Rendering courtesy of DFA, design architect for the DWR Edina Studio.
Design Within Reach is returning to the Twin Cities in a big way. The Connecticut-based modern furniture retailer is planning to build an 18,000 square at the Galleria in Edina, which is already a hub for home furnishings. DWR will be located on the lower level, across from the new Barnes & Noble, with a prominent exterior and its own entrance to the mall.
DWR had a store in Uptown that closed in 2013, but that was a licensed store, says Galleria General Manager Jerry Cohen, and the Galleria is getting a company store, which should look and feel much grander, including 40 room vignettes and dramatic lighting designed by Light Studio LA. This location will also feature what’s being called “Minnesota House,” a suite of rooms developed in consultation with NewStudio Architecture of White Bear Lake, designed to evoke a luxury lake house.
DWR offers an extensive assortment of iconic modern furniture classics along with its own exclusive collections and the work of designers including Charles and Ray Eames and Norm Architects.
“Design Within Reach is a perfect fit for the Galleria’s carefully curated mix of upscale dining and shopping options,” Galleria General Manager Jerry Cohen said in a statement. “We are thrilled that our current expansion project enables us to welcome Design Within Reach to the Galleria.”
Galleria is in the midst of an expansion on the east end of the center, which will make room for eight to 10 new stores, a new restaurant and a new Starbucks. Leasing director Jennifer Smith says the Galleria is close to finalizing deals on most of the new spaces.
Signing DWR has to feel good, on the heels of the announcement that Restoration Hardware plans to leave Galleria to build a mammoth, multi-level flagship across the street.
Update: Galleria announced that popular Wayzata restaurant CoV will bring its Nantucket vibe to Galleria with an 8,000 square foot space and an upscale menu of seafood and steaks. It is expected to open in November.
