Store Offers Local Artists and Small Businesses Opportunity to ‘Pop-In’ for New Residency Program
Brooklyn-based home retailer West
Elm announced today that it will open its new Santa Monica store at
1427 4th Street on Thursday, June 7. The new 25,200 sq. ft. store,
relocated from its neighboring 4th Street location, will test new retail
concepts as a part of West Elm’s continued commitment to offering
customers unique, locally-driven store experiences. West Elm Santa
Monica will include community flex spaces designated for a Residency
Program in which local artists and small businesses will ‘pop-in’ to
develop product, teach workshops, and host events. The program will be
inaugurated by two Santa Monica-based artists and businesses, Scott
Coppersmith Designs and In
My Solitude LA beginning June 7.
“We challenge ourselves to continually evolve our stores with new
concepts that make meaningful contributions to the communities we call
home,” said West Elm President Alex Bellos. “Our goal with the Residency
Program is to help local artists and entrepreneurs grow their businesses
by sharing our resources. We are proud to deepen our presence in Santa
Monica, and open our new doors to participants by offering a creative
retail space to incubate new ideas and connect with customers.”
The West Elm Santa Monica Residency Program will offer free retail and
flex spaces to selected applicants, each versatile enough to accommodate
different disciplines and types of businesses. The Santa Monica store
will open with two purpose-driven, local businesses that will pilot the
program including a gallery of Scott
Coppersmith Designs’ showcasing a range of custom marquee signs made
with recycled materials and reclaimed wood, as well as In
My Solitude LA, a candlemaker harnessing aroma as a means of therapy
specifically for cancer patients. Each residency will be unique in its
offerings and will vary in length. Throughout the temporary residency,
participants will be encouraged to share their creative process with
customers, provide insight into their craft and host interactive
workshops. To learn more about joining the Residency Program, please
send an email to WestElmStores@wsgc.com.
West Elm Santa Monica will continue to expand its assortment of products
made by California-based makers and designers through West Elm’s LOCAL
program. Among the 26 local artists featured in the new store are:
-
Andy
Davis Designs (Way Way Out There, Inc.): Beach and surf-themed
prints designed by artist and Southern California Surfer Andy Davis in
Solana Beach
-
Bossladies
Magazine: A printed publication illustrating the growing, global
community of creative women entrepreneurs published in Santa Monica
-
Cardtorial:
Journals and notebooks with covers handcrafted and laser cut from
sustainable wood in Los Angeles
-
DKNG
Studios: Vintage-inspired prints featuring iconic objects
illustrated in Los Angeles
-
Eric
Trine: Colorful, handmade geometric planters and pedestals crafted
from steel in Long Beach
In addition to the community spaces and dedicated assortment of locally
crafted products, the new Santa Monica store will offer amenities such
as:
-
Design
Crew
services, Williams-Sonoma, Inc.’s cross-brand
design consultation program which pairs customers with experts who can
provide design, installation and registry assistance
-
A
Bouqs
Company
Flower Shop offering customers a wide array of
sustainably grown, farm fresh bouquets, also available on WestElm.com
-
A public outdoor patio inviting customers and neighbors to
gather and bask in the comfort of West Elm’s modern outdoor
furnishings while enjoying wi-fi and community interaction
-
Monthly programming including pop-ups, free workshops, and
store-led events such as terrarium workshops and crafting classes
West Elm Santa Monica invites the community to celebrate the new store
opening by participating in its grand opening activities including:
-
Grand Opening Party on Wednesday, June 13 from 6 - 8 p.m:
-
Meet LA-based creatives Kelly and Jeff Mindell (Instagram: @jeffmindell),
the couple behind Studio DIY (Instagram: @StudioDIY),
the digital lifestyle brand known for its colorful content and
products
-
Snap photos on a Leesa mattress with an interactive photo booth
provided by Leesa
Sleep
-
Enjoy live music by the locally based Ben
Rose Band with cocktails and light bites from Heirloom
LA
-
Take home a complimentary flower bouquet from The
Bouqs Company
-
Shop for a good cause: A portion of the night’s proceeds will go
to the 18th
Street Art Center, the largest artist residency program in
Southern California
-
RSVP to the celebration by visiting: www.westelmsantamonica.splashthat.com
-
Special edition West Elm Santa Monica tote bag: Beginning
Thursday, June 7, and while supplies last, the first 300 shoppers with
a $50 minimum purchase will receive a special edition West Elm Santa
Monica tote bag.
For up-to-date information on in-store promotions and events, customers
are encouraged to “like” the West Elm Santa Monica store on Facebook: www.facebook.com/westelmsantamonica
and follow the store on Instagram: @westelmsantamonica.
West Elm Santa Monica is open Monday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m., and
Sunday 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. The store’s address is 1427 4th St., Santa
Monica, CA 90401 and the phone number is (310) 260-1073. Applicants
interested in joining the West Elm Santa Monica team may send an email
to WestElmStores@wsgc.com.
About West Elm
Headquartered in Brooklyn, NY since 2002, West Elm opened its first
store in DUMBO, the neighborhood it still proudly calls home. With a
mission of harnessing the power of design and human connection to enrich
lives, everything West Elm does is designed to make an impact in
everyday life, from creating unique, affordable designs for modern
living and commitment to Fair Trade Certified, from LOCAL and
handcrafted products to community-driven collaborations and events. The
brand operates more than 100 retail stores as well as e-commerce
websites in the United States, Australia, Canada and the UK, ships
internationally to customers around the world, and has unaffiliated
franchisees that operate stores in Mexico, Middle East, Philippines and
South Korea. In addition to home furnishings retail, West Elm operates West
Elm Workspace in the commercial furnishings industry and announced
its expansion into the travel and hospitality industry with the launch
of West
Elm Hotels. West
Elm publishes the blog Front+Main
and is part of an active community on Facebook,
Instagram,
Pinterest,
Twitter
and YouTube.
West Elm is a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) portfolio
of brands.
