Crate and Barrel at Oakbrook Center to open restaurant
Home furnishings retailer Crate and Barrel is planning to open a restaurant at its Oakbrook Center store in the spring.
The Oak Brook location will feature a restaurant offering seating for about 100 people both on the upper and lower levels as well as outside, a Crate and Barrel spokeswoman said today.
To create the concept, Northbrook-based Crate and Barrel is partnering with Cornerstone Restaurant Group, a Chicago hospitality firm that oversees many high profile eateries including Michael Jordan-brand restaurants throughout the country.
"We know our customers love to entertain and this collaboration takes our existing expertise around dining and kitchen to the next level," Crate and Barrel CEO Neela Montgomery. "Our customers are looking to engage with us in a more experiential way so this is an exciting opportunity to create an even more immersive store experience." She said the Oak Brook store is one of their largest locations and will showcase products and style to inspire customers in their own entertaining endeavors.
The new dining concept coupled with a brick and mortar retailer is one that may continue to catch on, experts say, as it offers customers an experience they can't purchase with the click of a mouse. Urban Outfitters is also experimenting with the concept. And of course, IKEA and Costco have offered restaurants in their stores for years.
The new dining outlet at Crate and Barrel will feature award-winning chef Bill Kim who is in the process of forming a menu, the company said.
As part of its partnership with Cornerstone Restaurant Group, Crate and Barrel is also exploring unique and interactive programming on-site, such as cooking demonstrations, entertaining how-Tos and other special events for customers to draw inspiration.
"There is a tremendous opportunity to push the boundaries of the restaurant and retail spaces," said David Zadikoff, chairman of Cornerstone Restaurant Group. "The sense of shared purpose was an instant match between our two companies. We are excited to deliver a new experience for the new consumer."