Beauty brand Avon has officially launched a Canadian retail expansion with an initial plan to open three storefronts. The first of these recently opened in Montreal and locations in Toronto and Vancouver are also in the works. It’s part of an effort by Avon to create an immersive experience for consumers in dedicated spaces for the first time.
The 3,200-square-foot Montreal ‘Studio 1886’ Avon location is at 5500 Trans-Canada Highway in suburban Pointe-Claire. The highly interactive retail space is contained within Avon’s Canadian headquarters on a busy stretch of road across from a Costco store. The open concept Avon space is a place where Avon’s independent sales representatives can meet with customers to showcase the latest products. It’s part of a multi-channel shift from Avon’s door-to-door sales which has been a core sales channel for the brand for over 100 years.
AVON’S NEW SPACE PART OF BRAND’S MULTI-CHANNEL SHIFT FROM TRADITIONAL DOOR-TO-DOOR SALES
The Montreal Avon flagship features a reception area, café and lounge space (with complimentary snacks and beverages), product displays, ordering stations, a ‘mini spa experience’, training area, and a conference room. The space encourages trial, sampling and discovery through product knowledge training and beauty advice. Avon’s full range of skincare, colour cosmetics, fragrances, personal care items, and health and wellness items are carried along with Avon-owned brands such as ANEW, Avon True Color, Espira, and Skin So Soft. Household and home ambiance products are also carried in the new Montreal location.
INTERIOR OF AVON STUDIO IN MONTREAL WITH INTERACTIVE IPADS. PHOTO: AVON 
INTERIOR OF AVON STUDIO WITH SHELVES SHOWCASING A RANGE OF PRODUCTS. PHOTO: AVON
In-store iPads allow visitors to order product online to have shipped to their homes or to their Avon Representative, and visitors can also sign up to become a Representative. One perk to being an Avon Representative is a 25% discount on all beauty purchases for the first three months.
The operating hours of the Montreal Avon storefront are 11:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday.
The goal of Avon’s Studio 1886 is to enhance customer experience and product knowledge through Avon Independent Representatives who in theory stand to see sales gains through the new retail space. Another goal is for more representatives to join the Avon brand with the brick-and-mortar initiative. Events such as makeup masterclasses, skincare demonstrations, and new product launches can be had in the space (for now, gatherings are limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
“Our dedicated Representatives and loyal customers are the foundation to Avon’s success and longevity,” says Daniel Park, President, Avon Canada. “We wanted to create an environment that would allow for a more tangible and well-rounded education for both Representatives and customers, a community of sorts where long-lasting relationships can be formed and where people can truly experience everything Avon has to offer.”
Avon says that it is planning to open similar Studio 1886 storefronts in the Toronto and Vancouver markets. An Avon representative told Retail Insider that Avon’s focus is on markets where the brand has the greatest density of representatives who could benefit from the space. Other Canadian markets could be considered for Avon Studio 1886 locations depending on the density of its salespeople. Given the non-traditional location of the first Avon Studio 1886 location, it’s difficult to anticipate where in the Toronto and Vancouver will open.
Montreal’s Avon Studio 1886 is the second in the world for the brand. Last month Avon opened a 19,000-square-foot Studio 1886 in Los Angeles, and more storefronts in the United States are planned.
Avon Canada Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Face Shop Co., Ltd., and ultimately LG Household & Health Care Ltd., and is the leading social selling beauty company in Canada with Independent Sales Representatives throughout the country. The 105-year old Avon brand’s history includes empowering women through economic opportunity and supporting important causes. That includes the Avon Foundation for Women which has contributed over $26 million in Canada for breast cancer research as well as funding for various women’s empowerment programs.
The Face Shop is a Korean beauty retailer with stores in Canada, most of which have recently been rebranded as ‘Nature Collection’. In Quebec the brand has maintained the Fruits & Passion nameplate. Avon products are also available in shop-in-shops at Nature Collection and Fruits & Passion stores as well as through Representatives and at avon.ca.
I am an Avon indendant sales presentative in Los Angeles California. And I’ve gone to the 1886 studio It is very nice it will be a very different and up to-date experience for all. But I really would like for it to be a store again where we can buy products is so much easier sometimes than ordering online.