West Elm to let the good times roll

Home furnishings retailer West Elm plans to open a new retail store in New Orleans, Louisiana, Thursday, July 24, at 10 a.m. — its first in the state.



Located at 2929 Magazine St. in the Lower Garden District, the approximately 10,000-sq.-ft. store will feature the brand’s diverse mix of furniture, home décor, gifts and collaborations. The store is designed with installations inspired by New Orleans culture and will include a local assortment made by Louisiana-based artisans, such as art, leather goods, vases and stationery. A special edition West Elm New Orleans tote bag designed by Grove Street Press will be given away to the first 300 shoppers with a $50 minimum purchase.



“We are excited to open our first store in Louisiana and support the design community by partnering with Louisiana-based artisans for our local assortment, limited-edition gift bag and in-store installations,” said Jim Brett, president of West Elm. “The West Elm New Orleans store preserves the historical features of the building the store occupies. We’ve also embraced the local culture and architecture of the city by adding art installations using reclaimed musical instruments and installed fixtures that reflect the spirit of Magazine St.”



Similar to other locations, the New Orleans store will be a creative, community-driven space with products and services designed to help customers discover their personal style at home. The store will open with West Elm’s fall assortment which includes an expanded collection of lighting, new collaborations and handcrafted pieces from Haiti, India, Peru and the Philippines. During opening weekend all bedding and cook’s tools will be 20% off.



Additional store opening activities and events include a sweepstakes that offers New Orleans residents a chance to win a $2,000 gift card and an invitation to a pre-opening celebration taking place on the evening of July 23rd. The deadline to enter the sweepstakes is July 20.



The party will be catered by Boucherie, Sucre’, Bellocq and NOLA Brewing. A portion of the evening’s proceeds will benefit The Roots of Music, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering youth through music education, academic support, and mentorship while preserving and promoting the unique musical and cultural heritage of New Orleans.



West Elm operates 58 retail stores in the United States, Canada, Australia and the U.K. and around-the-clock at www.westelm.com.