Wayfair makes a major investment in brick-and-mortar retail this month with the opening of its first physical AllModern store in Lynnefield, Mass. on Tuesday. The e-commerce-centric company—which operates AllModern, Birch Lane, Joss & Main, and Perigold in addition to its Wayfair outlet—has dabbled in brick-and-mortar retail since 2018 with popup shops and a smaller-format retail store at the Natick Mall in Natick, Mass.
The 10,000-square-foot AllModern store will combine benefits of both physical and online retail. Customers can get free design services with expert advice on everything from finishing touches to full redesigns. Shoppers also can download the AllModern app to build their cart and learn more about products available in the store. And for those who don’t have a vehicle to transport their purchases, the store ships everything for free to the customer’s home. The new AllModern store carries furniture, decor, bedding, tabletop and other housewares.
Wayfair has plans to open a second AllModern store at Legacy Place in Dedham, Mass., in the Legacy Place shopping center, as well as a Joss & Main physical store at Burlington Mall in Burlington, Mass.
“At Wayfair, we are focused on creating the best possible experience for our customers. That includes meeting them wherever they are on their shopping journey and delivering the exceptional value, selection, service and inspiration they enjoy from our entire family of brands,” Karen McKibbin, head of physical retail for Wayfair, said in December when the company first announced its plans for new brick-and-mortar stores.
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“With our first-ever AllModern and Joss & Main retail stores, we are introducing a new kind of omnichannel shopping experience powered by the Wayfair platform, inviting our customers to engage with the brands they know and love in an innovative format that blends the best of in-store and online shopping,” she added.
During an earnings call earlier this month, cofounder and CEO Niraj Shah said Wayfair is “excited to begin to showcase our specialty retail brands in an entirely new set of formats.”
“Our teams have put a lot of thought and creativity into optimizing the in-store shopping experience for customers,” he added. “This is the next stage of Wayfair’s omnichannel journey.”
AllModern launched in 2006 as an online-only retailer focused on modern furnishings and decor, ranging from minimalist and Scandinavian to modern farmhouse and midcentury styles. In addition to its online presence, the retailer publishes six catalogs per year.
Wayfair joins a spate of online retailers investing in physical locations. Bedding brands Avocado, Casper, and Brooklinen all recently expanded their brick-and-mortar presence, with more locations planned.