“Beauty is our business,” explains Linda Roberts, founder and CEO of Therapy Systems, Inc. A line of fine cosmetics and results-oriented skin care products, Therapy Systems has been sold at the likes of Henri Bendels in New York City and Harvey Nichols in London. “We were the first small-batch prestige cult brand in the Southeast,” Linda tells us.
Now with three different stores, in addition to the line of skin care and cosmetics, Linda has honed the business of beauty. “We have Private Edition, The Cosmetic Market and Absolution. All three are very different approaches, but all are about beauty and giving people the opportunity to show how they want to shop,” she shares.
Private Edition carries the créme de la créme of beauty products. The crown jewel, as Linda calls it, has been serving Nashvillians with fine cosmetics and treatments for 37 years. Linda then opened The Cosmetic Market to directly compete with Private Edition. The same customer that shops at Private Edition also shops at The Cosmetic Market (now with six locations), but a trip to The Cosmetic Market is often quick, less formal and results in a departure with everything from a bottle of shampoo to a graduation gift.
“Absolution is the third way to shop,” Linda explains. “Along the way, it became curiosities and beauty, but we have made a huge decision to get back to the organic roots of beauty,” and her 37 years in business are guiding this transformation.
Located in The Mall at Green Hills, the 5-year-old Absolution offers exactly what their tagline boasts: Beauty and Curiosities. Mixed in with the home goods are the oils, bath, treatments, lotions and fragrances that complete the beauty approach that has been the brand’s bottom line since the start. Bearing the hallmarks of an old-world apothecary, Absolution is home to well-loved and emerging brands in beauty. Perhaps the best example of the variety lies in the New York-based fragrance Odin, which sits only inches away from the entire collection of highly revered Bond No. 9 perfumes. “We curate the products we think are stellar,” Linda says of the selection. In short, this shop is dedicated to preserving the quality of their core inventory: beauty.
The store is segmented to aptly showcase the best of beauty, niche jewelry, books, candles and one-of-a-kind things for your home. Upon stepping through the handmade oak doors, you will be drawn to the selection of fragrance, body and bath products and oils on your left. The shelves are stocked with Kat Burki’s cold-pressed products, including Vitamin C Intensive Face Cream, TellurideGlow Alpine Oil, Stowaway Cosmetics, daBomb Bath Fizzers and select Therapy Systems products.
“There has always been an element of beauty, but now we are making it more of a focus in terms of placement and inventory,” says Mary Kathryn Yeiser, regional sales manager for Therapy Systems. With shipments arriving everyday, each return visit brings something new. The assortment of niche beauty is curated to feature hard-to-find brands.
To the right of the beauty section, Absolution’s first-ever shop-in-shop, Red Light Tattoo, will be set up starting April 1. This fine and contemporary line of jewelry is handmade with the highest quality materials in Istanbul and has price points ranging from around $300 to $10,000. With an old-world feel that complements the interiors of Absolution, the pieces will look right at home. There will be a limited-edition jewelry collection within the shop, which is only sticking around for three months. Use this as an excuse to make your way to the mall sooner rather than later.
Rounding out the mix, the remainder of the store is dedicated to candles, home goods and gifts. Although beauty is the focus, the unique home finds that drew us back to Absolution time and time again still have a place in the store. Alongside the mainstays, you will also find seasonal offerings for the home. “You can pick up a moisturizer, a hostess gift and earrings,” Mary Kathryn says of a visit to the store.
Every item, from beauty to books, is hand-selected to carry in the story, and the unique inventory is why a regular visit to Absolution is a must!
Absolution is located in the Green Hills Mall and is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. See more information here.
Private Edition, Absolution’s sister store is celebrating 36 years of beauty with a series of events in April. Stay tuned for more information!
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