Key Takeaways

• SkinOwl, despite thriving, will close its Boise store, marking a shift to a more flexible business model.
• The brand aims for stronger community engagement through appointments and events rather than traditional retail.
• Founder Annie Tevelin emphasizes a focus on human connection and expertise to distinguish SkinOwl from larger competitors.

SkinOwl’s Strategic Store Closure

SkinOwl, a skincare brand founded by Annie Tevelin, is set to close its Boise, Idaho store in May after a successful five-year run. The 1,200-square-foot location, which accounted for 40% of the brand’s sales, registered a staggering 200% growth annually. Despite the success, Tevelin decided to shutter the store to realign with SkinOwl’s core mission of trust and education, finding the demands of a brick-and-mortar space increasingly misaligned with the brand’s strengths.

Tevelin expressed, “This decision actually comes from a place of clarity, not struggle.” She emphasized that while the retail model has been successful, it may not foster the one-on-one connections that are essential to SkinOwl’s community-focused mission.

Looking ahead, Tevelin plans to pivot to a more flexible appointment-only studio format, merging her other ventures, which include color analysis business Daybreak Colour and organic salad delivery service Gem Jolie. This shift aims to maintain the brand’s commitment to personal connections and word-of-mouth referrals, which constitute approximately 70% of SkinOwl’s revenue.

SkinOwl’s store primarily served customers who were already familiar with the brand, contrasting with the traditional walk-in model. The store offered various beauty services and attracted loyal clients from around the world. However, the current business model splits its revenue sources with 60% to 65% from direct-to-consumer sales, about 10% from wholesale partnerships, and the remainder from the store, which is set to close.

The decision to retreat from traditional retail aligns with Tevelin’s vision of SkinOwl as a lifestyle brand. Unlike many brands chasing hypergrowth and large retail accounts, SkinOwl has chosen to collaborate with smaller boutiques. This intentional strategy reflects a commitment to quality over quantity, firmly rooted in the brand’s ethos of transparency, authenticity, and vulnerability.

Tevelin noted that the pandemic prompted her move from Los Angeles to Boise in 2020, leading to the store’s opening in February 2021. While small beauty retailers across the U.S. have faced mounting challenges in recent years, such as rising costs and competition from giants like Amazon and TikTok, SkinOwl’s approach underscores the importance of human connection and specialized expertise.

Tevelin advocates for small retailers to leverage their unique strengths to survive in today’s digital-first commerce landscape. She remarked, “You need to be very clear on what problem you are solving for people” and emphasizes the importance of community and direct interactions over automated marketing approaches.

Against a backdrop of other small beauty retailers closing their doors, SkinOwl’s strategic exit from a brick-and-mortar presence at its peak highlights a broader industry trend. With store closures still outpacing openings in the U.S., Tevelin believes that focusing on personalized experiences will keep SkinOwl thriving in a competitive market.

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