Neiman Marcus Makes Plans For Opening and Gala

Neiman Marcus is planning its grand opening for March 9, the day after a pricy gala to raise money for four East Bay nonprofit organizations.

The tony retailer threw a little party for some movers and shakers at the Bedford Gallery in the Lesher Arts Center in Walnut Creek last week. Neiman Marcus is looking forward to "opening this jewelbox of a store in this beautiful community," said Neiman Marcus Vice President Jamie Broadhurst, who will manage the Walnut Creek store.

The Broadway Plaza store will feature a bridal gift registry and a personal shopping service. It will boast two floors of shopping and 87,000 square feet. The store is under construction on the site of the former David M. Brian home products store.

The store will be open seven days a week, Broadhurst said. It will have a fine restaurant, he said, open for dinner on Saturday and Sunday evenings and for Sunday brunch. It will serve Neiman Marcus specialties: popovers with strawberry butter and chicken consomme.

Broadhurst said he is in the process of interviewing candidates for department managers. Neiman Marcus has an art curator gathering the work of local artists to hang in the store.

On March 8, the day before the opening, a gala will give Walnut Creekers a chance to walk through the store and imagine, and to hear some music and have a nice meal. A limited quantity of VIP tickets will go for $350 and include a VIP cocktail party at 6 p.m. March 8.

Regular tickets are $200. The main gala is from 7 to 10 p.m. March 8.

Invitations are due to go out at the end of January. Tickets will be promoted by the leaders of four regional nonprofit organizations picked by Neiman Marcus to receive the proceeds:

• The Diablo Regional Arts Association of Walnut Creek.
• The Junior League of Oakland-East Bay.
• The Monument Crisis Center of Concord.
• The Taylor Family Foundation of Livermore.

Walnut Creek will be the 42nd store from the high-end retailer, said Gabrielle de Papp, a vice president for Neiman Marcus. It is the retailer's seventh store in California, which surpasses its number in its headquarters state — Texas — de Papp said.

The Walnut Creek Neiman Marcus has its own page on the Neiman Marcus website where updates about the new store will appear.