Blu Dot

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'''Blu Dot''' is a modern American [[modern furniture|furniture]] retailer based in [[Minneapolis]], [[Minnesota]]. It operates 17 retail locations<ref>{{cite web |title=Blu Dot Store Locator |url=https://www.bludot.com/stores}}</ref> across the [[United States]], [[Mexico]], and [[Australia]].<ref name="Democratic" /> The company employed nearly 200 employees worldwide, with the majority based at its Minneapolis headquarters.<ref name="Podcast1">{{cite web |last1=Lagorio-Chafkin |first1=Christine |title=How Two Architects and a Sculptor Built an Enduring Furniture Design Firm |url=https://www.inc.com/christine-lagorio-chafkin/blu-dot-furnishings-what-i-know-podcast.html |website=Inc |access-date=6 June 2022}}</ref>

'''Blu Dot''' is a modern American [[modern furniture|furniture]] retailer based in [[Minneapolis]], [[Minnesota]]. It operates 17 retail locations<ref>{{cite web |title=Blu Dot Store Locator |url=https://www.bludot.com/stores}}</ref> across the [[United States]], [[Mexico]], and [[Australia]].<ref name="Democratic" /> The company employs nearly 200 worldwide, with the majority based at its Minneapolis headquarters.<ref name="Podcast1">{{cite web |last1=Lagorio-Chafkin |first1=Christine |title=How Two Architects and a Sculptor Built an Enduring Furniture Design Firm |url=https://www.inc.com/christine-lagorio-chafkin/blu-dot-furnishings-what-i-know-podcast.html |website=Inc |access-date=6 June 2022}}</ref>

==History==

==History==

Blu Dot was founded in 1997 by [[John Christakos]], Maurice Blanks, and Charlie Lazor with $50,000 of capital.<ref name="Democratic">{{cite web |last1=Studach |first1=Mel |title=Why Blu Dot wants to make good design democratic |url=https://businessofhome.com/articles/why-blu-dot-wants-to-make-good-design-democratic |website=Business of Home |date=26 November 2018 |access-date=5 June 2022}}</ref> The founders met as undergraduate students at [[Williams College, Massachusetts|Williams College]] in [[Massachusetts]] and conceived the idea for the company during a backpacking trip across Asia in 1988.<ref name="Democratic" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Kenefick |first=Courtney |date=2017-05-09 |title=How It’s Made: Blu Dot |url=https://www.surfacemag.com/articles/design-furniture-bludot-how-its-made/ |access-date=2025-06-30 |website=SURFACE |language=en-US}}</ref> The founders cited their struggle to furnish their first post-college apartments as the catalyst for the company.<ref name="Founders">{{cite web |last1=Felensthal |first1=Julia |title=John Christakos and Maurice blanks, Blu Dot |url=http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/top_right/2011/08/john_christakos_and_maurice_blanks_blu_dot.html |website=Slate |date=16 August 2011 |access-date=8 June 2022}}</ref> They found that options for furniture were either unaffordable or undesirable.<ref>{{cite web |title=Blu Dot |url=https://gridfurnishings.com/creators/blu-dot/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110221925/https://gridfurnishings.com/creators/blu-dot/ |archive-date=2014-01-10 |access-date=9 June 2022 |website=Grid Furnishings}}</ref>

Blu Dot was founded in 1997 by John Christakos, Maurice Blanks, and Charlie Lazor with $50,000 of capital.<ref name="Democratic">{{cite web |last1=Studach |first1=Mel |title=Why Blu Dot wants to make good design democratic |url=https://businessofhome.com/articles/why-blu-dot-wants-to-make-good-design-democratic |website=Business of Home |date=26 November 2018 |access-date=5 June 2022}}</ref> The founders met as undergraduate students at [[Williams College, Massachusetts|Williams College]] in [[Massachusetts]] and conceived the idea for the company during a backpacking trip across Asia in 1988.<ref name="Democratic" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Kenefick |first=Courtney |date=2017-05-09 |title=How It’s Made: Blu Dot |url=https://www.surfacemag.com/articles/design-furniture-bludot-how-its-made/ |access-date=2025-06-30 |website=SURFACE |language=en-US}}</ref> The founders cited their struggle to furnish their first post-college apartments as the catalyst for the company.<ref name="Founders">{{cite web |last1=Felensthal |first1=Julia |title=John Christakos and Maurice blanks, Blu Dot |url=http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/top_right/2011/08/john_christakos_and_maurice_blanks_blu_dot.html |website=Slate |date=16 August 2011 |access-date=8 June 2022}}</ref> They found that options for furniture were either unaffordable or undesirable.<ref>{{cite web |title=Blu Dot |url=https://gridfurnishings.com/creators/blu-dot/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110221925/https://gridfurnishings.com/creators/blu-dot/ |archive-date=2014-01-10 |access-date=9 June 2022 |website=Grid Furnishings}}</ref>

In 2018, Blu Dot was awarded for Product Design at the Cooper Hewitt [[National Design Awards]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The year's best design firm according to Cooper Hewitt |url=https://businessofhome.com/articles/the-year-s-best-design-firm-according-to-cooper-hewitt |website=Business of Home |date=June 2018 |access-date=10 June 2022}}</ref> In the same year, the founders published a memoir detailing the company's history, titled "''Less Is More (Difficult): 20 Years of Design at Blu Dot.''<ref name="Democratic" />"

In 2018, Blu Dot was awarded for Product Design at the Cooper Hewitt [[National Design Awards]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The year's best design firm according to Cooper Hewitt |url=https://businessofhome.com/articles/the-year-s-best-design-firm-according-to-cooper-hewitt |website=Business of Home |date=June 2018 |access-date=10 June 2022}}</ref> In the same year, the founders published a memoir detailing the company's history, titled "''Less Is More (Difficult): 20 Years of Design at Blu Dot.''<ref name="Democratic" />"