An Irish makeup entrepreneur is thrilled by the turnout at the opening of her first flagship store in Northern Ireland. The grand unveiling of the vibrant pink Sculpted By Aimee shop at Belfast's Victoria Square shopping center drew in crowds of eager shoppers, who lined up early on a Saturday morning.Aimee Connolly, now 30, began her journey as a makeup artist and ventured into creating her own cosmetics brand just six years ago. She initially found success online, attracting customers from around the world, with a significant number of orders coming from the UK, Ireland, and the Middle East. Last year, she took her brand into the physical retail space by opening her first store in her hometown of Dublin.

 

The Belfast boutique is her third store opening and is part of the brand's expansion plan, which aims to create job opportunities for six individuals.

 

Connolly expressed her excitement, saying, "Today has been incredible. There were tears from the team because everyone was so emotional seeing the overwhelming support. There were about 300 people waiting outside."

 

She added, "All the hard work feels worth it when you feel the excitement, especially for the retail team joining us in the new store. We couldn't have asked for a better reception."

 

While acknowledging the importance of the digital world, Connolly emphasized the unique experience of having a physical store. She believes that seeing products in person and interacting with customers face to face holds unmatched value.

 

The store features innovative elements, including virtual try-on screens, digital look books, a recycling facility where customers can recycle used Sculpted By Aimee products and earn reward points, as well as makeup services and The Suite, a studio space for events, masterclasses, and makeup lessons.

 

Connolly described her brand as a supporter of trusted makeup essentials, such as mascara and lip products. However, she believes that the excitement surrounding the store's opening is due to the convenience of having everything available in one place.

 

"We're fortunate to be stocked in our amazing partner retailers like Boots, but they can only carry a limited selection compared to our full portfolio because we can't occupy that much space in their stores," she explained.

 

She also looks forward to creating a sense of community in the store, envisioning it as a space for celebrations like hen parties and birthdays.

 

According to Connolly, her entrepreneurial success comes from not overthinking things and having the courage to move forward despite challenges. She attributes her achievements to her supportive team and stresses the importance of having people who genuinely care and feel connected to the business.

 

She reflected, "The secret to a startup is having people who are invested in it. I work really hard, and I probably have high expectations of those around me as well, so I feel incredibly lucky to have this team with me on this journey."