Kohl’s adding 400 in-store Sephora shops this year

The rollout of in-store Sephora shops at Kohl’s is accelerating this year.

The department store retailer said it plans to add 400 Sephora at Kohl’s shops in 2022, with the locations spanning 36 states and including 46 in California and 18 in New York. (See end of article for related link.). There are currently 200 Sephora at Kohl’s locations, with a goal of 850 shops by 2023.

Introduced in 2021, the Sephora shops at Kohl’s are average 2,500 sq. ft. and offer an experience that mimics the look and feel of a freestanding Sephora. The assortment includes prestige makeup, skincare, hair and fragrance brands and a rotating selection of new, emerging or trending products. Sephora-trained beauty associates are available to offer personalized beauty consultations and assistance.

In a release, Kohl’s said that the initiative is off to a great start and “has been driving sales, bringing in new, younger and more diverse customers, and enabling cross-category purchases across all lines of business.”

“We’re thrilled to be bringing Sephora at Kohl’s closer to millions more of our customers nationwide through this 400-store expansion,” said Doug Howe, Kohl’s chief merchandising officer. “The quick and vast rollout of Sephora at Kohl’s is a testament to how much we believe in this partnership and making prestige beauty more accessible to people everywhere.”

at odds with activist investor group Macellum Advisors GP LLC, which recently announced its 10 nominees for directors of the Kohl’s board.

Kohl’s has talked up its turnaround efforts in response, with the Sephora partnership key among them. The retailer has put a “poison pill” in place, and has rejected buyout offers.

Kohl’s is currently under pressure from activist investor group Macellum Advisors, which has been highly critical of the retailer’s turnaround efforts and wants the company to explore options, including selling itself. Kohl’s has rejected buyout offers and adopted a shareholder rights plan, or “poison pill,” and touted its turnaround initiatives, including its partnership with Sephora. In response, Macellum has nominated a slate of 10 candidates for election to Kohl’s board.

In addition to expanding to 400 more stores, Sephora at Kohl’s is also adding six new prestige beauty brands to its assortment this spring: Murad, Clarins, Jack Black, Living Proof, Versace and Voluspa. 

“Since our partnership with Kohl’s began, we’ve always had the intention to keep the Sephora at Kohl’s beauty assortment as relevant and similar to our freestanding Sephora stores as possible,” said Artemis Patrick, Sephora’s executive VP and global chief merchandising officer. “We want every customer who comes to Sephora at Kohl’s to be able to discover new brands and find their favorites, just like they do at our other Sephora stores. The additions of these new brands to Sephora at Kohl’s demonstrate how we are continuing to bolster the assortment to bring the best experience to all of our new and existing customers.”

To see the map of all 600 Sephora at Kohl’s locations that will be open by the end of 2022, click here.