm CityCentre

West Elm CityCentre is located at 12848 Queensbury Ln., Suite 150, Houston, TX 77024. Store hours are Monday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6:00 p.m. For up-to-date information on in-store promotions and events, customers are encouraged to follow the CityCentre store on Instagram: @WestElmCityCentre and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westelmcitycentre.

About West Elm

West Elm helps customers express their personal style at home. Headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, the brand opened its first store in 2003 in DUMBO, the neighborhood it still proudly calls home. Everything West Elm does is designed to make an impact, from its commitment to Fair Trade Certified, local and handcrafted products to its community-driven in-store events and collaborations. Mixing clean lines, natural materials and handcrafted collections from the US and around the world, West Elm creates unique, affordable designs for modern living. The brand operates 80 retail stores in the United States, Australia, Canada and the UK, ships internationally to customers around the world and operates stores in Mexico, the Middle East and Philippines through unaffiliated franchisees. West Elm is part of an active community on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and YouTube, and is a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. portfolio of brands.

*Open only to residents that live within the Houston, TX area. Official rules of the sweepstakes can be found at www.westelm.com/houstonsweeps.

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