This time next week, US retailer Williams-Sonoma Inc will open four stores in Chadstone Shopping Centre for iconic kitchen and home furnishings brands Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids and West Elm. Just in time for Christmas, and we all know nobody makes as big of a deal of the holiday season as the Americans!
They’ll be the first Melbourne-based stores for Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids, and the second for West Elm. The stores will sit side-by-side on the lower level in the west mall. In a global first, they will be interconnected, allowing shoppers to move easily between stores and shop across all four brands. An interiors addict’s dream!
Occupying a total of 2,505 square metres of retail space, this will be the company’s biggest retail footprint in Australia. The four stores will employ 140 full-time and part-time staff.
“Melbourne’s vibrant culinary and design culture is globally recognised and we are excited to continue our global expansion by opening four stores in this thriving city in time for the Christmas season,” said Ron Young, senior vice president of Global, Williams-Sonoma, Inc. “We look forward to sharing our exceptional home furnishings, unique in-store experiences and outstanding customer service with local shoppers.”
Williams-Sonoma, Inc. operates all four brands at Bondi Junction and Chatswood Chase in Sydney and Chadstone Shopping Centre, a standalone West Elm store on Chapel Street, Melbourne, and a multi-brand store in Canberra Outlet Centre. All four brands ship across Australia via eCommerce sites: williams-sonoma.com.au, potterybarn.com.au, potterybarnkids.com.au and westelm.com.au.
A variety of events will take place from 10am on opening day (18 November) with appearances by The Block’s Michael and Carlene, Chyka Keebaugh from Real Housewives of Melbourne and Sally Obermeder from The Daily Edition. From 6 to 10pm, all shoppers are invited to an opening day Christmas party with fare from the Williams-Sonoma kitchen including mulled wine and peppermint bark candy. Shoppers will receive an exclusive discount card for Christmas shopping valid between November 22 and December 31, 2014.
The following weekend, the stores are teaming up with Gelato Messina to create a limited-edition gelato collection. The Home-Sweet-Home Signature Series features four bespoke creations designed to match the individual personalities of each iconic brand and celebrate the Christmas season. The individually handcrafted gelato will be offered between 12pm and 3pm on Saturday 22 November and Sunday 23 November to shoppers who sign up to receive special offers and information about new arrivals from the brands via email. The gelato will be distributed from the Williams-Sonoma Christmas Gelato Garden outside David Jones on the lower level while stocks last.
