Inside Glossier's giant new store, which is home to makeup conveyor belts and a replica subway station
Glossier will be calling New York City home again with its new flagship store in SoHo.
Insider visited before it opens on Friday, and found the store to be a beauty lover's dream spot.
There are makeup testing stations and odes to New York City scattered throughout.
Glossier has returned home to New York City with a giant new store in SoHo.
With locations currently in London, Los Angeles, Brooklyn, and more, Glossier's SoHo shop will serve as its flagship.
The new store marks a major moment for the brand. Its former flagship — which opened in 2019 — closed in 2020 due to the pandemic, and the brand restructured overall in 2022.
Insider visited the 7,000-square-foot spot before it opens to the public on Friday.
Shoppers are greeted with Glossier's "you look good" motto written in a pink-and-white, subway-esque mosaic on the floor as they enter.
A hallway to the right leads you to one of Glossier's signature mirrors, which is perfect for selfies.
The giant mirror is directly next to Glossier's gift shop, where you can buy the brand's sweatshirts, makeup bags, and other accessories.
Many of the items were previously exclusive to other worldwide locations — like a pink passport case sold in London and a red makeup bag from Atlanta.
Like the rest of the store, the gift shop has details pulled directly from New York City culture.
Kendall Latham, Glossier's director of retail design, told Insider that its G Pal sculptures, for example, were inspired by the bronze statues located in the 14th Street and Eighth Avenue subway station.
You'll also notice lots of red pipes and steel structures. Latham said that's because they wanted to match the industrial red standpipe system of NYC.
The middle of the store — where the brand's products are found — is where Glossier fans will spend most of their time. Latham said its layout was meant to feel like a grand, residential dining room.
Shoppers can test each product with disposable applicators before buying them.
From there, you'll reach the store's "wet bar," where you can try Glossier's skin-care products "as they were intended with a sink" in a more "intimate" environment, Latham said.
The store designer also pointed out hidden chairs in the "wet bar," as the store will eventually offer beauty appointments with makeup and skin-care experts.
One of the store's most unique features is its replica subway station.
Latham described the space as the store's "selfie" room, so we made sure to try it for ourselves.
The "you look good" mosaic was hand-crafted in Italy and mailed to the NYC store in pieces. As for the seating, Latham said they "tried very, very hard to find a real subway bench" but couldn't — so they made a replica.
Finally, there's a "communal area" where shoppers can hang out, meet other beauty fans, and wait for their orders — which arrive via makeup conveyor belts.
A brick-and-mortar Glossier store might not be a new concept, but we'd say this latest one stands out among the rest. The separate rooms make shopping feel like a special experience, and the NYC homages remind you where you are at every turn.
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