Location: 401 E. Silver Spring Dr., Whitefish Bay, Wis.
Store Hours: Mon–Sat: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sun: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Whitefish Bay has a new tenant in town. On Oct. 22, Susan Fredman At Home celebrated the grand opening of its third retail location. The store’s first Wisconsin location joins Union Pier, Mich., as an outpost to Susan Fredman’s Chicago-based home design store. I had a chance to visit the new location and also sit down with award-winning designer and owner Susan Fredman to discuss what the store’s arrival brings to the area.
A combination most easily described as a gift shop, furniture store and design studio, At Home fits right in at its commercial East Silver Spring address, but it also brings a rustic, homey charm with it. Sharing the location with At Home is the office of James Hoffman Homes, a Wisconsin luxury home builder. When asked what brought her to Whitefish Bay, Fredman says it was because of James Hoffman Homes, which she has collaborated with in the past. Although the two businesses share the location, the relationship remains a collaboration and not a partnership, she says. And though one would think that sharing the space would make the store feel cramped, it flows nicely and manages the space well — no doubt expertly planned. At Home occupies the upper floor, and James Hoffman’s office is accessible via the stairs just past the retail counter. More space is on the way as soon as the kitchen and bath wing is finished in the coming months.
Once the expansion is complete, a much-anticipated collection of bone china will be on display and the wedding registry, already a huge hit at the Chicago location, will be fully implemented. In addition to wedding gifts, At Home is an ideal place to find a gift for “that person who has everything,” says retail specialist Patty Natzke. Quirky and unique items fill the shelves, walls and display cases, and the story for some pieces only comes to light after additional inquiry. A simple-looking picture frame (at left), for instance, was made from Italian-imported pewter and can’t be found just anywhere. At $135, it might be a little pricey for an everyday gift, but it’s perfect for a special occasion. A similar frame without the Italian influence will run about $50. With an array of items in stock, including purses, candles, bath & body, pillows, etc., a shopper can score something within every budget, whether perusing for someone else, yourself or your home.
The store will keep customers busy browsing, but the design studio is all business for Fredman and her two (with a third on the way) staff designers at the Whitefish Bay location. The full-service studio can accommodate many budgets and needs, including residential and commercial design. And with designers stationed throughout the nation, it’s just as easy to update a vacation home in Vail as it is a permanent home here in Wisconsin. The design team will even do some pro-bono work for nonprofit orgs and the like. At the behest of a friend and her own beliefs, Susan Fredman founded Designs 4 Dignity to help revamp spaces occupied by nonprofit groups around the Midwest. Since its inception, the program has taken on approximately 20 projects a year throughout the region.
Whether you’ve started your holiday shopping or not, it might be a good idea to stop in to Susan Fredman At Home for some gift ideas and perhaps even schedule a room design for the New Year.
Wait, don’t stop reading! Susan Fredman has been nominated for the 2011 Interior Design Hall of Fame presented by The Design Center at the Merchandise Mart and Luxe Interiors + Design Magazine. View the nominees and vote here.
Look for a new Shop & Go every Monday!
If you spot a store opening or closing, post in the comments or email me: erin.vollmer@milwaukeemag.com
