Bella Tesori Downsizing Kirkland Showroom, Eyes Bellevue for Expansion

You may have noticed a big white sign in the window of Bella Tesori that announces it's moving, but it's not moving far.

Bella Tesori is getting ready to reduce its retail showroom in Kirkland--from 2,500 square feet to the 650-square-foot space at the corner of its current location, formerly Bella Bambini--but its game plan is actually a significant expansion of Bella Tesori, owner Rosalynn Sumners says.

"We're downsizing to focus on interior design more," which Sumners has been a growing part of Bella Tesori's business model.

Reducing the retail space here will also let her focus on finding an even bigger retail space to expand, most likely in Bellevue, but she says she'll always maintain a retail presence in Kirkland. Another location, possibly in Napa, could follow later, she said.

Currently, the corner space is under construction and the home decor showroom is having a sale to reduce stock in preparation for the move, which Sumners said will be completed hopefully by April 1.

The hometown favorite of both Kirkland and Edmonds residents, where she grew up and lived through her competitive and professional skating career told Patch in 2011 that operating retail stores during the recession had been a struggle.

Sumners said she's had her share of words with the Kirkland City Council about event-related street closures affecting retail stores, in particular one year, she said, when the streets of downtown Kirkland were closed for an event at 2 p.m. the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

However, Sumners said that though it's a contraction of her retail presence here, Bella Tesori is in growth mode--and plans to stay in Kirkland.