Nest Dallas
In 2005, entrepreneurs Heather and Scott Alexander became owners of Nest, a unique gifts and home accessories boutique that had been in Dallas for nearly a decade and recently relocated to University Park. Heather and Scott felt the original concept of the store was right and the foundation was set, but the store needed evaluation and tailoring to the new location’s demographic. Nearly seven years later, Nest is a top home décor destination that recently moved to Dallas’ McKinney Avenue and is situated among top retail stores including Design Within Reach, Forty Five Ten and Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams.
The Project
In 2009, Nest hired Brynn Bagot Public Relations to manage media, community relations and public relations for the store to increase name recognition and establish Nest as a leader in home design retail in Dallas. In addition, BBPR handles event management and production for regular in-store events.
Our Strategy
Upon being retained, BBPR evaluated existing media materials, public relations strategies and community involvement to determine ongoing needs and opportunities. With the new strategy in place, BBPR has consistently worked to position Nest as an innovative source for design ideas and product in Dallas by saturating the media market with relevant information regarding the store and its product lines. Among its many tasks, BBPR is responsible for producing and distributing all company press releases to the media, managing event publicity, and maintaining a presence among the Dallas community with product placement in silent and live auctions, goody bags and hosting charity events in the store.
Two Nest events of note were an in-store personal appearance by Jonathan Adler and Nest’s grand opening party in its new home on McKinney Avenue. For the Jonathan Adler appearance, BBPR managed all contact with Adler’s agent and publicist including schedules, contract riders, media interviews, on-site photography and push-pull lines. BBPR landed Adler interviews with all local society and design media including editors from D Home, Daily Candy, Design Guide, PaperCity, FD Luxe, The Dallas Morning News, Pink Memo, Modern Luxury, WFAA Channel 8’s “Good Morning Texas” and more.
In October 2010, Nest’s owners decided to move the store to mid-town Dallas and into the bustling Knox/Henderson district, well known for its high-end retail, restaurants and heavy foot traffic. BBPR distributed press releases to media announcing the move and new location details. BBPR also produced and coordinated re-grand opening event details including catering, photography, entertainment, invitation list additions, and on-site management of all vendors. BBPR secured local media attendance and new store announcements in numerous design related media outlets.
Results
In the more than three years BBPR worked with Nest, we helped establish the boutique as Dallas’ go-to destination for home design accessories and gifts. Nest was consistently recognized in design, society and community publications and has received placements in: Brides, D Home, D Magazine, D Weddings, Daily Candy, Dallas Business Journal, Dallas Child, The Dallas Morning News, DAPPER, FD Luxe, GrandLuxe Magazine, HGTV Magazine, Modern Luxury, Patron Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Where Magazine, and WFAA-Channel 8’s “Good Morning Texas.”
Fun Facts
In 2010 and 2011, Nest was named the “Best Home Accessories Shop” in D Magazine’s annual “Best of Big D” issue, as well as the recipient of the Reader’s Choice for the same award in 2010. Nest’s owner Heather Wiese-Alexander was named one of Worth Magazine’s “20 Entrepreneurs to Watch,” and she runs a successful sister company to Nest, Bell’Invito, an international design studio producing hand-fed letterpress and engraved stationery. Also, in April 2012, Modern Luxury Dallas named Nest buyer and store manager, Donald Fowler, previously of Stanley Korshak, one of Dallas’ “Men of Style.”