GW HOME: Gardner White's first Detroit store in decades merges home decor with local art

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For the first time since the early 1980s, Gardner White is back in Detroit — and this time, it's bringing a whole new retail concept.
The Michigan-based furniture company debuted GW HOME with a ribbon-cutting and cocktail reception on Thursday, June 5. Located at 1201 Woodward Ave., across from the Hudson's site development, the store officially opens to the public at 10 a.m. Friday, June 6.
"This is a concept that could not happen anywhere else in the state or in the country," said Rachel Stewart, president of Gardner White and GW HOME. "It is uniquely Detroit in every sense."
The three-story, 15,000-square-foot store features a rotating gallery of local artwork and a curated selection of furniture and home decor, with an emphasis on Detroit-based design, partnerships and craftsmanship.
The underground level features mattresses, while the upper two floors highlight living and home decor pieces from both local and national makers. The store's design centers on urban style, functionality and a wide range of price points.
'High style doesn't need to be high prices,' Stewart said.
GW HOME partnered with Detroit-based ArtClvb to showcase a variety of ceramics, paintings and photography, all available for purchase in-store and online, according to Gardner White. Featured artists include Sheefy McFly (Tashif Turner), Jon DeBoer and Martyna Alexander, along with collaborators like Cranbrook graduate Luke Bryant and designer Andre Sandifer.
The store also highlights Detroit-based brands such as Floyd, known for its modular furniture like the Gere Easy Chair and Acton Slate Bench, as well as Crypton, a Michigan company specializing in durable, stain-resistant upholstery.
Other featured lines include Bernhardt, Vanguard, Rowe, Drew & Jonathan Home, and mattresses by Tempur-Pedic, Kingsdown and Serta.
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While Gardner White now has 14 locations across Michigan, the GW HOME store marks its first return to Detroit in over 40 years. More GW HOME locations are planned, though the company has not announced when, where or how many.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, who was unable to attend the ribbon-cutting in person, sent a video message welcoming Gardner White back to its roots."I'm so excited to welcome Gardner White back home to downtown Detroit, where the family-owned furniture retailer opened its very first store on 4th Street in 1912," Duggan said. "This three-story showroom is a perfect addition to the landscape in downtown Detroit and gives residents another great shopping option."
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Stewart said the goal of GW HOME is to offer accessible, stylish and functional furnishings that reflect the Motor City's creativity and character.
'GW HOME is more than a furniture store,' she said. 'It's an experience where design and local artistry come together to create homes that are as unique as the people who live in them.'
GW HOME's grand opening festivities continue through Sunday. A happy hour with live music, mocktails and snacks will take place Friday, June 6, from 4 to 6 p.m. On Saturday, June 7, visitors can design custom note cards with Detroit nonprofit Signal Return from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday's festivities, also from 1 to 3 p.m., include product demos and custom tote and makeup bag making with Crypton Fabric.
Nour Rahal is a trending and breaking news reporter. Email her: [e-mail]. Follow her on Twitter @nrahal1.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Gardner White debuts GW HOME: A new furniture and art store in Detroit