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West
Elm Expands Into Travel and Hospitality with West Elm Hotels
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Brooklyn,
NY � October 2016 / Newsmaker Alert / West Elm announces the expansion
of its signature new modern aesthetic into the travel and hospitality industry
with the launch of West Elm HOTELS,
a partnership with hospitality management and development company DDK.
The first properties are expected to be located in Detroit, Michigan; Minneapolis,
Minnesota; Savannah, Georgia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Indianapolis,
Indiana, and are planned to begin opening in late 2018. Additional locations
will be announced in the future.
�After
twenty-six consecutive quarters of double-digit comparative growth, including
our successful entry into the commercial furnishings market with West Elm
Workspace, we�ve created an active bond with our customers that can extend
beyond home and work,� said Jim Brett, president of West Elm. �By adapting
the framework design of each hotel to reflect the mood and identity of
its host city, we will continue to engage the adventurous spirit of our
customers as they follow us to our next level of hospitality.�
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As
part of West Elm�s ongoing commitment and relationship with makers around
the world, each West Elm hotel will feature local design elements that
celebrate community and reflect traditional décor, handicraft, cuisine
and culture from the region. Artwork will be commissioned and curated locally
for each guest room as well as for the communal, common areas in each hotel.
�There
is a growing desire among modern travelers to immerse themselves in the
place they are visiting. They want a boutique experience, and expect great,
reliable service that caters to their needs,� said David Bowd, co-founder
of DDK. �Our general managers will serve as innkeepers, and West Elm HOTELS
will focus on making real community connections for visitors and residents
alike.�
A network
of locally managed properties, West Elm HOTELS revolves around three key
tenets:
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Wholehearted
hospitality: Great service, personalized attention, regional knowledge
and community connections will help guests feel like a local and at home.
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Distinctive,
thoughtful design: Each property will have its own design point of view,
from the exterior architecture to custom installations, such as locally
crafted art and bespoke furnishings.
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Community
connection: Communal spaces and one-of-a-kind experiences will bring guests
and neighbors together in a relaxed, collective setting.
True to
the West Elm brand, these tenets will be reflected in the design, programming
and overall guest visit to offer an inviting and accessible hospitality
experience. Guests will also be able to purchase the furnishings and artwork
found in any room on-line at www.westelm.com.
About
West Elm
Headquartered
in Brooklyn, NY since 2002, West Elm opened its first store in DUMBO, the
neighborhood it still proudly calls home. With the mission of helping customers
express their personal style at home, work and away, everything West Elm
does is designed to make an impact in everyday life, from creating unique,
affordable designs for modern living to its commitment to Fair Trade Certified,
from LOCAL and handcrafted products to community-driven in-store events
and collaborations. The brand operates 93 retail stores in the United States,
Australia, Canada and the UK, ships internationally to customers around
the world and operates stores in Mexico, the Middle East and Philippines
through unaffiliated franchisees. In addition to home furnishings retail,
West Elm operates West Elm Workspace
in the commercial furnishings industry. West
Elm publishes the blog Front+Main
and is part of an active community on Facebook,
Instagram, Pinterest,
Twitter and YouTube.
West Elm is a member of the Williams-Sonoma,
Inc. portfolio of brands.
About
DDK
Founded
in 2014, DDK is a full service management company providing operations
expertise and technical services for boutique hotel management and development.
Co-founders and company principals Kim Phoebus, David Bowd & David
Wasserman have helped to create, launch and operate more than 70 properties
globally, creating a unique hospitality experience with each project. DDK
excels in producing hotel environments that truly reflect the local neighborhood
and surrounding areas through locally-inspired design, cuisine and services,
along with hiring of local staff to help create an engaging experience
from the moment guests walk inside. In addition to hotel planning and programming,
DDK provides leadership in all aspects of operations, including: pre-opening
coordination, sales and marketing, revenue management, online presence
and distribution, financial and asset management and human resources. For
additional information, visit www.ddkhotels.com.
Forward-Looking
Statements
This
press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and
uncertainties, as well as assumptions that, if they do not fully materialize
or prove incorrect, could cause Williams-Sonoma, Inc.�s results to differ
materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
Such forward-looking statements include statements relating to the anticipated
opening of West Elm HOTELS locations and the success of such hotels. The
risks and uncertainties that could cause the company�s results to differ
materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements
include the risks that the hotels do not open on schedule or are not successful.
Other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in Williams-Sonoma,
Inc.�s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31,
2016, all subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports
on Form 8-K. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based
on information available to the company as of the date hereof, and Williams-Sonoma,
Inc. assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
Contacts:
Nicole
Sutliff
for
West Elm
Phone:
718-780-4416
West
Elm Hotels
press@westelmhotels.com
Phone:
415-421-7900 |
