EDINA, Minn. — You've likely looked around your home and thought, I need a new couch, or I'd like to redo my kitchen. You and everyone else stuck at home for the last six months. A new concept project here in the Twin Cities called "The District Edina" is counting on that.
“Sales nationally are up about 30% over last year at this point,” says Gregory Rich.
It's probably not surprising that more people are buying furniture right now or deciding to remodel parts of their homes. Not that Gregory Rich couldn't have predicted that when he started his new project or predicted how behaviors would change.
“There's nothing more valuable than efficiency these days because we would like to spend our time as wisely.”
People spending more time at home, and also being more aware about health concerns while shopping, has turned into a plus for The District.
“The district Edina is going to be a collection of about 9 showrooms all of which are focused in the design remodeling industry,” says Rich.
From furniture and art, to kitchens and baths, to tile and lighting. There will be someone to represent all specialties in the design process. And the idea is that customers can get all of it in the same place for convenience.
“Meet with somebody to talk about remodeling their kitchen, meet with somebody to talk about redoing their living room, and they can do it all under one roof,” he says.
Or not under a roof if you're more inclined.
“We have a seating area right on the creek and we're also integrating an outdoor conference room, where basically people can come in, and in a larger group be able to communicate in an open environment, with a reduced chance of COVID being an issue,” Rich says.
Another example of businesses having to adjust to the new way of the world. The District starts construction in January and hopes to be open by April.