Press Release 09-25-2008

Kitchen Window among First Stores
to Sign New Lease in Calhoun Square
Calhoun Square currently undergoing multi-million dollar renovation

Minneapolis, MN – Doug Huemoeller, president of Kitchen Window, is pleased to announce that he has signed a 10 year lease in the soon-to-be remodeled Calhoun Square. Kitchen Window, an award winning gourmet cooking and culinary store along with its cooking school and event center, has been a fixture of the Uptown, Minneapolis area for 24 years. The new facility will be expanded and constructed in a southwest corner location and will include an outdoor demonstration area, adjacent to a public plaza. The cooking school and event center will feature a larger indoor school, meeting space and an outdoor cooking school and event space terrace.

The new location will cover two stories, and will have outdoor access from Hennepin Avenue. The site will be set back from Hennepin to allow for an outdoor demonstration space for the store’s comprehensive collection of grills, smokers, pizza ovens and other outdoor cooking equipment. Huemoeller expressed his excitement for the lease signing: “It is a real milestone and solidifies our opportunity to expand our business and the level of service we provide to our customers.” He continued; “We have been a part of this wonderful neighborhood for a long time, and we are excited for the impact the renovations to Calhoun Square will bring to Uptown.”

The new floor plan will also allow for many more interactive testing areas for products like cutlery, cookware, espresso and coffee machines where customers can be educated and really make an informed decision before they buy. The expansion will make Kitchen Window the largest independent gourmet store in the Midwest. Huemoeller said “we have always been known for broad product selection, knowledgeable staff and great service, but with our expanded selection, service and the addition of the outdoor cooking school we plan to create the ultimate destination for anyone learning to cook or loving food.”

The Kitchen Window Cooking School and Event Center will double in size with the addition of the outdoor terrace. The store currently hosts more than 300 classes, team building events and private parties a year, and Huemoeller expects that to increase to more than 400, including more than 75 classes focused on outdoor cooking and entertaining. He explained; “We’re known as the ultimate source for outdoor grilling and cooking equipment. The grilling season in Minnesota has grown to be an almost year-round activity in spite of the weather.”

Architect’s renderings, plans and drawings will be on view to the public at the Festival of Knives event in Calhoun Square this October 18th & 19th. It will again be displayed at the 19th Annual Coffee Fest on November 22nd, or can be found online at www.kitchenwindow.com.

About Kitchen Window:
Kitchen Window is the largest Independent Culinary and Housewares Store in the Midwest, featuring over 14,000 gourmet products. It offers the widest variety of cutlery and cooking equipment in the Twin Cities, for the cooking enthusiasts and professional chefs alike. Find out about the wide range of products and cooking classes at www.kitchenwindow.com.

About Calhoun Square:
Located in the heart of Uptown Minneapolis, Calhoun Square offers a unique mix of local and national shops, and beloved Twin Cities’ restaurants. Over 20 years young, the center is a hub of neighborhood activity and a local icon. Calhoun Square is currently redeveloping and expanding, to include more than 200,000 sq. feet of shops, restaurants and office space. For more info please visit: www.calhounsquare.com.