Blu Dot
Blu Dot is an American modern furniture retailer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It operates 17 retail locations across the United States, Mexico, and Australia. Blu Dot employs approximately 200 people worldwide, the majority of which are located at its Minneapolis headquarters.[1]
 | |
| Industry | Furniture |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1997 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Founders |
|
| Headquarters | Minneapolis, MN , U.S. |
| Website | BluDot.com |
History
Blu Dot was founded in 1997 by Maurice Blanks, John Christakos, and Charlie Lazor with $50,000 of capital.[2] The idea, however, was conceived back in 1988 during a backpacking trip across Asia, when the founders were still undergraduate students at Williams College.[2][3] In April 2008, Blu Dot received a $10 million growth equity investment from private equity firm CHB Capital Partners.[4][5]
In 2018, Blu Dot was given the Product Design award at the Cooper Hewitt National Design Awards.[6]
Development process and products
Blu Dot maintains control over its product development process from initial design through to retail via an in-house team[3][7] and does not put its designers' names on the products.[8]
Blu Dot's products include indoor/outdoor dining chairs, glass nesting tables, plastic lounge chairs,[9] storage ottomans, pillows and room staple sofas.[10] These products are marketed as "skew[ing] midcentury, but with a sleeker, more contemporary edge."[11]
Retail Presence
Blu Dot has developed a notable presence in major cities across the United States, Mexico, and Australia, with a total of 17 retail locations as of 2025. Within the United States, the company maintains stores in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Austin, Dallas, Portland, Seattle, Washington D.C., and Miami, in addition to its outlet store in Minneapolis. Internationally, Blu Dot can be found in Mexico City and Monterrey in Mexico, and Sydney and Melbourne in Australia.[12]
Complementing its standard retail stores, Blu Dot opened an outlet store in Minneapolis in 2015. This location was established to provide a dedicated retail space for selling closeouts, samples, and discounted merchandise. Additionally, the outlet contains a showroom area, allowing customers to purchase hundreds of products at full price for instant pickup or shipment.[13]
References
- ^ Lagorio-Chafkin, Christine. "How Two Architects and a Sculptor Built an Enduring Furniture Design Firm". Inc. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
- ^ a b Studach, Mel (26 November 2018). "Why Blu Dot wants to make good design democratic". Business of Home. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
- ^ a b Kenefick, Courtney (2017-05-09). "How It's Made: Blu Dot". SURFACE. Retrieved 2025-06-30.
- ^ "CHB Capital Partners Portfolio Investments, CHB Capital Partners Funds, CHB Capital Partners Exits". www.cbinsights.com. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
- ^ "Blu Dot - Products, Competitors, Financials, Employees, Headquarters Locations". www.cbinsights.com. Retrieved 2025-07-22.
- ^ "The year's best design firm according to Cooper Hewitt". Business of Home. June 2018. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
- ^ Felensthal, Julia (16 August 2011). "John Christakos and Maurice blanks, Blu Dot". Slate. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
- ^ Jow, Tiffany (8 May 2018). "Blu Dot Keeps Turning Furniture Design on Its Head". Surface.
- ^ Beall, Kelly (13 February 2023). "Get Ready for Spring 2023 With New Furniture From Blu Dot". Design Milk. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ Hollowood, Kate (26 March 2023). "4 tips for having throw pillows on a couch while keeping the room calm and uncluttered". Living Etc. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
- ^ "Why Designers All Shop at This Small Brand for Minimalist Furniture". House Beautiful. 2024-12-25. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ "Blu Dot Store Locator".
- ^ Ewoldt, John (2015-03-21). "Blu Dot furniture to open its first outlet store". www.startribune.com. Retrieved 2025-08-11.