Brooklyn, N.Y. — Home furnishings retailer West Elm will open a new store in Reno, Nevada, on August 11, 2016. This marks the first national retailer to open in downtown Reno in 30 years.
Occupying 11,000 square feet on the main floor of the former U.S. Post Office building at 50 South Virginia St., West Elm Reno joins The Basement marketplace, an underground venue with a mission to create a multi-use incubator space of both retail and food vendors celebrating handicraft. As part of West Elm’s LOCAL program, products from eight Reno-based makers and designers will be featured with the store’s fall assortment of modern furnishings and décor.
“The revival of downtown Reno is an inspiring example of how a network of entrepreneurs, artists and makers can help a city to preserve and honor its history,” says Jim Brett, president of West Elm. “Opening our doors in the former post office is just the first step in our commitment to support our new community as part of downtown Reno’s placemaking movement.”
West Elm Reno is housed within Reno’s former main post office, built in 1934 and located at the heart of the city’s civic center. Today, the landmark has been meticulously restored and stands as a relic of Art Deco style in downtown Reno. Guided by historical preservation, West Elm has incorporated the building’s original architecture and ornate details in the store’s design. Preserved period elements such as the original post office boxes were used to display the West Elm sign behind the register, while motifs from the building’s exterior door pediments were recreated from raw wood and metal materials for the front cash wrap.
“West Elm’s community-focused store is as unique as the space they will call home,” says Bernard Carter, managing member of 50 South Virginia LLC, a local development group. “A catalyst for future redevelopment in our downtown, West Elm represents the return of a significant retail experience and demonstrates how vibrant Reno has become.”
Headquartered in Brooklyn, N.Y., West Elm operates 89 retail stores in the United States, Australia, Canada and the UK; the company also operates stores in Mexico, the Middle East and Philippines through unaffiliated franchisees. West Elm is a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. portfolio of brands.
SOURCE: West Elm