Sephora has been shipping to New Zealand for three years but will open its first bricks-and-mortar store on Auckland’s Queen St.The retailer was understood to have been looking for sites in Auckland in March last year.
A three-storey flagship store will open in a historic building at 152 Queen St, not far from Australian rival cosmetic giant Mecca Maxima. In April, Sephora started advertising for staff for an Auckland, Queen St store but further details of its official launch in New Zealand have been kept under wraps.
The advertisement listed on job website Seek called for “experienced and passionate Beauty Studio Artists to join our New Zealand team”. Retail experts predict the company will quickly expand beyond Auckland, with Wellington identified as a possible location for expansion.
“The much-anticipated arrival of Sephora to Queen Street is exciting, and will build on the unique beauty offering that’s developing here. This will get even better when Dior Beauty and a third-city centre Mecca store opens in Commercial Bay this spring. Brands like these have international clout that is bound to be a big drawcard for customers seeking a first-rate experience.” –Viv Beck, Chief Executive of Heart of the City
