At the time, the incoming president and chief executive officer was so certain she’d be able to attract the department store elite that in 2000, she began building Ulta stores bigger to accommodate them.
Ulta’s initial public offering two years ago, followed by the unraveling of the global economy, has prompted upper-crust beauty firms to take notice of the superstore-turned-specialty concept, which houses salon, mass market and upscale brands under one roof.
“We always were building the store bigger than what we needed,” said Kirby. “When we began the journey 10 years ago, a 7,500-square-foot store — the size of our original store — was not going to be big enough to house this strategy.”
The Romeoville, Ill.-based retailer began building 10,000-square-foot stores with the unwavering belief that eventually it would need the space to accommodate prestige brands.
As Ulta began upgrading stores across the 333-unit chain — placing the cash register in the center to distinguish itself from drugstores — Kirby began what would prove to be an ongoing effort to sell upscale brands on the hybrid retail concept.
Ulta Gains Altitude With Prestige Brands - WWD.com
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