West Elm eyes North Loop of Minneapolis for possible hotel

Last week, the furniture retailer announced it would open a collection of hotels in partnership with hospitality management company DDK.

October 5, 2016 at 1:50AM
The retailer is diversifying into the hotel business with rooms like this, furnished with products it sells. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Furniture retailer West Elm wants to bring one of its new hotels to the trendy North Loop of Minneapolis.

Last week, West Elm, a unit of Williams Sonoma Inc., announced it would open a collection of hotels in partnership with hospitality management company DDK.

One of the hotels will be in the North Loop in downtown Minneapolis. A representative for the company, reached Tuesday, declined to say precisely where the firm hopes to locate the hotel.

The 120-room hotel will feature a grab-and-go cafe and a rooftop bar. The hotel will "preserve the property's industrial roots while offering localized, community-inspired experiences," according to the website.

West Elm also plans to open hotels in other cities across the country including Detroit, Indianapolis, Charlotte, N.C., and Savannah, Ga. The hotels are slated to begin opening in late 2018.

"Our vision is for a truly modern hotel: one that brings together design, technology, and community to create spaces that make everyone feel like they belong," according to the West Elm Hotels website.

The hotels will include furnishings from West Elm and other Williams-Sonoma brands including some specifically designed for each property.

Guests will be able to buy products from the hotel online.

The West Elm hotel is the latest in a flurry of hotel construction and redevelopment activity in downtown Minneapolis. But the North Loop only has one hotel at the moment, TownPlace Suites, an extended-stay brand of Marriott International Inc. The Hewing Hotel, which is being built in the former Jackson Building at Washington and 3rd avenues, is expected to open next month.

West Elm isn't the only retailer to enter the hospitality industry. Last year, Restoration Hardware Inc. announced it planned to open a hotel in New York.

Nicole Norfleet • 612-673-4495

Twitter: @nicolenorfleet

about the writer

about the writer

Nicole Norfleet

Retail Reporter

Nicole Norfleet covers the fast-paced retail scene including industry giants Target and Best Buy. She previously covered commercial real estate and professional services.

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