• October 24, 2012

Williams-Sonoma is opening a new format for its West Elm division, with the first store opening this week in Brooklyn, N.Y. Called West Elm Market, the chain will focus on kitchen, garden, care & repair, and personal care, with a big push on local products. The shops include a café, as well as common areas for community workshops, with eight locations scheduled to be open by November, including Costa Mesa, Dallas, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Nashville, Seattle and Toronto. Based on what it calls “a classic general store” theme, the shops highlight ultra-local products, including Brooklyn Blend potting soil, and “a 2.5-quart saucepan from Brooklyn Coppersmiths, where every pot is the work of one coppersmith, one tinsmith and one ironsmith.”