It's not likely to generate the rock-star welcome that ushered Ikea into the Twin Cities, but the new two-story Crate & Barrel is certain to create a buzz when it opens today in Edina's Galleria.
That's because the store, which replaces the downtown and Southdale stores, goes beyond housewares to bring the popular retailer's furniture to Minnesota.
"People have wanted a [Crate & Barrel] furniture store here for a long time," said Kim Kite, area manager for furniture. "They've called our corporate offices, they written letters and e-mailed. Now they've got it."
What they have is a 34,000-square-feet store (roughly three times the size of the former Southdale store) with a classic mid-century modern feel. The first floor houses Crate & Barrel's signature dishware, kitchenware and accessories, while the second floor is devoted to furniture, with complete living room, bedroom and dining room sets displayed in vignettes grouped by style -- contemporary, classic, cottage.
Carved from part of the space once occupied by the now smaller Gabberts, the new Crate & Barrel is a stone's throw from a host of furniture stores, including Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, Room & Board and Ethan Allan. But Kite sees that as "concentration," not competition.
"People who are looking for furniture shop around," said Kite. "Having a concentration of stores gets people out."
