Susan Dickenson

STORE OPENINGS, EXPANSIONS (Summer, 2007)
October 10, 2007

Stamford, Conn. -- Juliska opened the doors of its completely redesigned 2,000-sq.-ft. flagship store in June following two months of renovation that included building a koi pond and fountain, creating a café bar, and enclosing a bridal registry and interior designer room. Inspired by Juliska’s design team and executed by New York stylist and designer Marc Blackwell, the boutique and café are located on Canal Street, at the entrance to the expanding designer district of Stamford’s South End. In addition to the complete line of Juliska glassware, ceramics and linens, the store showcases a selection of gifts, tableware and entertaining accessories.

Tulsa, Okla. -- La Bella Vita, a home accessories and gift shop owned by first-time retailer Jennifer Bruton, opened in July at Center 1 in Tulsa.

Canoga Park, Calif. – The Power of Home’s grand opening was celebrated in June at the Westfield Topanga Shopping Center.

Urbandale, Iowa  – Charles Home Furnishings shop moved into a new location, tripling its space. The store now carries accessories in addition to furniture.

Mt. Pleasant, S.C. – The Sitting Room, a home furnishings boutique in a two-story farmhouse, opened in Mt. Pleasant. Owners Brady and Heather Marz will offer custom upholstery, artwork, lighting, gifts and other items in traditional and modern styles.

Hermosa Beach, Calif. – Emerson Miranda opened Bali House Furnishings, a 3,000-sq.-ft. showroom selling handcrafted furniture and décor made with eco-friendly materials including banana wood, teak, sea grass, cinnamon, lava stone and sandstone.

Austin, Texas -- Heather Blue-Harkovich and Scott Harkovich opened Heather Scott Home & Design in the Arboretum, stocking home accessories, handmade Italian pottery, furniture and gifts.

Muskegon, Mich. -- Hegg's Gallery of upscale home furnishings opened a second location in downtown Muskegon at 356 W. Western.  Hegg's is a three-generation family business that was purchased by Stacie and Scott Hegg in 1998.

Hendersonville, N.C. -- Silver Fox Gallery, owned by Bonnie and Jim Rash, has renovated its basement level and doubled its exhibit space to allow the display of home furnishings including lines from Hubbardton Forge, Kravet, Miles Talbott, Michael Thomas, Charleston Forge and G. Keener.

Cincinnati, Ohio -- Down Lite International, a manufacturer of down and feather bedding, plans to open a company store in September. In addition to its company lines, the store will carry contemporary home furnishings and accessories. Down Lite sells down and alternative bedding, including comforters, pillows, mattress pads and feather beds, to retailers around the United States.

South Burlington, Vt. -- Vermont Gift Barn and Gallery announces the launch of a newly re-designed website offering a wide selection of traditional and contemporary gifts, crafts, and home accents with a focus on Vermont-made products.

Mirror Lake, N.H. -- Olde Twin Mountain Country Store is celebrating the first anniversary of its online store, Twin Mountain Collections. The online store offers a collection of finely handcrafted wooden accessories which provide beauty and organization solutions for every room in the home.

Tampa, Fl. -- Ballard Designs opened its first retail store in late August in Tampa’s International Plaza mall and plans to open another location in Jacksonville, Fl. later this year. The Atlanta-based home decor, gifts, and garden accessories cataloger operates two outlets in Georgia and one in Ohio. Founded in 1982 by Helen Ballard Weeks, Ballard Designs was acquired by Cornerstone Brands in 1997.

Los Angeles -- Ty Pennington opened ADHD (Art Design Home Décor), an interior design store, mid-August, in Venice, Calif. ADHD offers a selection of modern, hip, high-end housewares and furniture in a renovated bungalow.

Costa Mesa, Calif. – Hawaii’s C.S. Wo & Sons celebrated the opening of its first mainland store in Costa Mesa’s South Coast Home Furnishings Centre, August 11th.

Miami, Fl. -- Shanghai Tang opened a boutique at the Miami’s Mandarin Oriental, offering homewares and high-end apparel. Since its inception in 1994, Shanghai Tang has opened 23 boutiques in luxury retail markets around the world.

Minneapolis -- Nordic Home has consolidated its three locations into Nordic Home Interiors, a custom furniture and rug showroom. Owners Marita and Orlyn Kringstad are sharing showroom space at their new south Minneapolis location, 620 West 58th Street, with Troll Log Homes, a builder of Scandinavian-designed homes. Nordic’s former downtown space will be filled by International Design Center, offering Scandinavian and European furnishings, textiles and accessories.

Lakewood Ranch, Fla. -- Divine Interiors has moved to 8205 Nature's Way in San Marco Plaza in Lakewood Ranch and has expanded its assortment of home accessories and gifts.

Wash., D.C. -- West Elm's flagship store opened in the old Woodward & Lothrop Building in downtown Washington, D.C. in August making it, at just under 40,000 square feet, the largest retailer to occupy the historic building and the largest furniture store in the District. West Elm, owned by Williams-Sonoma, has preserved the original moldings and floors of the local landmark which closed to D.C. residents in 1995. 

Posted by Susan Dickenson on October 10, 2007 | Comments (3)