West Elm, a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. portfolio of brands, today announced that it will open its first ever pop-up shop in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. on Thursday, July 14th. Pop-up shops, also known as flash retailing are typically short-term or temporary sales spaces. West Elm did not disclose the length of it's lease.
To celebrate the opening, a live art installation will take place in the store on opening day, and on Saturday July 16th, the West Elm pop-up shop will give away frozen pops from D.C.-favorite Pleasant Pops. Many of the pop sticks will be etched with prizes and discounts including a $1,000 West Elm gift card for one lucky customer.*
“Trying to offer people a chance to step into a different environment than they are used to seeing, and in turn, momentarily escape from routine schedules and lives.”
In approximately 3,300 square feet of selling space, the West Elm pop-up shop will offer a unique mix of products picked especially for Georgetown and with the small living spaces of nearby colleges and universities in mind. The shop will open with the brand’s Fall 2011 collection which is heavily inspired by global design and culture, and includes a number of handmade and limited-edition pieces. Georgetown customers will also find an array of bold, graphic prints in new fall textiles. A number of new office desks, chairs and bookshelves are perfectly designed for the home office or dorm room. Products that are not available at the West Elm pop-up shop are available through direct-to-customer shipping.
“Washington D.C., especially Georgetown, has such a vibrant blend of style, culture and history,” said Jim Brett, president of West Elm. “We’re excited to be a part of that mix with our first ever West Elm pop-up shop.”
In a nod to West Elm’s Brooklyn home base, the brand is partnering with artist Aakash Nihalani to create a tape installation in the store on opening day. Known for his New York City street work, Nihilani describes his installations as, “Trying to offer people a chance to step into a different environment than they are used to seeing, and in turn, momentarily escape from routine schedules and lives.”
“Our goal at West Elm is to create an experience of ongoing discovery and fun for our customers,” said Vanessa Holden, West Elm creative director. “Aakash’s work delivers on that goal. It takes people out of their reality for a brief moment of color and fun.”
On Saturday the 16th, West Elm and local frozen pop maker Pleasant Pops will give away frozen pops all day at the store. Pleasant Pops creates original recipes made from locally sourced fresh fruit, vegetables, herbs, and dairy. They give a minimum of 1% of their sales back to community organizations every year. For the first two hours (10 a.m. – 12 noon) many of the pop sticks will be etched with prizes including West Elm gift cards and discounts.
The West Elm pop-up shop is located at 3333 M Street NW, Suite B, 202-333-2928. Store hours will be 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12 noon – 6 p.m. on Sunday.
About West Elm: West Elm designs clean, simple, affordable products for modern living. Headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, the brand introduced its first catalog in April 2002 and opened the doors of its first retail location in 2003. The brand’s complete collection of modern furniture and room décor, including, modern dinnerware, wall shelves, and modern bedding is available in 35 retail stores and around-the-clock at www.westelm.com. West Elm is a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. portfolio of brands.
*There will be one grand prize, which is a west elm gift card valued at $1,000, and two first prizes, which are west elm gift cards valued at $250 each. No purchase is necessary to enter or win. The sweepstakes will run from 10:00 am EST until 12:00 pm EST on July 16, 2011 and is open to all U.S. residents, excluding Rhode Island, who are 13 years of age or older on the day of entry. For more information about the sweepstakes and for the official rules, see the west elm pop-up store.