Mark Piller, store manager of JCPenney in the West Acres Shopping Center, has been watching women's eyes light up whenever he mentions a new addition to the store.
JCPenney just started a $2 million remodeling project of its West Acres store, which includes adding a Sephora boutique.
Sephora is a leading beauty retailer with worldwide locations that offers cosmetics, skin care, makeup, fragrance, hair products and makeup tips.
The closest Sephora stores are in St. Cloud, Minn., and Sioux Falls, S.D.
Piller said Sephora is going to be a tremendous draw for both JCPenney and the mall.
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"Sephora customers tend to be very loyal," he said, adding that they typically visit the store to buy something eight times a year. That's twice as often as the average customer visits her favorite store, he said.
"It's going to be at the mall entrance, jewelry's going to be across from it, women's clothing is going to be across from it, so there's going to be a lot of temptation to come in and buy Sephora and of course buy other things," he said.
Rusty Papachek, West Acres general manager, said the store could help keep shoppers in Fargo and draw more out-of-town shoppers.
"We know it is a brand customers want, so I think it will do well," he said. "The more we can offer here that helps us competitively with the Minneapolis market, the better."
Sephora inside JCPenney should open in mid- to late June, Piller said. The store will hire about 20 people, who will go through extensive training, he said.
The 1,600-square-foot beauty boutique isn't the only change in store for JCPenney. The Fargo retailer is undergoing a complete makeover to include new restrooms, fitting rooms, floors, walls, and fixtures on both levels. The salon also will be updated, Piller said.
"We want to be the best-looking store in town, and I'm positive when we get done, we will be," he said.
The project should be finished around Aug. 1. Crews are working night and day, but the store will be open during the entire remodel.
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Sephora is owned by Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy and is found in 14 countries with more than 250 United States stores and more than 200 Sephora-inside-JCPenney stores, according to the company website.
Sephora-inside-JCPenney stores began opening in October 2006. There are 76 new stores planned for 2011.
A Sephora representative was not available to comment for this story Thursday because it was the last day of Fashion Week.
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Readers can reach Forum reporter Tracy Frank at (701) 241-5526
