Barker Bros. in New Site

Barker Bros., which recently closed both its downtown and Santa Monica stores, has moved into 40,000 square feet of space in the old Helms Bakery building at 8850 Venice Blvd.

Gerard Benatar, showroom designer for Barker Bros. since 1982, transformed the space into a showroom for $500,000, incorporating the existing skylights and supporting trestles into the design. He replaced the flour silos with sculptural partitions, walls and arches.

A pass-through connects the Barker Bros. showroom with the adjoining Antique Guild, another tenant in the historic building.