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Home furnishings store draws Chicago's fashion faithful
CHICAGO - What was a Moorish temple nearly a century ago is now a mecca for shoppers in search of upscale housewares, furniture and accessories. Bloomingdale's, known for large department stores, opened its grandest stand-alone home decor store on Feb. 8 in Chicago's landmark Medinah Temple.
While many Chicagoans remember the former 4,200-seat auditorium as a venue for a Chicago Symphony concert or the Shrine Circus, the structure actually dates back to 1912, when it was a Moroccan-style shrine at 600 N. Wabash.
Bloomingdale's spent $60 million to convert the temple into a 130,000-square-foot home decor showroom - taking special care to preserve the architecture that gives it its distinct nature. Its Islamic Revival style is conveyed throughout the building with design elements like decorative door and window surrounds, featuring horseshoeshaped arches and frames, and intricate geometric patterns referred to as "arabesques."
"This building is the essence of visual design, and we have designed a store to fit within this historic landmark," said Jack Hruska, vp-store design and visual merchandising for Bloomingdale's. "We wanted to highlight the part the architecture plays within the building's history and within Chicago. Customers will find that the store's design alludes to the original use of this space."
While Bloomingdale's, which now has 28 stores...