exterior shot of Restoration Hardware
The opening of the season in Edina took place on a mall parking lot last night, underneath the shadow of a water tower. Restoration Hardware opened their new flagship store, on 2 acres of land that edges France Ave and glances toward Galleria.
It's a stunner. There's no getting around that.
bedroom set
There are three levels of oppulence and style, showrooms and galleries of bedrooms, sitting areas, art, sofas, and well-crafted stuff. I'll let Mads Nachbar tell you more about that when she can.
covered patio dining space
On the third level, the top, there is something to behold. It's a full service restaurant, the 7th in their collection. It's hard to overstate the beauty of it, trees tower underneath the glassed in roof, greenery lines the booths and tables. A water feature churns in the center like any fountain in a Savannah square. The chandelier drips overhead: it's luxe. Outdoor spaces overlook the west facing landscape, sunsets will obviously be great.
What can we say about the food? Not much, yet. They were very tight with info, and it will all be launched today with the official opening (so maybe we'll link into it), but suffice it to say, they're not phoning it in. Laurel Elm, formerly of both Saint Dinette and La Belle Vie, is the chief hosptitalitarian on site. But the fact that the company brought on members from Chicago's Hogsalt Group (the ones who run Au Cheval, et al) to help define their hospitality philosophy, is no small thing. This isn't the cafe at IKEA.
1 of 2
dinning room with three chandeliers
The break room for restaurant staff. No, for real.
2 of 2
staff locker room
The locker room for restaurant staff. Yep, that's carpet.
Neither is the kitchen. Please pay attention to the staff locker rooms and the break room. Yes, that marble table with plush dining chairs is the break room. Yeah, that one with all the natural light. Not pictured: the flat screen tv. Did I mention there's plenty of free parking in a mall lot? Just saying, if you happen to feel like putting in an application.
interior of dimly lit restaurant
During the busy opening party, I got a hot second to chat with RH CEO Gary Friedman. We talked a lot about the integration of hospitality and how they've brought it all under their own roof to better direct the guest experience, that hospitality is as important to give to someone looking for a couch pillow as it is to someone ordering a Cobb salad. Then he told me about his 4am meal at the Nicollet Diner (loved the waffles), so directed was he by his Uber driver. And I made sure he understood the beauty of some broasted chicken and pizza delivered from American Pie in Richfield at 4am. This is the job, people.
Who will come to this restaurant? Surely the LWL (ladies who lunch) and the style set who plan people's living rooms for them. But also, shoppers who don't want to be beaten up by a Cheesecake Factory menu, and quite honestly, anyone who lives in this godforsaken state in January. Because: sun, water, trees, life, and yes, brunch. The consensus was that this place wouldn't stray too far from the Chicago restaurant's format of being open all day, for brunch and dinner seven days a week. Indeed we had small bites of burgers, lobster rolls, burrata, all likely to make an appearance on the actual menu.
As of today: Now Open.
