New Retail Concept Establishes Bay Area Presence, Older Concepts Expand

CONCORD, CA-EXPO Design Center, the new interior décor division of The Home Depot, is making its Bay Area debut this week with store near downtown Concord and another East Palo Alto. The 93,000-sf stores features a showroom, lighting gallery and a plethora of professional design consultants.

Additionally, Recreational Equipment Inc., better known as REI, will open its fifth store in Alameda County tomorrow. The 22,000-sf store includes a 24-foot-high climbing structure resembling actual sandstone formations found in Santa Clara County’s Castle Rock State Park. REI spokesman Mike Foley predicts the store will attract more than 12,000 members throughout the Bay Area. Finally, Borders Books and Music opens their newest store, a 25,000-sf building, in Union City’s Landing Shopping Center on Nov. 18.