Looking at its warmly lit, well-organized interior, one would never guess that Vienna's Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio is soon celebrating its 70th anniversary.
The beauty and skincare store will reach that milestone this Friday, Sept. 1, making it the second-oldest operating store in town after Money & King Funeral Home, according to store owner Sharon Holland.
Anticipating many attendees will be out of town over Labor Day weekend, Holland is instead planning to hold a birthday party on Saturday, Sept. 9. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., there will be food, champagne, games with prizes, storewide discounts and giveaways, including a gift with every purchase.
“It's a lot of fun,” Holland said. “Our events are always a lot of fun. At Christmas time, we do our ugly sweater Christmas party, which is always a big hit, so that's a lot of fun too.”
Founded in 1953, the Vienna branch of Merle Norman Cosmetics first had a store on the west side of town before moving to Danault Plaza when the shopping center opened in the 1960s. It has occupied the corner office at 401 Maple Avenue East ever since, Holland said.
The business began through Holland's marriage: Her husband's mother bought the store from the original owner in 1971 and she helped run it until she sold it to a friend in 1986.
During that time, the pair added a Merle Norman franchise at Fair Oaks Mall and further expanded by opening a store in Centerville in 1990, which remained in business for 25 years.
On September 1, 2015, the same day the Centerville studio closed (a decision influenced by his aging mother-in-law and repeated rent increases), Holland completed their journey by reacquiring the Vienna studio.
“We bought it back so it's back in the family, so to speak,” Holland said.
Holland, a Merle Norman user himself, attributes the Vienna studio's longevity in large part to the loyalty of its “Merle Girls,” as the company calls its regular customers.
According to the company's official history, founder Merle Norman developed the “Three Steps to Beauty” — Cold Cream, Miracol Lotion and Power Base — while studying medicine and chemistry in college.
He initially planned to sell the cream, but the stock market crash of 1929 put a stop to these plans, but Norman opened his own store in Santa Monica, California in 1931, which was a huge success, with 94 studios built by the end of 1934.
The company is still owned by Norman's family and remains true to Norman's tradition of letting customers try makeup and skin-care products for free before buying, Holland said.
“We're not intrusive. We let our customers decide what they like, and if they like it, they try it, that's fine. If they don't like it, that's fine,” Holland says. “…Sometimes customers just come in and chat. This is a safe place for women to come, and yes, women love it here. Customers love coming here, getting the personal attention, and becoming friends. We become friends with all of our customers.”
But given that it's currently the only studio in Northern Virginia, Vienna Studio's success is also thanks to the local community, which Holland describes as “very supportive” of local businesses.
Holland says Merle Norman meets just about everyone in town because it serves as a drop-off point for packages collected by the Vienna Chamber of Commerce for new homeowners, and the chamber hosts regular meet-ups to foster an atmosphere of cooperation rather than competition among the businesses.
Going forward, Holland hopes to expand her business, especially to a younger customer base. It used to be a rite of passage for mothers to bring their daughters into the store to teach them about skin care, but that tradition has faded, which she says is “a shame.”
In addition to upcoming celebrations, Holland is using the studio's 70th anniversary as an opportunity to give back to the community that has supported it for the past 70 years: the store is collecting sanitary napkins and tampons for local nonprofit BRAWS.
“There used to be close to 20 studios in the Northern Virginia area, and we're the last one standing,” Holland says. “That alone is pressure. People say, 'Please don't close,' and I have no intention of closing. But it's an honor to still be here and help these people. They're friends. They're all friends. They're great women and men who come and enjoy our product, so I'm happy to be here and help them.”
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