The Return of Brick and Mortar and Glossier’s New Store
Image: Sean Davidson via Time Out
I grew up alongside Amazon and eBay. My understanding of shopping has always been centered around the internet, a digital age where the new phenomenon of pressing a button and having goods delivered to your door meant that brick and mortar was, increasingly, a thing of the past.
I watched television shows and read books in which women of means went to stores like Barney’s or Lord & Taylor and were served by young, shiny clerks behind counters. These kinds of stores seemed like works of fiction to me, distant memories from far away in history, never to return. They were replaced by online shopping and big box stores like Target and Walmart, and I had simply lost out on that experience.
Glossier, from its founding, has tapped into the millennial mindset and the e-commerce revolution. The brand, founded in 2014, started as an exclusively e-commerce brand, marketing simple, accessible skincare products through social media. The brand was ahead of the curve because it recognized the importance of social media content in building a community. Its content was not about Glossier, but about the women using it. Glossier was able to build a cult following of millennials who adored the simple, millennial pink aesthetic and the affordable products. Everyone wanted to be a Glossier girl.
Image via Glossier
Now, however, in a world that is coping with the aftermath of a global pandemic, the desire for human connection and quality products may be bringing forth a new era of brick and mortar. Last year, brick and mortar sales skyrocketed, growing more than ever in recorded sales history.
Simply having a store is simply not enough, however; consumers want to have a good shopping experience, too. There is, for the first time in many years, a call for innovative in-store experiences and service of care.
After all, this is the one advantage that brick and mortar stores have online shopping. If a consumer simply wants a product, they can order it online; if they want an experience, they must go to a store. With a market so saturated with interchangeable products, a high quality in-store experience is a crucial tool for brands to accrue and maintain business.
Image: Sean Davidson via Vogue
And here, again, Glossier is acutely aware of what the consumer wants. Over the last few years, the brand has expanded from a solely e-commerce brand, opening several flagship stores and regularly hosting pop-ups. While these stores struggled during the pandemic, their most recent flagship store, which just opened in SoHo, New York City, epitomizes the unique customer experience.
When you first enter the store, you are greeted with a tile mosaic that reads “You Look Good,” cleverly mimicking the mosaics so commonly seen in the New York City subways. Inside, there are endless novelties to discover amongst the tastefully New York City inspired, though still on brand, design. There is a gift shop selling Glossier merchandise, including items exclusive to this location. In the center of the store are two long, white tables (inspired by communal dining tables) laden with products meant to be swatched, sniffed, and tested.
Image: Sean Davidson via Vogue
Further back, there is a ‘wet room,’ complete with sinks, where customers can test out skincare products. In the back of the store, there is a ‘selfie room’ that is a recreation of a New York City metro station. There is also a communal area with couches for lounging, waiting, or connecting. There is a claw machine game with Glossier themed items inside.
This store does not just offer an experience to the consumer; it offers many experiences, immersively and playfully inviting visitors to interact with the brand in ways far more memorable than simply ordering makeup online.
In its evolution from a niche ecommerce phenomenon to an omnichannel business model with flagship stores and available at Sephora, Glossier has proven that it is keenly in tune with the desires of its customers. I, for one, welcome the brick and mortar revolution and like many others around me, I crave meaningful, personal experiences. Including when I am shopping. It just makes spending money worth so much more.