Time flies when business is good. One positive for J.C. Penney over a decade during which the chain has had its share of problems has been Sephora. The beauty retailer has given consumers a reason to enter Penney locations when they may not have done so otherwise.
Yesterday, the retail partners announced they would open 60 new Sephora shops inside Penney stores between April 29 and June 17. Today, the concept can be found in more than half of Penney's 1,000 locations.
"J.C. Penney was one of the first department store retailers to forgo the traditional beauty counter and work with a global beauty brand to build a dynamic Sephora shop inside its stores," said Angela Swanner, senior vice president for Sephora inside J.C. Penney, in a statement. "Ten years and nearly 600 locations later, Sephora inside J.C. Penney has become a leading beauty destination that will continue to be a growth driver in 2016 and beyond."
Among the new shops schedule to open inside Penney stores this year will be a new Sephora flagship at the Northridge Mall in Salinas, CA. At 3,000-square-feet, the shop will be larger than the typical Sephora (2,000-square-feet) found inside of Penney's stores. According to a press release put out by the companies, the flagship will offer a "larger assortment of emerging brands, innovative merchandise displays and expanded space for service offerings." The companies have targeted November as the grand opening for the flagship.
In addition to its presence inside Penney stores, Sephora has also made a place for itself on jcp.com. Sephora is able to offer an expanded selection of products online and provide content on makeup trends, gift ideas and upcoming events in stores.