West Elm Market Makes its South Granville Debut

Credit: Natalie Walters

Shoppers browse the goods at the new West Elm Market on south Granville

Furniture and décor store West Elm introduces Vancouver to its home accessories branch, West Elm Market

West Elm might be a recent addition to the Vancouver scene, but there’s no such thing as too much of a good thing. Its latest opening, West Elm Market, is a general store for the home and guided by the business credo “tools to make work wonderful.” Along those lines, West Elm Market offers homeowners fresh and functional products designed to make day-to-day chores more enjoyable.

Divided into four basic categories – Kitchen, Garden, Care & Repair, and Personal Care – the Market brings simplicity and beauty to overlooked household items.

West Elm Market Supports Local Business

The original West Elm Market is based in Brooklyn, and features unique goods sourced from small companies in and around its neighborhood.

This approach continues at the Vancouver location, where an assortment of local food items – such as oils from Dunderave Olive Company, Okanagan Wineland Dressings and False Creek’s Cocolico caramel sauce – line the shelves along with existing merchandise.

Fresh baked goods from newly opened Main Street bakery The Last Crumb will also be a regular treat. Serving up traditional pastries like flakey scones, gooey brownies and seasonal gingerbread, this partnership is reflective of West Elm Market’s communal attitude, where new businesses reach out to support one another.

As the company expands (Vancouver is its second location), the Market plans to continue supporting resident businesses in each new city.

Additionally, West Elm Market has undertaken a variety of collaborative projects with independent designers to create products that are currently missing from the home accessories market. Items such as the multifunctional Ravenhill Dustbin, or British designer Aaron Probyn’s oven-to-table cookware are all exclusive to West Elm Market locations.

Inside West Elm Market

Upon entering the store, you’ll be greeted by the aromatic scent of brewing coffee. With a barista bar located at the register, shoppers can grab a fresh cup before moving on to browse the shelves stocked with cleverly packaged soaps and candles, natural fiber cleaning brushes, enamel dinnerware and colourful seed packets.

By valuing craftsmanship and functional design over fussy home gadgets, West Elm Market has set itself apart from generic home accessories stores and big box brands.

Items are laid out in an organized clutter that gives the Market a relaxed atmosphere, and upcoming workshops and kitchen demos will invite community participation.