Four things to know about Space, Nordstrom’s store-within-a-store opening at the Grove
As any fan of the original “Star Trek†series knows, space is the final frontier. If that’s the case, then logically there would be no better place to end a summer-long retail journey (exploring “strange new retail†as it were) than Space, a luxury boutique-within-a-department-store opening at the Nordstrom at the Grove on Friday.
During a recent phone interview, Olivia Kim, vice president of creative projects at Seattle-based Nordstrom, shared some details about what shoppers can expect from Space. Based on our retail reconnaissance, here are four things to know before you boldly go where no local shoppers have gone before.
What exactly is the concept?
Essentially, Nordstrom wants to create a boutique shopping experience on premises. Merchandise-wise, that usually means couple of two things: one is stocking the shelves with a highly curated selection of high-end apparel and accessories. The other is serving up lesser-known and emerging labels alongside the familiar, established brands.
What brands are on board?
Clothing labels such as Anthony Vaccarello and Koché and jewelry lines including Charlotte Chesnais and Meadowlark make up an extensive list of designer goods at Space. In the mix will be handbags from Kara Handbags and Creatures of Comfort as well as shoes and accessories from Brother Vellies, Maison Michel and Maria La Rosa. Also, fragrances and other goods from Comme des Garçons will be available.
What’s the deal with the separate Space space?
At just about 500 square feet, Kim says the goal is to create an intimate boutique-like environment inside of the larger department store — and one that feels intimate but not closed off.
Space initially launched in Nordstrom’s flagship locations in downtown Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago and Vancouver, British Columbia In addition to L.A., a Space shop in Nashville opened this month, and the luxury department store will unveil new Toronto-area Nordstrom stores on Sept. 16 and Oct. 21 with Space boutiques.
If I’ve seen one Space I’ve seen them all, right?
Not exactly, since each Space boutique is designed to look different. “We curate them based on the store,†says Kim, who considers L.A. to be one of her favorite cities in the world. That means the Grove Space will be appointed in some of Kim’s favorite furniture, art and decor from George J. Sowden, Masanori Umeda, Javier Mariscal and Ettore Sottsass.
Nordstrom, 189 Grove Drive, Los Angeles, www.nordstrom.com
Twitter: @alexgoldennews
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