By Marion Lynch
RED BANK – Home furnishings retailer West Elm will celebrate the opening of its new store in the West Side Lofts with a pre-opening celebration 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21. The store opens to the public 10 a.m. Thursday morning.
The shop, located at the corner of Bridge Ave. and West Front Street, will be the Brooklyn, N.Y.-based company’s third New Jersey location, with other stores located in Princeton and Paramus. There are 80 West Elm stores in the United States.
“There are some interesting things going on around the West Side Lofts project,” said company spokesman Andres Ortega. Describing the recent growth on the west side of the borough as a “younger, more creative community,” Ortega says the West Side Lofts’ appeal to artists and artisans “aligns with what we believe.”
Sleek, modern industrial-style furnishings define the West Elm brand. Ortega said the company focuses on Fair Trade-certified products and locally-sourced crafted goods.
When the Red Bank store opens next week, seven local artisans will sell their wares. Those artists include:
- Hoboken-based Brian Christopher, owner of Arbor, maker of handmade wood furnishings and home accessories;
- Brian Farrell, a Freehold designer who creates silk screens, collages, wood designs and more;
- Rebecca Garcia of Dirtsa Studio, Somerset, creator of “mindful and playful” home goods;
- Asbury Park-based Stephanie Bergeron, owner of Mavis, who makes original objects, furnishings and textiles;
- Mindful Soap Company, Clifton, maker of handmade all-natural soaps and bath products;
- Nicole Poko and Adam Hayes, owners of screen-printing and design studio Nightingale Projects, Newark;
- Salt and Still, Jersey City, creator of heirloom goods using natural dyes and fibers.
Through West Elm’s “Local” initiative, store managers are encouraged to connect with community-based artists and sell locally sourced products that will complement the store’s inventory, Ortega said.
“It’s like the store manager has his or her own boutique, “ he said.
The Local program’s benefit for local artists, he adds, is that “local makers get the opportunity to have a small footprint in our store.” For many artists who sell their work through online sites like Etsy, the program offers them more exposure and an opportunity to sell their products local. “It’s nice for them to have a brick and mortar location,” he said.
West Elm’s commitment to communities extends to local charities as well. Stores partner with local nonprofits to raise funds.
At the store’s entrance, there is a wood collage map of New Jersey made of reclaimed lathe. The cash wrap is constructed of inset-salvaged wood.
When the store opens to the public Thursday, the first 300 shoppers who spend $50 or more will receive a limited edition tote bag designed by Rebecca Rodriquez of Dirtsa Studio.
To learn more about Wednesday’s pre-opening event “Like” the Red Bank store on Facebook or follow the store on Instagram @westelmredbank.
