Mecca is already a leading name on the lips of beauty lovers around Australia, but the cosmetics destination expects an even greater public profile in 2016 with the opening of a slew of new stores.
Founder Jo Horgan recently revealed to The Sydney Morning Herald that 20 new Mecca shopping destinations will open this year, in the guise of Mecca Cosmetica, Mecca Maxima, and the brand’s in-store Myer boutiques. The Mecca network has grown by 25 shopping destinations within the past three years, now amassing 67 stores in Australia. There are also plans to expand across the ditch, with Horgan commenting she would like 10 more stores opened in New Zealand to add to the existing four.
Horgan hints that not only will stores grow in number, but also in physical size, with Myer’s concessions expecting a similar makeover. She explains of her business mantra: "One of the things we really try to do is test demand – or fire bullets before we fire cannonballs… So we did that [Toorak store] as a one-off, and now that it's demonstrated it has worked, we are rolling out three more flagship stores across the country next year." While Mecca is most renowned for its bricks and mortar outlets, its online store is currently the fastest growing component of the business.
Horgan attributes the success to Mecca’s dedication towards customer service, commenting: “Eighteen years ago we had this tiny seed of an idea: we started the business with a very clear mandate, which was that it was all about empowering the customer. And, thank goodness, the entire trend globally has been towards the customer."
The brand’s success is also the result of a continued interest in stocking niche brands amongst its 7000 products in stock, as well as debuting international beauty offerings in Australia. “Very often we will see these brands before they launch and we will be there two, three, four years on and we might be their very first international market.”
