Room & Board to Open New Store in Culver City, CA

Furniture World Magazine

Room & Board, a 29-year-old company offering handcrafted, American-made home furnishings, will open a new store in Culver City on Oct. 5, 2009. Located in the historic Helms Bakery complex, the store will be Room & Board’s tenth in the U.S. The new store, located at 8707 Washington Boulevard in the Helms Bakery complex, is now home to a new generation of artisans. Helms Bakery was known for supplying fresh-baked bread with the motto “Daily at Your Door,” and it was the official baker for the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The building’s historic sign still carries the Olympic symbol. Helms Bakery closed in 1969 and was purchased by Walter N. Marks, Inc. in 1974. Wally Marks III, the owner of the building, is pleased to see the space bring together retailers who complement one another, continuing his family’s vision of creating a district for home furnishings and the arts. “Together, these stores will make a great destination for people looking for ideas and inspiration for their homes.” The 36,000-square-foot showroom is located just south of the Santa Monica (I-10) freeway at the Robertson Boulevard exit, and free parking is available. The store will initially employ 30 design associates on the sales floor and 30 staff members at its distribution center in Torrance. Store hours will be Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Room & Board recognized Culver City as an ideal market for this new store after receiving strong demand and positive feedback from its customers. Room & Board has 25,000 customers in the Los Angeles area and is looking forward to building upon those relationships. “We’re excited to bring our handcrafted, American-made furniture to a design-centric community like Culver City,” said John Gabbert, founder and president of Room & Board. “We are fueling growth for our company and at the same time doing our part to help the economy. We are very proud of the fact that 85 percent of our furniture is American-made. The Culver City location will help drive more business to our vendor partners, who in turn will do more business in their local communities.” Room & Board is continuing its thoughtful growth strategy by considering several urban markets for potential new store locations. Room & Board will open its eleventh store in Washington, D.C., in the spring of 2010. Additional markets being considered include New Jersey, San Jose, Boston, Seattle, Miami and Dallas. About Room & Board: For 30 years, Room & Board, a Minneapolis-based furniture retailer, has focused on offering great design that’s beautiful, affordable and long-lasting. The company works closely with American artisans and family owned businesses, and is proud that 85 percent of its products are American made. Room & Board works directly with furniture-makers – eliminating the middleman – to offer exclusive designs , the finest natural materials and the best value to customers. The company also makes it easy for customers to get a personal look that’s perfect for any space. Room & Board sets the standard for custom, quality furniture options that aren’t complicated. Customers can shop in stores, online or over the phone and receive the same great service from expert Design Associates. Room & Board has stores in Minneapolis, Chicago, Denver, Orange County, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and Atlanta. For more information, visit www.roomandboard.com