ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Asheville has long been a destination for visitors seeking finely crafted furniture and decorative arts, dating back to the city’s preeminence in the early 20th century international arts and crafts movement and extending to Asheville’s current prominence as one of the country’s most lauded destinations for travelers. Indeed, Travel + Leisure magazine recently named “artsy Asheville” to its list of the “Top 15 Cities in the United States.”
Asheville Outlets has created a home furnishings niche that taps into the region’s love of furniture and crafts, featuring stores including Restoration Hardware Outlet, West Elm Outlet, Le Creuset and Kirkland’s, all of which opened between 2015 and 2016. The stores benefit from strong demographics and purchasing behavior as residents within the center’s trade area spend $1.02 billion annually on home furnishings. The region’s 11.1 million visitors provide another strong base of consumers.
“There is a strong demand for beautiful and affordable home furnishings and decorative accessories in our market area and these stores offer the right mix for every style and budget,” says Sharon Morgan, general manager of Asheville Outlets.
RH Outlet
Restoration Hardware at Asheville Outlets carries a range of distinctive, high-quality items for the home, including furniture, lighting, cabinet hardware, interior and exterior fittings, gardenware, fixtures, tools, books, devices and amusements.
RH Outlets’ collections provide a point of view and unparalleled quality. Each season brings a new ideas culled from New England Development’s partnerships with artisans, allowing RH to showcase their products and vision.
West Elm Outlet
The West Elm store at Asheville Outlets is exclusive to the North Carolina market and draws customers from hours away. The store offers customers a mix of West Elm’s global and modern designs. A branch of Williams–Sonoma, West Elm is focused on the intersection of modern design, affordability and community. Everything West Elm sells — from sofas and tables to bedding and vases — is made to help their customers express their personal style at home and in the world.
Le Creuset
Known for its enameled cast-iron cookware, Le Creuset offers products across a range of materials and categories, including stainless cookware, bakeware, pots, pans and kitchen and bar tools. Since 1925, Le Creuset has been creating lasting family memories both in France and around the globe. Le Creuset is best known for its colorfully enameled cast-iron cookware “French ovens”, also known as “casseroles” or “Dutch ovens.”
Kirkland’s
Kirkland’s, which is rooted in neighboring Tennessee, is a retailer of home decor and gifts, with offerings including affordable home furnishings such as wall art, mirrors, lamps and rugs.
Developed by New England Development, Asheville Outlets earned a commendation award in The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) 2017 U.S. Design and Development Awards competition, recognizing excellence, innovation and creativity in the U.S. retail real estate industry.
The mountain village design layout incorporates architectural elements such as stone cladding, wood accents, paved pedestrian walkways, water fountains, landscaped gardens and a variety of seating areas.