West Elm Debuts in Kansas City

Home furnishings retailer West Elm (Brooklyn, N.Y.) announced it will open a new retail store in Kansas City, Mo., on August 21.

The 14000-square-foot store is designed to reflect the cultural and architectural heritage of Kansas City. Pressed tin decorative elements have been utilized for the cash wrap, and reclaimed cornices and column surrounds have been flattened out, mounted as art and wrapped in steel frame. A focal wall of reclaimed lath is reimagined in converging diagonals set in linear frames. The loft ceiling is a wood installation of gently whitewashed, tongue and groove pine planks.

The unit will also feature a curated selection of products made in Missouri, part of West Elm’s Local initiative. The Kansas City West Elm Local assortment includes art, hand-woven throws, stationery, bar accessories and pillows from Missouri-based makers.

“This month we also launched the We Love Local Small Business Grant, designed to support artists, makers and designers in the communities around all of our stores,” West Elm president Jim Brett said in a release. “The prize — $25,000 and ongoing business support from the West Elm team — can have a huge impact on a U.S.-based small business.”