Green Bay Road will soon get a touch of Pacific Coast Highway.
California-based home-furnishings and -decor brand Serena & Lily is set to open its first suburban-Chicago store at 1070 Gage Street, the corner building in Winnetka that was most recently occupied by Jos. A. Bank.
The project and its renovations received the go-ahead on Feb. 22 from the Village of Winnetka’s Design Review Board.
The building at 1070 Gage was left vacant in 2020, when Jos. A. Bank closed a majority of its strorefronts including its locations in Winnetka and Wilmette. Before Jos. A. Bank, the building was a BMO Harris Bank branch.
Serena & Lily plans lease the space and revamp both the exterior and interiors to suit its needs. Most notably, the business will paint the the exterior brickwork white, according to Village of Winnetka documents.
Additionally, according to the plans, black Serena & Lily signs will go up on the wall facing Green Bay Road and above the entryway facing Gage Street. A white picket fence reportedly will border the north lawn facing Gage Street, and inside the fence will be a courtyard — featuring blue brick pavers and flower boxes — that Serena & Lily will use to display seasonal furniture.
According to its website, Serena & Lily style is “casual and coastal, relaxed yet refined. Our designs blend classic influences with modern lines; eclectic inspiration with great American style.”
It sells bedding, furniture for the entire home, outdoor design solutions, and home decor, such as pillows, rugs, wall art and light fixtures.
The business began in Mill Valley, California, in 2003 as a wholesale provider of home goods, specializing in nursery furnishings. It opened its first storefront about seven years later. The Winnetka location will be Serena & Lily’s 16th design shop and second in Illinois, joining the location in Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood (853 W. Armitage Ave.)
According to a social media post by the Village of Winnetka, Serena & Lily will open at some point in 2022. Officials did not immediately return The Record’s request for more information.
This article originally appeared in The Record North Shore, a local news nonprofit.
