Le Creuset is known for its brightly colored pots and pans, so it's not particularly surprising that the French-Belgian cookware maker would also have stylishly designed real estate.
The company moved into its new North American headquarters and distribution center near Charleston, South Carolina, earlier this month. The 300,000-square-foot property will consolidate the company's U.S. distribution and administrative operations into a single location.
Le Creuset acquired the 62-acre parcel in 2024 from Hampton County, South Carolina, and served as developer for the new building, according to CoStar data.
Although some of its exterior and interior features look like many other distribution and office facilities, the architecture firm that designed the project, McMillan Pazdan Smith, made sure the new Le Creuset property had a personality of its own.
"We sought to bring identity to the space without sacrificing function," Scott Hinson, leader of the commercial practice at McMillan Pazdan Smith, said in a news release. Hinson is also director of the firm's Charlotte, North Carolina, design studio.
In one flourish, the architects used Le Creuset's Dutch ovens, coated with its famous bright-orange hue known as "volcanic flame," as bathroom sinks. In other features, architects deployed herringbone patterns in tile surfaces as a "nod to the company's French heritage" and installed elevators painted in vivid red. Floors are made of polished concrete.
The building includes a two-story office component, and the warehouse section features a cross-docking area built for potential future expansion.
The property is located at 601 Bob Gifford Blvd., near Yemassee, South Carolina, about 70 miles west of Charleston, the largest city in the Low Country of South Carolina. Le Creuset also operates a 4,000-square-foot retail store at 18 Lane St. in Yemassee.
Le Creuset's previous distribution center is located less than a mile from its new facility, at 114 Bob Gifford Blvd. The company has not disclosed its plans for the old building.
Le Creuset was founded in 1925 near Paris and makes cast-iron cookware glazed with vividly colored enamel. The cookware company is known for its Dutch ovens, a type of pot that uses a domed, cast-iron lid. Le Creuset also makes plates, bowls, utensils, flatware and other kitchen items.
For the record
Frampton Construction was the general contractor. Thomas & Hutton provided civil engineering services.