Austin-based startup TreeHouse, known as the Whole Foods of home improvement stores, just announced its second location in Dallas in 2017. And while there are many reasons to wait with bated breath for the new eco-friendly store, which will anchor The Hill shopping center at Walnut Hill Lane and Central, we spoke with TreeHouse founder Jason Ballard to find out what Dallas really needs to know about his innovative company.
1. TreeHouse Is Truly Ballard’s Calling
The Texas native and A&M grad became involved in sustainable building with a goal of positively impacting the environment. “I knew that working on/around the home would be the best place for me to spend my time,” Ballard says. He developed the idea for TreeHouse in Boulder, Colorado, but it was relegated to a side project while awaiting investors. Just as Ballard was readying to leave and become an Episcopal priest, his idea was finally funded. TreeHouse opened its doors in Austin, TX on October 22, 2011.
2. TreeHouse Offers Eco-Friendly (and Just Plain Cool) Products
With a focus on sustainable living, TreeHouse works with some of the more innovative home improvement brands on the market. (Think Nest, Fireclay Tile, Roma Bio Paint, Bole Flooring, and more.) TreeHouse will also be the first retailer to offer Tesla’s Powerwall home battery. Read about the product here—it sounds way cool.
3. TreeHouse Is Surprisingly Affordable
When a place is considered the Whole Foods of anything, you expect that place to be expensive, but Ballard has been cost conscious from the beginning. Products that TreeHouse shares with Home Depot or Lowe’s will be priced the same, but the store also offers high quality, sustainable materials that last longer than most. TreeHouse buys them in bulk to help drive the cost down. “If you’re goal is to spend your money efficiently, you could argue that TreeHouse is the most frugal place to furnish your home,” Ballard adds.
4. The Dallas Store Will Be TreeHouse 2.0
“In retail, you get to prototype your product in a lab, but if you’re a startup, your first store is your prototype,” Ballard says. “Dallas will be the moment TreeHouse 2.0 officially arrives.” The second location will also boast a design by award-winning sustainable architecture firm Lake|Flato, which was recently named one of Fast Company’s 10 Most Innovative Architecture Firms in the World.
5. TreeHouse Dallas Will Be An Experience
Also unique to the Dallas store is the focus on interactivity. The location will be divided into three categories: performance, design, and outdoor. Shoppers will be able to visit the home performance lab, the design studio, and the outdoor center to plan their space and experience products (like a Nest thermostat) before they purchase.
