Crate & Barrel

Euromarket Designs Inc. (Crate & Barrel)

File:Crate and Barrel logo.svg Logo of Crate & Barrel
Company type	Private
Industry	Retail (furniture and home décor)
Founded	December 7, 1962 (1962-12-07) in Chicago, Illinois, United States
Founder	Gordon Segal, Carole Segal
Headquarters	Northbrook, Illinois , United States
Area served	United States, Canada, Central and South America, Asia, United Arab Emirates
Key people	Janet Hayes (CEO)
Products	Furniture, home décor, household goods
Number of employees	8,200
Parent	Otto Group
Website	crateandbarrel.com

Euromarket Designs Inc., trading under the name Crate & Barrel (also presented as Crate&Barrel), is a global retailer specializing in furniture and home décor, with its headquarters situated in Northbrook, Illinois. The company employs around 8,200 individuals and operates more than 100 stores throughout the United States and Canada, alongside franchise locations in Central and South America, Asia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Founding

Crate & Barrel was established by Gordon and Carole Segal on December 7, 1962, when both were 23 years old. Their first retail space occupied 1,700 square feet within a former elevator factory at 1516 North Wells Street in Chicago’s Old Town district. The Segals drew inspiration from their honeymoon in the Caribbean, where they encountered affordable yet stylish European household items. Their mission was to provide practical and attractive products tailored for young couples beginning their lives together.

They procured goods directly from European artisans such as glassmakers, ceramic producers, and manufacturers of French copper cookware and bistro-style dinnerware. This direct-import strategy enabled them to bypass wholesaler costs, thereby offering competitive prices—a cornerstone of their market edge. Although the focus was mainly on European imports, Crate & Barrel's assortment also includes items sourced from Thailand, Mexico, and India.

The brand name originated from the wooden crates and barrels that displayed inventory in their inaugural store. The founders reversed the initially suggested "Barrel and Crate" to "Crate & Barrel" to highlight their emphasis on direct importing.

In 1966, Segal and designer Lon Habkirk visited the Design Research store located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which profoundly influenced their retail approach. Habkirk observed that they adapted this concept into a replicable business model.

Growth

The second Crate & Barrel store opened in 1968 at the Plaza del Lago shopping center in Wilmette, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, followed by a third location in Oak Brook, Illinois in 1971. Their first expansion beyond Chicago came with a store launch in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts in 1977. In 1979, they inaugurated a second Cambridge location inside the former Design Research building; this store operated until its closure in 2009.

By 1985, Crate & Barrel had grown to encompass 17 stores. Expansion continued with the opening of their first New York City store—number 59 overall—in Manhattan during March 1995. After selling a majority stake to the German mail-order company Otto Group in 1998, the company accelerated its growth fueled by new capital investments. Otto assumed full ownership by 2011. By 2002, Crate & Barrel managed roughly 100 stores nationwide, increasing to over 135 by late 2004.

The flagship outlet located on Chicago’s Michigan Avenue, known as the "Magnificent Mile," closed in January 2018. This space was subsequently transformed into the world’s largest Starbucks roastery and retail venue. Presently, Crate & Barrel operates 93 stores across the U.S. and Canada, including ten outlet locations.

In 2019, Crate & Barrel broadened its business scope by collaborating with Cornerstone Restaurant Group to launch The Table at Crate—a full-service dining establishment at its Oak Brook store. Additionally, it acquired Hudson Grace, a boutique home décor and gift company based in San Francisco. The firm plans to expand Hudson Grace through increased retail presence targeting specialized markets as well as enhancing its digital footprint to attract a wider customer base.

International expansion

Crate & Barrel Holdings maintains a presence through 22 retail locations spanning Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates. The company's inaugural overseas store debuted in September 2008 at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre, featuring a two-level layout covering 35,000 square feet, comparable to its U.S. outlets. Following this initial Canadian launch, additional stores opened in Calgary (2009), Mississauga (2010), Edmonton (2011), Laval (2012), and Vancouver (2013), with ongoing plans to broaden its footprint both within Canada and internationally.

In 2009, Crate & Barrel revealed intentions to establish two stores in Dubai through a franchise partnership with Al Tayer Group. These locations commenced operations in 2010 at Mall of the Emirates and Mirdif City Centre. The brand made its entry into the Asian market in January 2013 by opening a two-story store at Singapore’s Ion Orchard. Taiwan hosts three Crate & Barrel shops situated in Taipei, Taoyuan, and Taichung.

Expansion into Latin America includes a store inaugurated in Peru in 2015 and another launched in Bogotá’s Parque La Colina Mall in December 2016 via a franchise agreement with Falabella. The first Central American outlet was introduced in July 2017 at Avenida Escazú mall located in Escazú, Costa Rica.

This global expansion aligns with Crate & Barrel’s strategic objective to enhance international operations and increase market penetration through a combination of franchising and direct retail management.

Management

Barbara Turf joined the company in 1968 and took over as CEO from Gordon Segal in May 2008. By November of that year, the company’s revenue had reached $1.3 billion. Turf stepped down in 2012, succeeded by Sascha Bopp. After Bopp’s departure in August 2014, Otto Group appointed Segal as a consultant to facilitate leadership transition.

On August 1, 2015, Doug Diemoz—formerly affiliated with Restoration Hardware and Williams Sonoma—assumed the CEO role but resigned in April 2017. Neela Montgomery, a member of Otto Group’s executive board, then led the company until August 2020 after six years with Otto. Janet Hayes was appointed CEO of Crate & Barrel Holdings effective August 1, 2020.

Products

Crate & Barrel focuses on premium household goods and furniture presented through "vignettes"—curated groupings that simulate home environments. This merchandising technique was pioneered by the company and has since become widely adopted across the industry.

Sister stores

The company oversees two affiliated brands. CB2, established in 2000, caters to younger consumers seeking contemporary home furnishings and operates 25 stores throughout the U.S. and Canada, including future expansion plans such as a store slated for Denver in 2018.

The Land of Nod—acquired in 2001 as a children’s brand—closed all its physical locations by spring 2018 and was succeeded by Crate & Kids. The latter offers children’s furniture, home accessories, and gifts through online platforms and 38 brick-and-mortar stores.

In 2019, Crate & Barrel broadened its brand portfolio by acquiring Hudson Grace, a boutique home décor and gift retailer headquartered in San Francisco with ten store locations.