Block & Chisel Opens New Flagship Store in Sandton

Grace

Article Updated: 14/09/2022

Long-time interior success story, Block & Chisel, has opened a massive new Johannesburg flagship store at 11 Charles Crescent, Strathavon right next to Kramerville. The store exceeds 6000 square meters, including 2000 square metres of retail and warehousing and 40 secure parking bays, joining many of the country’s leading decor names in the highly popular ‘decorators square mile’.

A South African homegrown family business of 35 years, Block & Chisel remains a leader in interior style that straddles classic and contemporary, country and modern, and European and Asian. It is synonymous with timeless sophistication, pioneering and brave with colour and textiles and unafraid to continuously shake things up using an eclectic mix of styles and materials.

The brand’s story has long focused on its unique design and manufacture of furniture and its expert curation of imported pieces.

“Our people and the Block & Chisel brand have a wide range of qualities to boast but we are most proud of the fact that we are a homegrown South African business success story. We have managed to upskill so many local craftsmen and women whose work adorns some of the country’s most beautiful homes,” says director Paul McAdam.

The new Sandton store adds to Block & Chisel’s growing portfolio that spans Cape Town’s flagship store in Diep River and boutiques in Chelsea Village and Kloof Street. The boutique Parkwood store at 155 Jan Smuts Avenue was opened in 2020.

“Kramerville has been a central pillar for designers and decorators in Johannesburg, accessible from major highways from Pretoria and Johannesburg. So we found ourselves a new home close by, renovated it, introduced the wonderful ‘Block Cafe’ and have added lots of secure parking to make it a destination experience,” he adds.

“When it comes to choosing pieces for your interiors, we’re conscious of the need for references that are true to real life so we have designed our stores to be what we like to call ‘inspired retail.’ This means bringing in natural light, creating interesting nooks and varied spaces to demonstrate the versatility of a piece with our trained design consultants that are on hand to give advice and help you put things together,” says McAdam.

You can expect collaborations with brands such as local wall art and design brand Carasaven, interior fragrance experts Fuego scents and a gallery section featuring original art by Sibley and Sarah Heinemann bronzes.

“This new store has such depth and colour and we’ll continue to find unique gems to inspire people to live beautifully. This is our most extensive showcase of imported and locally-made furniture and homeware to date. Perhaps equally important, clients can come to Block & Chisel and take home what they buy off the floor. This is a real bonus in an industry which often has long lead times,” he adds.

Interestingly, since the pandemic the Block & Chisel online store has become one of its most popular, likely due to its ability to deliver anywhere in the country.

“We are finding that customers are using the website as a place to browse before coming in to experience the product first-hand,” observes Paul. “It’s been amazing to see people’s investment into their homes during and after lockdown. It seems that we have experienced how each item of furniture enriches our lifestyles.”

Block & Chisel has tirelessly evolved through the decades to add depth and colour into homes locally and internationally. Their experimentation and presentation within their stores is breathtaking, bold and exciting. And it’s this enduring South African tenacity and courage that has seen the brand not just stand the test of time, but excel in a competitive industry that never stops moving. Fortune favours the brave.