An Irish make-up entrepreneur has spoken of her delight after crowds turned out for the opening of her first flagship store in Northern Ireland.
Long queues formed in the Victoria Square shopping centre in Belfast on Saturday morning for the opening of the eye-catching pink Sculpted By Aimee shop.
Just six years ago Aimee Connolly, 30, was working as a make-up artist and starting up her own brand of cosmetics.
Finding success online with customers around the world, where most orders coming from the UK, Ireland and the Middle East, she opened her first bricks and mortar store in her home city of Dublin last year.
The Belfast shop is her third opening, and will create six new jobs as part of the brand’s plans for expansion.
“Today has been so amazing, there were tears from the team because everyone was quite emotional at the sight of the level of support, there was about 300 people standing outside,” she told the PA news agency.
“It makes all the work so worth it, to feel the buzz, and especially for the retail team who are joining us in the new store.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better reception.
“Having that physical presence hits a bit different, we take for granted so much with the digital world, which we adore and a huge focus goes into, but there’s nothing like seeing something with your own two eyes, and meeting all the lovely customers and the stories they share.”
The store includes virtual try-on screens, digital look books, a recycling facility on to allow customers to recycle their used Sculpted By Aimee products and earn reward points as well as make-up services and The Suite, a studio space for events, masterclasses and make-up lessons.
Ms Connolly described her brand as championing trusted staples, such as a great mascara and lip products.
“But I feel like the level of hysteria and excitement is just around the novelty of having everything in the one store.
“We’re very lucky to be stocked in our amazing partner retailers like the likes of Boots, but they have a limited selection vs our entire portfolio because we simply cannot take up that level of space instore,” she said.
“Also when the dust settles on the opening, we’ll have an amazing events space we call The Suite for our services, and even hen parties and birthdays, so I hope we’ll have a lovely community feel to the store that will mark lots of celebrations for customers going forward.”
She described one of the secrets of her success as “not overthinking things”.
“Be it naivety or internal gut confidence I just tend to plough ahead. There are challenges all the time, on a daily basis, but nothing that would deter me from the journey, and I think we are so lucky to have come this way six years on with such an amazing community,” she said.
“There is absolutely no way you could do this without a great group of people around you, a group of people who genuinely care. The secret to a start up is having people who feel a part of it.
“I am a really hard worker, and I suppose I probably have high expectations of those around me as well, so I feel super lucky with the team that are here on the journey with me.”
