Women and men in the market for beauty, fragrance and skincare supplies need look no further than the newest ULTA Beauty store in Ontario. Two weeks after its soft opening on Nov. 14, the store is finally getting into the swing of things as one of the new stores in the Ontario Towne Center Outlet.
“We were open for a week working out our bumps and kinks so the public could come and shop, and then Nov. 21 was our grand opening,” said General Manager Courtney Steiner. “We’re doing really well, guests are happy to be here.”
The Ontario ULTA store is a convenient location for ULTA shoppers, with the three nearest stores located in Columbus, Sandusky and Akron. The Ontario store employs 35 retail workers, as well as a salon with a salon manager and four stylists. The store also employs aestheticians currently undergoing dermatological training.
Steiner said right now ULTA is seeing a mix of guests, from those who are familiar with the store to those who are still figuring out what ULTA is all about.
“We’re really just showing them everything that’s new. I think they had no idea that we had this much under one roof or that the store was this big,” said Steiner. “I feel like guests have been staying longer during their visit because they’re curious.”
There is plenty to be curious about at ULTA Beauty. Steiner explained that what sets ULTA apart from other beauty stores is their Prestige Beauty products, and simply the volume of products.
Makeup and skin care brands such as Neutrogena, CoverGirl, Maybelline and Revlon are available, along with their nail care counterparts. Body care brands like Olay and a wide variety of razors and shavers are available for both women and men. ULTA also carries what Steiner refers to as “a woman’s paradise” of hair care products, from hairdryers, flat irons and curling irons to pro-care and salon-based hair care brands like Paul Mitchell and Pureology, among many others.
“We say ULTA is the ultimate beauty destination,” said Steiner. “You don’t have to go anywhere else, you can get it all under one roof.”
For those who may be intimidated by the sizeable amount of products available, fear not. ULTA also offers services and support for hair, nail and skin care with certified cosmetologists. The store even offers a Benefit Brow Bar with certified cosmetologists who can shape, tint and wax eyebrows.
“Our team goes through product sessions with account executives from individual brands who teach them about the product, they go over product knowledge, they get to experience and try it, so they’re very well-rehearsed in different brands and can feel confident speaking about it,” said Steiner. “The Prestige Beauty consultants are either certified cosmetologists or are in the middle of finishing their cosmetology license so they have the technical experience and product knowledge of skin.
“It’s a lot of knowledge, there’s a lot that goes into it, and it’s continued training with experts,” she said.
Initially visitors to ULTA were mostly women, but Steiner said men have started to filter in once the word spread that the store is not just about makeup.
“The guys would come with the women and they’re like, ‘oh I didn’t know there was guys’ stuff’ and they would venture off and be happy, and then we have men coming in just on their own,” she said. “We have shaving products and really cool tools and they’re like, ‘wait I get my own skin care?’ So we’re starting to get more men.”
The Ontario ULTA is one of 100 stores the company committed to building nationwide in 2014, and so far Steiner said the company is on track to meet its goal. With a supportive home office and a hard-working local team, Steiner is optimistic about ULTA’s future in Ontario.
“My goal for the store is we continue to stay strong and grounded, and that we have a high retention rate so that every time a guest comes in they have a person that’s been through the training over and over again,” she said. “And when I think about the community and how many jobs it has brought, it’s such a great opportunity for everyone involved.”
“We’re really just showing them everything that’s new. I think they had no idea that we had this much under one roof or that the store was this big,” said Manager Courtney Steiner.
