Hundreds Flock To Pottery Barn Outlet's Opening In Joliet

JOLIET, IL — Joliet Chamber Vice President Mike Paone beamed with pride Friday morning as he watched more than 200 people wrapped around the building waiting anxiously for the Pottery Barn Outlet to finally open. Friday's formal ribbon-cutting ceremony happened around 9:50 a.m. Moments later, hundreds of women were handed a shopping cart as they entered.

Why was Friday's ribbon-cutting so special for the Joliet Chamber? Joliet's new Pottery Barn Outlet marks the company's first outlet store in Illinois. The two closest ones are in St. Louis and Detroit. Pottery Barn Outlet filled Joliet's empty Gander Mountain store near Interstate 55 and Plainfield Road.

There is a public perception that people in the Joliet-area have to drive to Naperville and Oak Brook for high-end shopping, Paone told Patch. Friday's opening of the Pottery Barn Outlet store in Joliet helps shatter that myth, he said.

The associate managers for the new Pottery Barn Outlet agree.

The new Joliet outlet will attract customers from a 75-mile area, explained associate manager Tim Diaz. He told Joliet Patch that he expects to attract regular customers from Naperville and Oak Brook to do their shopping here.

"We're excited," he told Joliet Patch. "We're expecting over 500 people to walk in these doors today."

On Friday, more than 200 people lined the outside of the building, many waiting since 9 a.m. for the store to open.

Diaz said the articles in the Joliet Patch previewing the store's upcoming opening helped him hire numerous workers. The Pottery Barn Outlet had nearly 60 employees on hand for Friday's big grand opening.

"We're still looking for 10 to 15 more (people) for stock and sales," he added.

One of the store managers became teary-eyed as the new workers huddled together minutes before the ribbon-cutting.

She reminded the new staff that this entire 55,000-square-foot building was sitting completely empty on Nov. 5.

She told them that their work has been amazing to get this store ready to open so fast.

The Pottery Barn Outlet will open at 6 a.m. on Black Friday, Diaz told Patch.

The store's regular hours will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.

Paone, the chamber vice president, told Patch he has no doubt the Pottery Barn Outlet will be a huge asset for Joliet. The entire parking lot was practically full by 10 a.m.

"They chose Joliet," Paone said. "Their two other closest locations are St. Louis and Detroit. I think it's telling about our local economy. For Joliet, I think it's a victory."