CHICAGO —  Today is the official unveiling of The Shops at Merz which will focus on creating a new retail experience in the areas of clean beauty, niche and independent fragrance, and men’s grooming.  Merz president and owner, Anthony Qaiyum, is bringing this unique combination of carefully curated assortment and friendly, approachable expertise into a new three-boutiques-in-one concept.  The Shops at Merz offer the service and assortment of a luxury store along with the knowledge and welcoming neighborhood approach that has won over generations of shoppers to the Merz Apothecary brand.

“As we looked at where we could serve our customers in an even better and more exciting way, we realized that we had a major opportunity with beauty, fragrance and men’s grooming,” said Qaiyum. “Before the opening of The Shops at Merz, we had a great selection in each of these areas. Our goal with our new store concept is to move from great to world-class in both our assortment and in our level of service. It is really fun and exhilarating to have a company that is evolving and pushing the boundaries of retail even though we’ve been around since 1875,”  he added.

 

The Shops at Merz consists of three distinct boutiques:

• The Beauty Shop offers a wide, but carefully chosen selection of natural skincare and cosmetic products, providing the highest quality, cleanest and most effective skincare and makeup for ingredient-conscious consumers. Makeup artists and estheticians perform makeovers and educate customers on how to use the products, expanding on Merz Apothecary’s 143-year mission.
• The Fragrance Shop is focused on introducing everyone to independent perfumery without the intimidation factor and high-pressure sales techniques normally associated with fine fragrance. The goal is fun, exploration, and education, where customers can discover unique scents that captivate the senses and emotions. Merz experts take visitors on a personal olfactory journey to experience fragrances for oneself or a special someone that they cannot live without.
• Q Brothers is a men’s shop housing the country’s (perhaps even the world’s) best selection of products around shaving, beard and mustache care, skincare, grooming, and personal care. The curated collection combined with hands-on training by experts make it a shop unlike any other.

Merz Apothecary has a long history of being ahead of the curve. As a 143-year-old pharmacy specializing in natural health and clean and unique personal care products, Merz has built an international reputation as a shopping destination where health and personal care are one in the same, and expertise is central to the customer experience.  It is also known among independent brands as a coveted retail account, signifying major recognition on the journey from startup to mainstream appeal.

The Shops at Merz is located at 4718 N. Lincoln Avenue, adjacent to Merz Apothecary, a fixture in Chicago since 1875. The Shops at Merz recently opened after undergoing significant renovations to the space.  A grand opening party was held October 4th, 2018 introducing the world to The Shops at Merz.

“I believe our customers will love this new concept,” said Qaiyum. “We are creating an ideal setting to explore fragrance and discover new skincare and makeup necessities. We are also adding more expertise to our team so that we can give our customers a one-on-one educational experience when desired.”

“When you step into Merz Apothecary or The Shops at Merz, you are entering a world of discovery and knowledge that is fun and will help improve your life,” he added. “We have an amazing team that has inherited 143 years of expertise and a focus on customer service, so chances are that we have the information you are looking for or can find it quickly. To be a destination that offers solutions for people’s health and happiness is really fun and sets us apart from most stores in the world.”