Global design manufacturer Herman Miller, Inc. (NASDAQ: MLHR) today announced the opening of a Herman Miller-branded retail store anchoring the company's New York City flagship. Open to the public as of Tuesday, November 22, 2016, the store occupies 6,000 SF on the ground and second floors of Herman Miller's multi-level presence at 251 Park Avenue South in Manhattan. The store is part of Herman Miller's transformation into a premium lifestyle company, and will offer consumers the opportunity to connect with Herman Miller through a new channel.

"We've made great progress with a consumer strategy that allows us to engage with the communities we serve across multiple channels and touch points," said Chief Executive Officer Brian Walker. "In addition to growing the Design Within Reach studio footprint and our global e-commerce platform, having our own physical retail presence in a major U.S. market will further cement Herman Miller's position as a premium lifestyle brand with unrivaled multi-channel capabilities. Our goal is to create fans, not customers, and this store will connect us with new fans in a tangible way."

Located in the retail hub where Union Square, Gramercy, and Flatiron meet, the new store will appeal to the concentration of design-driven consumers that made this market a top choice when Herman Miller began exploring locations for expanding its retail presence. The tri-state area consistently ranks highest for Herman Miller's consumer sales, proving George Nelson's assertion in 1948 that "there is a market for good design." Nelson, who served as Herman Miller's design director from 1945 until 1972, strongly believed that if the company made good things, people would buy them. 

The distinctive in-store experience was inspired by another Herman Miller partner, Charles Eames, who said the role of the designer is that of a "very good, thoughtful host." The new store's floorplan is laid out as a modern home, with rooms that demonstrate problem-solving designs for living, working, dining, socializing, and sleeping. The display and inventory blend current and vintage Herman Miller furniture, lighting, and accessories with a curated set of complementary products from likeminded vendors and skilled artisans from around the world. These include rugs from Danskina and Breuckelen Berber, kitchen and tabletop items from Deborah Ehrlich, pillows and bags from Maharam, accessories by Doug Johnston, Knotwork, Carl Aubock, and Helen Levi, and Nelson Bubble Lamps along with lighting from Wastberg, Noguchi, and Michael Anastassiades.

Through seasonal programming and merchandising, the two-story retail space will demonstrate the many interpretations of modern living supported by Herman Miller.

In addition to the new store, 251 Park Avenue South houses commercial showrooms for Herman Miller and Geiger, and corporate office space for Maharam, Design Within Reach, and Geiger, all Herman Miller owned companies. In total, Herman Miller occupies eight floors, equaling almost half of the 120K SF building.

Consumers throughout the United States can also shop with Herman Miller online at store.hermanmiller.com, which has been operating since October 2010. Herman Miller has had a physical store in Tokyo since December 2010, and launched online stores to serve customers in India and the United Kingdom earlier in 2016.

(Source: Herman Miller, Inc.)