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SIMPLER THAN SEPHORA

One loyal Bare Escentuals customer, Tisha Maley, says she has waged a lifelong battle against what she calls a “breakout problem.” A few years ago her esthetician recommended she look into the products Bare Escentuals had to offer.

Luckily for Maley, as the assistant vice president of leasing for Simon Property Group at Phipps Plaza and Lenox Square Mall in Atlanta, change was just an escalator ride away. “I work in the basement of Lenox Square, and Bare Escentuals is on the second floor,” said Maley. “I walked in, and I was like, ‘Wow!’ I mean, I lease for the mall, but I had no idea how amazing their products were,” said Maley. “I can understand why they have a cult following, and I consider myself a member.”

Even though Bare Escentuals products offer a nice alternative for people like Maley, who struggle with oily skin and chapped lips, giving these products a chance can be difficult for some, says Joanne Podella, senior director at retail consulting firm Cushman & Wakefield in New York City. “You’ve got to remember that this is one of the few retail situations where employees actually touch you, and most people are very nervous about strangers touching their face,” said Podella, adding that this is one of the main reasons Sephora has had such difficulty recently. “Sephora is such an obvious tenant, but its expansion in New York just stopped and stalled because they seemed to cater to tourists, and for something as personal as cosmetics, people want to go to a neighborhood store where they feel comfortable. Plus, the layouts of their stores here were a disaster,” Podella added, referring to the company’s closed Fifth Avenue store.

Podella says the company’s expansion can be attributed to the simple niche it’s carved. “They’re building their own product, which is critical in every retail business,” said Podella.

One benefit of the company’s decision to keep its stores small — between 600 and 1,000 square feet — is the intensified customer service, says Maley. “They have a higher proportion of sales staff per customer than your average makeup store,” said Maley. They’re focused on getting their products on their customers’ faces. In keeping with the tradition of positioning Bare Escentuals next to successful department stores, the Lenox Square upper-level, corner store sits near to a Bloomingdale’s.

— MK