Beauty

SHEN Beauty: Brooklyn-based brick-and-mortar store closes doors

In the ever-evolving landscape of the beauty industry, few stories are as compelling as Shen Beauty's.

Published: Oct 3, 2023 3:40 PM

By Jeanel Alvarado

Beauty

Add RETAILBOSS as Preferred Source

Beauty

SHEN Beauty: Brooklyn-based brick-and-mortar store closes doors

In the ever-evolving landscape of the beauty industry, few stories are as compelling as Shen Beauty’s. Founded by Jessica Richards, a renowned curator of innovative brands, Shen Beauty has been a beacon of newness and innovation for over a decade. However, recent developments have seen this beloved Brooklyn-based beauty store close its doors and pivot to an online-only model, while also preparing to file for bankruptcy.

Shen Beauty, once a bustling brick-and-mortar store in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, was known for its unique blend of beauty, wellness, and lifestyle products.

From well-known brands like Tweezerman and Bioderma to emerging names like Haoma and Superegg, Shen’s offerings were a testament to Richards’ discerning eye and curation prowess. However, the impact of Covid-19 on the business led to financial difficulties that Shen could not overcome.

On August 11, 2023, Shen Beauty announced its closure and transition to an online-only model. This news shocked many, especially considering the store’s reputation as a launchpad for top beauty brands and its founder’s esteemed position in the industry. The decision to close the physical store was not taken lightly.

Richards revealed in an exclusive interview that she had vacated the $22,000 a month lease on Shen’s 1,500 square foot location and shifted the business to an online platform. The closure of the physical store was just the beginning of Shen’s challenges…

Members-only article

Unlock the rest of this story

Join free to keep reading RetailBoss beauty coverage, industry analysis, and market intelligence.

Company

Account name Used publicly if you comment. We encourage your real first name.

Password

Send me RetailBoss newsletter emails through Substack. I can unsubscribe anytime. Confirm that I want to create a free RetailBoss account.

Free access. No credit card required. Your account is created after you verify your email.

RetailBoss is an independent global news publication and business insights platform built for executives, founders, operators, analysts, marketers, investors, and brand leaders. Our reporting covers the retail shifts across luxury, fashion, beauty, technology and marketing strategy.

Since: 2011
Audience: 50 Million+
Coverage: Global Markets

Our editorial stance

We prioritize news value, evidence, attribution, and practical relevance to retail decision-makers. Sponsored work is identified, and editorial coverage is kept distinct from commercial partnerships.

More from Beauty

Paula’s Choice Connects Sports Marketing With Hannah Waddingham Campaign

Paula’s Choice is extending its sports-focused marketing into entertainment with a Hannah Waddingham campaign built around a direct-to-camera skincare-coach character.

BeautyMarketing

Shipra Bohara4 hours ago

Amélie Fortier-Cyr, L’Oréal Canada’s digital and marketing chief.

L’Oréal Canada Names Amélie Fortier-Cyr Digital and Marketing Chief

L’Oréal Canada has appointed Amélie Fortier-Cyr chief digital and marketing officer, succeeding Marc Dicko as he moves to the corresponding role for the group’s SAPMENA zone.

BeautyLeadership

Alyssa Jade Mann13 hours ago

Chambre52 Tobacco Memories Extrait, part of the fragrance assortment highlighted in the Saujet retail announcement

Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue Add Four Fragrance Brands Through Exclusive Retail Relationship

Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue are expanding their niche-fragrance offer through an exclusive U.S. retail relationship with Saujet Fragrances Group. The arrangement brings anti parfum, Chambre52, Fabbrica della Musa and What We Do Is Secret to customers online and at selected stores.

BeautyNews

Jeanel Alvarado14 hours ago

Audemars Piguet Creates a White Ceramic Royal Oak Chronograph With Serena Williams

Audemars Piguet has introduced a Royal Oak Selfwinding Chronograph “Serena Williams” Limited Edition, translating its longstanding relationship with the tennis champion into a dedicated watch. The 38 mm model pairs a white ceramic case and bracelet with a pink-tinted mother-of-pearl dial and the manufacture’s new Calibre 6401.

BeautyLuxury

Jeanel Alvarado21 hours ago

View all Beauty

Recommended Articles

Ulta Beauty Adds Midi Health in More Than 300-Store Wellness Rollout

Ulta Beauty is adding Midi Health’s supplement range to more than 300 stores beginning September 27, following an online launch. Midi describes the agreement as Ulta’s first partnership with a dedicated women’s healthcare platform.

