Kings County makeup lovers rejoice: Glossier, the “digital-first” makeup brand with a large following among Millennials and Gen Z’ers, opened a glossy new storefront in Williamsburg over the weekend as the brand expands their physical footprint.
Stocked with the brand’s signature sleekly-designed bottles and tubes, the N. 6th Street store is the only Glossier location in New York City – its former flagship location in Soho closed during the pandemic. But, two years later, the company is setting up shop all over the country, having recently opened storefronts in Los Angeles, Seattle, Miami, Atlanta, and London. The clean, minimal storefront — designed by Glossier’s own in-house design team, per the company – fits right into the trendy neighborhood, and dozens of Glossier lovers flocked to the store for its grand opening on Nov. 5.
The shelves of the shop, which is perched on the corner of Wythe Avenue, are filled with the brand’s signature products — colorful lipsticks, shimmering eyeshadows, and the well-loved “Boy Brow” eyebrow gel, plus skincare, perfume, and more. Described by the company as “equal parts soda counter and Wonka factory,” the Williamsburg Glossier outpost features a “wet bar,” where customers can try out makeup and skincare, wash it off, and try something else — plus a mirror inscribed with the words “You Look Good,” where Glossier customers almost always snap a selfie featuring their new look.
Founded in 2014, Glossier spent its first years as an online-only business, gaining a sizable following on social media with a small selection of blushes, lipsticks, and other makeup products. With a focus on sheer, natural looks, Glossier quickly expanded its fanbase and its product lineup and, after hosting a few temporary pop-up shops, ventured into the physical realm in 2016.
Glossier fans can also find an exclusive new item at the Williamsburg location — the Brooklyn Utility Bag, a $35 canvas tote with eight pockets, designed “for a city always on the go.” In addition, each physical Glossier store partners with a local charity, according to the brand, and the N. 6th Street store is working with the Manhattan-based Sadie Nash Leadership Project, which “provides award-winning experiential social justice education to over 500 young women and gender-expansive youth in New York City and Newark,” according to its website. For every Utility Bag sold, Glossier will donate $5 to the organization.
With outdoor seating plus comfortable spaces to lounge in the store, Glossier said its Williamsburg location aims to function as a neighborhood hangout — encouraging shoppers to explore the store and the surrounding nabe. Loaded with upscale stores targeted toward a younger crowd — like Everlane, Urban Outfitters, and Marine Layer — the area is already popular with the company’s target audience.
