Seattle Gets Madewell #2

Hey Seattle,

What do Ann Wilson (of amazing ’70s rock band Heart) and Madewell have in common? They both call Bellevue home! Swing by our brand-new store at Bellevue Square, which opens today. (In the meantime, we at HQ will be listening to the below to celebrate from afar.)

Madewell Heads to Cincinnati

See this awesome art? We made totes with it just for you Cincinnatians. Swing by and snag one with your purchase of $150+.

Dear Cincinnati,

A brand–new Madewell store opens its doors today at your very own Kenwood Towne Centre. And if you’ve been following the blog, you may already know that we like to get really familiar with every new city we land in. So here’s what we love about your history.

In 1788, Cincinnati was founded and promptly named “Losantiville” by John Filson, the same guy who wrote The Adventures of Colonel Daniel Boone.

Just eight years later, Cincinnati became the first northwest city to print a book (and they didn’t spare any space with the title, either: The Laws of the Territory of the United States North-West of the Ohio).

In 1832, activist super–family the Beechers moved to Cincinnati. Their house, where Uncle Tom’s Cabin author Harriet Beecher Stowe lived for years, is now a museum dedicated to the abolitionist movement.

Three years later, Cincinnati sent the first bag of airmail ever—via hot air balloon, to boot.

And in 1850, it got much easier to wish people well when Cincinnati became the first city to publish (and popularize) greeting cards.

Something tells us we’re going to love it here. So come see us already!

Hey, White Plains, NY—We’ve Arrived

Dear White Plains,

Say hello to your new Madewell store, opening its doors today at The Westchester mall. Swing by and be sure to pick up a special New York–infused tote with your purchase of $150+ (it has all the art you see above on it, care of illustrator extraordinaire Kate Bingaman Burt).

Hey, Detroit—Madewell Somerset Opens Today (Plus, Some Hometown Heroes)

by Kendall Meade (Madewell)

If there’s one thing I know from growing up in the Detroit area, it’s that the Somerset Collection Mall is the destination for shopping. When I’m visiting home, I’m either planning a trip to Somerset or talking to someone who is about to go there. (You seriously cannot have a conversation without the word “Somerset” somehow making a cameo.) So I was psyched when I could finally tell everyone from my hometown that we were finally opening a Madewell there (in the old North Face space). It was like the ultimate talking point (they’ve all heard enough about my dog, anyway). So in honor of Madewell’s Detroit-area debut (today, yay!), here are a few of my all-time favorite local spots and hometown heroes.

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Skokie, Illinois, Here We Come

Hey, Skokie—there’s a new Madewell in town and it’s opening today at the Old Orchard Mall. Stop by, say hi and snag an amazing tote we made just for you Illinoisans (hint: it has all the amazing artwork—by one of our favorite illustrators, Kate Bingaman Burt—you see above on it).

Breaking News: Bethesda, MD, Gets a Madewell

Hey, Bethesda—you’ve got a brand-new Madewell, and it opens today at Montgomery Mall. We’re so pumped to be part of your world that we thought we’d go back to the history books and dig up a bunch of Bethesda firsts that (directly or, more likely, indirectly) led to today’s grand opening.

In 1862, the city of Bethesda got its first nickname, Darcy’s Store, thanks to prominent local shopkeeper, William E. Darcy.

In 1878, Bethesda had its first census, clocking in at a whopping 20 people.

In 1891, Bethesda got its first amusement park, which held performances by amazing-sounding acts like Professor Hampton’s dog circus and Wichita Jack’s Wild West show.

In 1968, Bethesda got its first fully enclosed, weather-proof shopping center, the Montgomery Mall.

And in 2011, that very mall got its first Madewell!

Sure, it’s no butterfly effect, but it still feels pretty meant to be, doesn’t it? Swing by and say hi.

Madewell Garden State Opens Today, And I’m Stoked

by Kristen Pisaturo (Madewell)

I grew up in Bergen County, New Jersey, and it’s safe to say I spent most of my high school years running around being a mallrat. So imagine my excitement when I found out that Madewell opens today at one of my favorite haunts, Garden State Plaza. (Hint: Try parking in the lot across from Nordstrom. It’s seriously never crowded.) But of course I didn’t spend all of my childhood at the mall. Here’s a rundown of my all-time favorite Jersey spots.

1. Red, White & Blue Thrift Store in Paterson (765 River St.): I never leave this place empty-handed. One of my best finds ever were these crazy high-waisted, tie-dye denim cutoffs. (Tip: Half off on Saturdays!)

2. Wild Duck Pond in Ridgewood: It’s always nice to see some green when you live in a big city, and this park is just asking for an afternoon picnic.

3. Cool Beans Coffee Shop in Oradell (304 Kinderkamack Rd.): My friends and I would cut class at least twice a week in high school to grab some crazy good chai lattes from this place.

4. Long Beach Island: I’ve been going there every summer since I was born, basically. Here’s a pic of my dad and sister in front of our beach house in Harvey Cedars, circa 1989.

5. The Rolling Pin in Westwood (341 Broadway): Five words: best sweet potato salad ever.

Meet the Two Newest Madewell Stores

We’re so excited to announce that today marks the opening of not one but two brand-new Madewell stores—the first out East in Towson, MD, and the second on the West Coast in Corte Madera, CA. And when we were reading up on our new digs the other day, we discovered that both towns coincidentally have very interesting literary roots. Did you know…

… that F. Scott Fitzgerald rented an estate in Towson to write what would be his last complete novel, Tender Is the Night? Or that…

… the man largely responsible for developing downtown Corte Madera, Frank Pixley, also founded The Argonaut (a magazine Mark Twain contributed to)?

Pretty cool, no? Needless to say, we’re really excited to join the neighborhood. Swing by and say hi.