Melrose News
One More Month For Furnishing Store Apt2B
By Damian Kelly
Jun 12, 2012 - 11:28:02 PM

MELROSE—The Apt2B home furnishings pop-up store on Melrose is not closing quite yet.

Reports indicate the store, located at 8654 Melrose Avenue, will now remain open through July 4 due to high demand. The online retail store, which has been described as a cross between IKEA and Crate & Barrel, has been open since May 2 and was scheduled to close on May 31.

Apt2B Couch. Photo courtesy of Apt2B website

Apt2B offers a full line of products for Angelinos in their late 20’s to early 30’s seeking to fill their apartments with style, but at affordable prices.  The company, which began only one year ago, is said to bridge the gap between IKEA and Crate & Barrel.

Mat Herman, founder of Apt2B, opted to open a store in the former Alpha men’s clothing boutique on Melrose in order to increase awareness of the website and to give people the opportunity to see the merchandise in person.

The 900-square-foot store is set up like an apartment with living, dining, office and bedroom areas, each displaying items appropriate for that section. Reality television star Frank Harker of HGTV’s "Design On A Dime" designed the space using nothing but Apt2B products.

With the extended stay, Apt2B has switched out many of the items on display during May and brought in new items for June, just in time for the summer months.

While smaller items can be purchased in the store, larger items like sofas, chairs and beds can be ordered in the store, and then will be shipped within 10 days from Apt2B’s warehouse in Van Nuys.

In spite of the store’s success on Melrose, Cleveland native Herman doesn’t plan on having a permanent store location because of the overhead required.

The Apt2B pop-up store is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.