BeautyNews

Ifrah Nadeem1 day ago

Rhode Celebrates Alexandra Leclerc Collaboration With a Monaco Dinner

Rhode brought its Alexandra Leclerc collaboration to Monaco with a launch dinner at La Vigie Zanoni, pairing a waterfront setting with personalized tableware and its new miniature blushes. The event gave the beauty launch a physical setting built around the collaborator, alongside a product range designed to clip onto bags and travel with its wearer.

BeautyMarketing

Shipra Bohara1 day ago

Space NK — Beyond Beauty installation — photograph 1

Space NK Connects Covent Garden Beauty Sampling With 14 In-Store Gift Offers

Space NK linked outdoor product discovery with its nearby store during Covent Garden’s Beyond Beauty festival, combining consultations and sampling with 14 exclusive gifts with purchase. The September 4–13 activation brought seven beauty brands and seven fragrance brands into a ten-day programme across the Piazza and the retailer’s Neal Street location.

BeautyEvents

Ifrah Nadeem1 day ago

Prada Beauty — Holt Renfrew Vancouver beauty counter — photograph 1

Prada Beauty Opens Its Largest Holt Renfrew Counter to Date in Vancouver

Prada Beauty has opened a new counter at Holt Renfrew Vancouver, its second location with the department store and its largest to date, according to the brand’s Canadian team. The opening brought ten creators and members of the press into the space, combining a retail expansion with an introduction to the products and services on offer.

BeautyNews

Shipra Bohara1 day ago

Model holding BYOMA LONGEVIT-8 Peptide Serum

BYOMA Takes LONGEVIT-8 Serum Into International Beauty Retail

BYOMA is bringing its barrier-first skincare positioning into the longevity category with LONGEVIT-8 Peptide Serum, supported by a rollout across Ulta Beauty, Cult Beauty and Sephora markets. The brand says the serum is available through those retailers, with a Boots UK launch planned for September 16.

BeautyNews

Ifrah Nadeem2 days ago

Jo Malone London and WildWash dog-shampoo launch video still

Jo Malone London Enters Scented Pet Care With WildWash Dog Shampoo

Jo Malone London has teamed with pet-care specialist WildWash on Orange & Cedarwood Dog Shampoo, extending its fragrance world into a new household category. The brand introduced the collaboration with a launch gathering at its Townhouse centered on dogs and their owners.

BeautyNews

Shipra Bohara2 days ago

Bobbi Brown Launches Desert Dreamer With a Six-Shade Lip Tint Liner

Bobbi Brown Cosmetics has introduced Desert Dreamer, the second collection by its Global Artistic Director Hannah Murray, with a new Lip Tint Liner available globally for the first time. The hybrid liner-stain comes in six shades inspired by natural lip tones, according to the brand.

BeautyNews

Alyssa Jade Mann4 days ago

Diptyque Brings Its Body-Care Collection to a Shanghai Pop-Up

Diptyque is presenting Les Rituels de Soin at a pop-up in Shanghai’s Somekh Building through September 13. The temporary space introduces its fragranced body-care collection through a concept inspired by ancient Greek and Roman bathing traditions.

BeautyNews

RETAILBOSS Team4 days ago

View all Beauty

Top 10 Brands Expanding into the US in 2026

SHEN Beauty: Brooklyn-based brick-and-mortar store closes doors

In the ever-evolving landscape of the beauty industry, few stories are as compelling as Shen Beauty's.

Unlock the rest of this story

More from Beauty

Paula’s Choice Connects Sports Marketing With Hannah Waddingham Campaign

L’Oréal Canada Names Amélie Fortier-Cyr Digital and Marketing Chief

Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue Add Four Fragrance Brands Through Exclusive Retail Relationship

Audemars Piguet Creates a White Ceramic Royal Oak Chronograph With Serena Williams

Recommended Articles

Ulta Beauty Adds Midi Health in More Than 300-Store Wellness Rollout

Rhode Celebrates Alexandra Leclerc Collaboration With a Monaco Dinner

Space NK Connects Covent Garden Beauty Sampling With 14 In-Store Gift Offers

Prada Beauty Opens Its Largest Holt Renfrew Counter to Date in Vancouver

BYOMA Takes LONGEVIT-8 Serum Into International Beauty Retail

Jo Malone London Enters Scented Pet Care With WildWash Dog Shampoo

Bobbi Brown Launches Desert Dreamer With a Six-Shade Lip Tint Liner

Diptyque Brings Its Body-Care Collection to a Shanghai Pop-Up

What are you looking for?

Start exploring

Unlock the rest of this story

More from Beauty

Recommended Articles

Sign up for RetailBoss Daily Newsletter