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32 January 2016 | beautystorebusiness.com development teams would never launch a product that they didn't love. This has created devoted fans who share their love of the NYX brand on social media." THE FUTURE OF RETAIL In an age when online shopping has made it easier than ever to keep your custom- ers' beauty cabinet stocked with all their favorites—without rummaging endlessly only to find a color or product is sold out in-store—some may ask what is the advantage of a retail location, especially for a brand that's already thriving online. At the heart of NYX's new venture, however, is a push to bring retail and digital shopping together, which Fried- man believes are of equal importance. "Brick-and-mortar retailers will continue to thrive," Friedman says, adding that this is especially true of beauty buyers, whose desire to know more about products and hear reviews before purchasing is what has forged such a strong online pres- ence to begin with. "Even though it is convenient to buy online, it is even more common to research online and then buy in a store," he points out. And, of course, then there's the fun of it all. "Even though a certain amount of purchases will occur online, many people want to be able to test products and get the instant gratification that comes with walking out the door with their purchase," he says. "Shopping at a physical store can also become a social experience." Creating a store that encourages inter- action and experimentation will not only cater to the growing population of self- taught artists, but also help establish retail stores as the hub of a brand—leaving online stores to simply serve as an exten- sion of the in-store environment. With one flagship store fully launched, and four additional locations set to open in Southern California in 2016, NYX is well on its way to firmly estab- lishing itself as a mainstream cosmetics brand. However, the company's plan is to explore retail growth slowly, Friedman says. "Our goal is to first learn how to best service our guests, and then decide which select urban locations fit our demo- graphic and store-layout needs." For this reason and more, the brand has no plans to pull out of any existing retail locations where it has been successful. Rather, ensuring customers can still find NYX products at locations like Target and ULTA will continue to be a priority. "We are not opening our stores to replace our current retail partners, but rather to fully embrace the professional artistry heritage of our brand, which will continue to drive demand at our current retail partners," he says. ■ Malena Jaime is an editor and freelance writer based out of Orange County, CA. A decorated car sat out front of the world's fi rst NYX store at the Westfi eld Santa Anita Mall in Arcadia, California, Oct. 1 during the grand opening VIP party. Samantha Ravndahl signing autographs for fans. Getty Images for NYX Cosmetics