SDM's Murale lets women 'find their sense of beautiful'

Chain Drug Review, Nov 24, 2008

ORLEANS, Ontario -- The verdict of the suppliers and media people who attended the preview of the first Murale beauty store that opened earlier this month in this Ottawa suburb is that they witnessed the birth of a likely winner. Shoppers Drug Mart (SDM) is the parent company of what is planned to be a nationwide chain.

The store is distinguished from previous North American beauty care stores by both the sophistication of its design and the fact that it encourages customers of its mostly high-end beauty and skin care products to browse. They need only utilize the help of the store's experts at their discretion.

Differing also from the European beauty stores with which it will inevitably be compared, Murale incorporates a small but fully equipped pharmacy.

SDM president and chief executive officer Jurgen Schreiber said at the event that the company had been working on the development of the new format since summer 2007. "We looked at different concepts all over the world, and we believe we have incorporated the best features of all that we saw," he asserted.

Schreiber paid tribute to the colleagues who had worked so intensively to pull off the project in an abbreviated time frame, including Shelley Rozenwald, president of the Murale division, as well as two SDM management people: Michele Slepekis, vice president of marketing, branding and creative; and James Hargreaves, vice president of design and construction.

Schreiber noted that he and his colleagues believe that Murale's customers will particularly appreciate that they will be able to get expert advice in one location from three groups of specialists--beauty advisers (at Murale they are designated "beauty masters"), aestheticians and pharmacists. The pharmacist in residence will offer full professional services but has particular experience in dermatological conditions and will closely liaise with the aestheticians when appropriate. The skin care and pharmacy departments are adjacent.

Rozenwald called Murale "a truly unique experience that promises to delight, surprise and inspire everyone to find their own sense of the beautiful."

Color and niche cosmetics are presented in open-shelved panels, each clearly but discreetly identified with their individual logos above the product presentation. Fragrances are displayed along one long wall, while skin care products are grouped around a central carousel that centers the derma department.

Among the color and niche cosmetics that are completely new to the SDM organization (and some of them new to Canada) are Bobbi Brown, Cargo, Mommy Makeup, NARS and Plant Love. They join such other quality brands as Bare Escentuals, Benefit, Boots No 7, Clinique, Clarins, Estee Lauder, Lancome, L'Oreal, Smashbox and Shiseido.

The richness and diversity of Murale's brand offerings in color cosmetics are matched in the fragrance, skin care and biological sections.

Unlike a typical beauty floor in a department store, Murale's beauty masters do not owe allegiance to any one brand. They have all been thoroughly trained in makeup artistry from various global leaders and are committed to finding the right brands and palettes for customers who request their advice.

Murale will offer shoppers a complimentary signature makeover, as well as bridal and personalized makeup lessons in a pace range of $75 to $100 (Canadian).

The aestheticians in the skin care department will be taking bookings for a choice of some 30 treatments ranging from a chocolate scrub to a deep -leaning treatment that brightens the complexion. Treatments and services are delivered in two private and relaxing cabins. Prices range from $50 to $220.

Perveen Gulati, pharmacy manager in the Ottawa store, says she is excited about the new opportunities for consumers that Murale offers.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

"The ability customers will have to consult with both an aesthetician and a pharmacist at the same time will be especially appreciated," she notes. "We can, of course, deal with customers' other general pharma needs in our store, and that represents convenience."