The CultureMap Interview

Bluemercury CEO explains why she chose Dallas and local expansion plans

Bluemercury, a luxury, one-stop beauty shop, debuted its first Texas location in Highland Park Village on May 19. With more than 90 skincare and cosmetics brands — including big names like Laura Mercier and Nars and proprietary line M-61 — and an extensive menu of spa services, it is certain to be a hit with Dallas’ most discerning beauty buyers.

Founder and CEO Marla Malcolm Beck was in town to celebrate the opening, so we visited with her about how she turned a hobby into a career, why Dallas has always been in her sights and her expansion plans for Bluemercury (hint: Southlake Town Center in the fall).

CultureMap: Did you always know you wanted to be involved in the beauty industry?

Marla Malcolm Beck: I didn’t. I have always been a beauty junkie. I used to drive 30 miles to get a specific lipstick. I would go into Henri Bendel in New York to get MAC lipstick because that was the only place you could find it.

I don’t know how I even knew it was there — this was before the Internet — so it was really a hobby that became a business. Making your passion into a business: That’s what we look for in the brands we carry.

CM: How do you select new brands?

MMB: It’s a little bit like venture capital, really, looking for that point of difference. We like finding entrepreneurs who are passionate about what they are creating. We don’t just look at the product; we look at where they are headed.

Francois Nars [NARS Cosmetics] was working out of a room when I met him. When we first picked up Fresh, they only had a line of limited soaps. It’s just not just about the product; it’s about the person behind the line.

CM: What makes Bluemercury stores special?

MMB: People want convenience, to pull up out front, stop in for what they need and go. When you walk into one of our stores, our salespeople know everything about every line. You don’t have to go from one counter to another.

CM: Why did you select Highland Park Village as your first Texas location?

MMB: I visited Highland Park for the first time when I was in Dallas with some HBS [Harvard Business School] friends. We came to Highland Park Village to do some shopping and have coffee. It was such a unique place, so I’ve always known we eventually wanted to be here.

CM: What do you think differentiates the Highland Park Village shopper?

MMB: Shopping has become much more a part of a lifestyle, and I think the women in Highland Park Village really embody that. She’s not just here to shop. She may be here having lunch, hanging out with a friend; she may live close by. She wants somewhere easy and convenient to stop in and pick up what she needs.

CM: Do you have plans for additional Texas stores?

MMB: Yes —Texas women love their beauty products! We are opening in Southlake in the fall, and then Houston.

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Bluemercury is hosting a public grand opening celebration on Saturday, May 30, 10 am-7 pm, with cupcakes, makeovers and mini-facials. The first 100 attendees get a deluxe gift bag.

Bluemercury founder and CEO Marla Malcolm Beck.

Photo courtesy of Bluemercury

Bluemercury founder and CEO Marla Malcolm Beck.

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Shopping news

Charleston jewelry boutique Hart makes Texas debut on Dallas' Knox St.

Photo by Kathy Tran

The new HART Dallas boutique at 3212 Knox St.

Charleston-based personalized jewelry brand Hart is debuting its first Texas boutique in Dallas, and it couldn't have picked a better spot than the bustling Knox Street district.

The boutique will open Saturday, August 29 at 3212 Knox St., marking the company's fifth retail location nationwide, after stores in Charleston, New York, Nashville, and Nantucket.

According to a release, the Dallas shop will offer Hart's (officially styled HART) popular collection of talismans, chains, cords, bezel jewelry, earrings, and gemstone strands, designed to be mixed and layered. The brand is particularly known for personalized jewelry, with shoppers able to work one-on-one with a member of the Hart team to select symbols and talismans for a custom piece.

The Dallas location will also carry a collection of pieces created specifically for the Texas market, the owners say.

HART Exclusive Dallas charms at Hart.Photo by Kathy Tran

For the store's design, Hart worked with Dallas firm Burkle Creative, which specializes in residential, hospitality, and retail interiors.

"Hart has built a brand around meaningful pieces that tell a story, so our approach was to create a retail environment that feels equally personal," says Javier Burkle, Burkle Creative principal and creative director, in the release. "We wanted the Dallas store to honor Hart's Charleston heritage while embracing the spirit of Texas, blending their unique character and a sense of discovery throughout the space.

"The result is a store that feels like stepping into the home of a well-traveled collector, where every detail invites customers to explore and connect with the brand."

The Dallas opening follows Hart's move into a permanent New York flagship on Bleecker Street in the West Village.

"Dallas has one of the most stylish, confident, and individualistic customer bases in the country," says Hart Hagerty, Hart chief creative officer. "We've been inspired by the Dallas woman for years, her boldness, her sense of self, her commitment to dressing with intention. We are so excited to finally be here."

Curry Hagerty, Hart's CEO, said Dallas has been a hot market for the brand online and through local wholesale partners Clover and St. Bernard. Now they're bringing everything directly to Dallas shoppers.

"Dallas has consistently been one of our top markets for online sales," Hagerty says. "We also have strong wholesale relationships already in the market through Clover and St. Bernard, so we know this customer and she knows us. Opening in Dallas was less a question of if and more a question of when."

HART Dallas Hart joints the bustling Knox St. shopping and dining district.Photo by Kathy Tran

Hart's new store will be part of the Knox Street shopping and dining district, near the Katy Trail and surrounded by more than 70 shops and restaurants.

A grand opening event will take place Saturday, August 29 beginning at 10 am. The first 50 people will receive a custom Hart Dallas tote, custom bandana, and $50 gift card. A latte art cart will be on site to supply sustenance.

Once fully open, the Dallas boutique will be open 10 am-7 pm Monday-Saturday and 10 am-6 pm Sunday.

knox district knox street jewelry shopping