P&G Revamps The Art of Shaving Destinations

Procter & Gamble is trying to create a “good old boys club” for men’s grooming. That’s why P&G is revamping the 39 retail locations for The Art of Shaving, a men’s grooming brand. So far, two stores — at Aventura Mall in Miami and at Lenox Square in Atlanta — have been remodeled. And two new stores, one opened this month at the Shops at Northbridge in Chicago and one opening next month at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, Ill., reflect the new design.

“The goal of the redesign is to use this platform for new stores,” said Eric Malka, who cofounded the company with his wife, Myriam Zaoui, when they opened a store in Manhattan in fall 1996. “Early signs show very promising results.”

The new store format is meant to conjure the atmosphere of an intimate men’s club, according to Malka — “environments that people want to spend time in.”

In addition to a traditional wood motif, the store design uses tufted leather adornment around the point of sale area, accents of polished nickel and white Carrara marble and a “hub table,” or demonstration island, featuring a sink and product displays, where customers can play with items from the firm’s product assortment.

“It’s the centerpiece of the new concept,” Malka said of the demonstration island, adding it fosters a “sensorial” experience. “It’s a draw for consumers, to pull them into the store and interact with our products.”

Zaoui and Malka collaborated with New York-based creative services firm Pompei A.D. LLC to create the stores.

Barber services, such as shaves, are available at some of the redesigned stores, dubbed “Barber Spas,” but not at others in order to “track and learn” which format works best, said Malka.

In June, P&G armed itself to target the premium male shopper with two acquisitions in two weeks — the purchase of The Art of Shaving for an estimated $60 million on June 1, followed by the acquisition of upscale men’s grooming brand Zirh Holdings for an estimated $40 million.

Since The Art of Shaving’s acquisition by the Cincinnati-based consumer products giant, “in general we’ve infused more resources,” said Malka. “P&G’s scale has allowed us to take advantage of opportunities The Art of Shaving has, and the business has been going very well.”