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Dive Brief:
- Kitchenware and culinary retailer Sur La Table plans to grow its national footprint through new store openings. The company said last week that it plans to open new stores in upstate New York and Connecticut. It also plans to re-enter Massachusetts with a store in Natick.
- Sur La Table also said it has recently expanded its private label offering by introducing a new hand-glazed tableware collection. The retailer recently added Calphalon and Great Jones cookware to its roster of brand partners.
- The culinary-focused retailer is also expanding its in-store cooking classes. As part of the expansion, Sur La Table said its popular Date Night Series cooking classes will now be offered on additional weeknights and Sunday evenings.
Dive Insight:
Nearly three years after a joint venture of Marquee Brands and CSC Generation bought Sur La Table out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy for nearly $90 million, the culinary retailer has continued an operational transformation.
The acquisition by the joint venture added Sur La Table to a portfolio of well-known apparel, lifestyle, home and kitchenware brands that includes food media business America’s Test Kitchen, Martha Stewart, Emeril Lagasse, Body Glove and Motherhood Maternity.
The pandemic led Sur La Table to temporarily suspend its cooking classes and store sales, the company said in court documents at the time of its bankruptcy filing in 2020. Ahead of the bankruptcy filing, Sur La Table’s store footprint outgrew demand as foot traffic fell.
At the time of its bankruptcy filing, Sur La Table said it had $230 million of in-store revenue, and $80 million in annual e-commerce revenue. But its online revenue was not enough to offset the company’s $4 million in monthly rent expenses while stores were temporarily closed.
The company also struggled with capital expenditures related to installing commercial-quality kitchens in its stores to host cooking classes and demonstrations, Retail Dive previously reported. But those issues now appear to be in the past and Sur La Table, which was founded in Seattle in 1972, is moving decisively to expand its business on multiple fronts.
“Following our recent retail expansion earlier this year, we are thrilled to continue the momentum with growth of our Sur La Table retail and e-commerce business, as well [as] other key sectors of our brand including our private label collection, and growing roster of brand partners,” Jordan Voloshin, CEO of Sur La Table, said in an announcement. “We are delighted to be able to continue to give our customers the latest and greatest offerings, as well as the innovative tools needed to create in the kitchen.”
Experiential retail is a centerpiece of Sur La Table’s in-store and customer experiences.
Sur La Table's new stores are opening in the Natick Mall in Massachusetts, at Stuyvesant Plaza in Albany, New York, and in Darien, Connecticut, at Darien Commons. The Natick and Albany stores are slated to open this month, and the Darien store, the company’s second in the state, is set to open in September.
Including the soon-to-open locations, the retailer listed 58 stores in 22 states on its website on Tuesday.
Sur La Table stores’ experiential offerings include an ‘Ask a Chef’ program where customers can receive in-store advice and recommendations from resident chefs and culinary experts. Customers can also book a one-on-one in-store session for hands-on culinary training. The stores also offer product demos. Brand specialists, who receive specialized training, are also present in stores to support the overall customer buying experience.
On the brand partnerships front, in addition to Calphalon and Great Jones, Sur La Table says it is the exclusive launch partner for GreenPan’s Craft Noire Cookware Collection. The retailer also partnered with Jura to launch the Jura J8 automatic coffee machine.
FAQs
Sur La Table, the nearly 50-year-old purveyor of upscale kitchenware, has gone bankrupt.
What happened to Sur La Table? ›
The separations began on July 1 and did not include severance packages. In July 2020, Sur La Table filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and was acquired by Marquee Brands and CSC Generation for $88.9 million. By September 2020, it planned to close 73 stores.
What is the future of Sur La Table? ›
For 2023, Sur La Table will continue on a growth course, adding new stores, expanding its private label program, bringing on new brands and collections, and enhancing the company's culinary program. In regards to store growth, Sur La Table will reenter the Natick, MA, market.
What is Sur La Table known for? ›
Kitchen Store - Cookware, Cutlery, Dinnerware, Bakeware. Sur La Table. Experience the freshness of summer with the newest Le Creuset shades, which beautifully capture the essence of the season and are sure to inspire your culinary creations. with the new Multi-Pot.
Who are the new owners of Sur La Table? ›
Seattle-based kitchenware brand Sur La Table is moving full steam ahead with new store openings across the country after being acquired by Marquee Brands and CSC Generation in 2020.
Why did Sur La Table close in Oregon? ›
Kitchenware retail chain Sur La Table is closing its last Oregon store as it scales back operations in the wake of its July bankruptcy. The privately held Seattle company announced that month that it would close 56 of its 121 stores nationally, including its Bridgeport Village and Lake Oswego locations.
How much do Sur La Table Chef instructors make? ›
The average Chef Instructor base salary at Sur La Table is $30 per hour. The average additional pay is $0 per hour, which could include cash bonus, stock, commission, profit sharing or tips. The “Most Likely Range” reflects values within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role.
Is Sur La Table publicly traded? ›
Is Sur La Table a private or public company? Sur La Table is a Private company.
Why did Sur La Table close in Meridian? ›
The upscale cookware store in The Village will start a liquidation sale Friday. The store is one of dozens of locations around the country to close in the wake of the company filing for bankruptcy last month.
Can you return to Sur La Table? ›
Customer Service - Our Guarantee | Sur La Table. We guarantee the quality of the products we sell in our stores and website. If you're not satisfied with your purchase, you have up to 30 days to make an exchange or return. An original receipt is required and items must be in new condition.
Sur La Table Table will be re-entering the market of Natick, Mass., with a location at the Natick Mall. It also will open stores at Stuyvesant Plaza, Albany, N.Y., and at Darien Commons, Darien, Conn.
Does Sur La Table use Teflon? ›
There is no Teflon, PTFE, or PFOA on the units or any of the included accessories. Q: Are the coffee makers BPA free? A: Yes.
Do you get to eat the food you make at Sur La Table? ›
At the end of the class, you'll have a delicious meal to enjoy.
Is Sur La Table dishwasher safe? ›
Choose handwashing over dishwashing: While many stainless steel items are labeled as dishwasher safe, handwashing is recommended. The aggressive environment inside a dishwasher, combined with harsh detergents, can eventually dull the cookware's finish.
Did Lisa Vanderpump's restaurant close? ›
After she announced her plans to close her restaurant two months prior, Lisa Vanderpump's restaurant Pump closed its doors for the final time on July 5, 2023.
Is Sur La Table coming back to Natick? ›
Sur La Table Table will be re-entering the market of Natick, Mass., with a location at the Natick Mall. It also will open stores at Stuyvesant Plaza, Albany, N.Y., and at Darien Commons, Darien, Conn.
When did Lisa Vanderpump buy SUR? ›
Vanderpump and her husband partnered with husband-and-wife team Guillermo Zapata and Nathalie Pouille Zapata to be co-owners of SUR Restaurant & Lounge in May 2005. The restaurant was the original focus of Vanderpump Rules and is located in West Hollywood, California.
What restaurant does Vanderpump own? ›
Her best-known restaurants currently include SUR Restaurant and Lounge in West Hollywood (which, of course, served as the original backdrop for Vanderpump Rules), TomTom Restaurant and Bar in West Hollywood (which is a joint venture with VPR cast members Tom Schwartz and Tom Sandoval), Vanderpump co*cktail Garden in Las ...
