News Press Releases

WEST ELM TO OPEN SKOKIE LOCATION AT WESTFIELD OLD ORCHARD

WSM | August 6, 2015

New Store Will Welcome Five Illinois-based Artists and Makers to LOCAL Program

West Elm (NYSE: WSM):

What:						Brooklyn, NY-based home furnishings retailer West Elm will open its third Chicago area store at
						Westfield Old Orchard in Skokie on Thursday, August 20, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. The 10,800-square-
						foot store will open with West Elm’s fall assortment including Fair Trade Certified, handcrafted
						and local products accompanied by a suite of complimentary design services. Crafted goods
						from five Illinois-based artists and makers will join West Elm’s LOCAL initiative. The opening of
						West Elm Skokie will create approximately 25-30 new jobs.

						To celebrate the opening, West Elm has partnered with Chicago-based artist Kevin Lucius to
						design a limited edition tote bag that will be gifted to the first 300 shoppers with a $50
						minimum purchase. Additional store opening activities include a sweepstakes* offering local
						customers a chance to win a $2,000 gift card and an invitation to a pre-opening celebration co-
						hosted by Chicago’s DIY bloggers Kim and Scott Vargo of Yellow Brick Home on Wednesday,
						August 19, 2015 from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

						For up-to-date information on in-store promotions and events, customers are encouraged to
						Like the Skokie store on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westelmskokie and follow the
						store on Instagram: @westelmskokie.

When:						The grand opening will take place on Thursday, August 20, 2015 at 10:00 a.m.
						Store hours: Monday-Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m., and Sunday 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Where:						West Elm Skokie at Westfield Old Orchard is located at 4999 Old Orchard Ctr. Suite L24
						Skokie, IL 60077. The store phone number is 847.674.4332.

Why:						“At Westfield Old Orchard we have the exciting opportunity to connect our customers in Skokie
						with new artists and makers from the Chicago area and around the world,” said West Elm
						president Jim Brett. “By welcoming customers into this community, we empower them to create
						a home that tells their personal story.”

The West Elm Skokie LOCAL assortment will include the following five makers:

Earth Cadets: A Chicago-based maker of hand printed home goods, accessories and clothing with a commitment to the environment.
Lucius Art: A graphic designer and artist who creates locally inspired wood block art prints.
Nourishing Notes: Two Chicago-based letterpress designers who make graphic food-themed tea towels.
Real. Soaps: A small studio that specializes in creating 100% natural small batch soaps.
Rebecca Plotnick: A photographer whose photos of Chicago encourage people to "linger over the beauty of life a little longer."

About: West Elm helps customers express their personal style at home. Headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, the brand introduced its first catalog in 2002, and opened its first store in 2003 in DUMBO, the Brooklyn neighborhood it still proudly calls home. Everything West Elm does is designed to make an impact, from its commitment to Fair Trade Certified, local and handcrafted products to its community-driven in-store events and collaborations. Mixing clean lines, natural materials and handcrafted collections from the US and around the world, West Elm creates unique, affordable designs for modern living. The brand operates 77 retail stores in the United States, Australia, Canada and the UK, ships internationally to customers around the world and operates stores in the Middle East through an unaffiliated franchisee. West Elm is online at westelm.com, is part of an active community on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and You Tube, and is a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. portfolio of brands.

*Open only to residents that live within the Skokie, IL area. Official rules of the sweepstakes can be found on the West Elm Skokie Sweepstakes page.