Take Care, a natural skincare and wellness shop in Washington, D.C., is so effective at creating inviting spaces that customers don’t want to leave. In this podcast episode, owner Becky Waddell describes how the business finds new ways to use its retail space, from experimenting with co-working to introducing new services.
Sun-filled with natural wood tones and a minimalist aesthetic, Take Care is thoughtfully designed to create a relaxing experience from the moment shoppers enter the store. The organic, natural and plant-based skincare products are just as carefully selected, and the small staff acts more like consultants than sales associates.
While wellness may be a national trend and a $4.2 trillion industry, according to the Global Wellness Institute, every person’s approach to wellness is deeply personal. Located in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., Take Care’s customers deal with a lot of stress in their lives; Waddell wants to help them find more peace in their daily routines.
“My big, ultimate hope is that by creating a space where we’re concerned about wellness, that means we’re concerned about reconnecting with ourselves,” Waddell says. “And when we feel connected and calm and accepting of ourselves, we’re able to be that with others. I think that’s what the whole world needs right now.”
The store itself is something customers are drawn to. To put underused retail space to work, Waddell experimented with turning part of the shop into a co-working space with a monthly membership model. She says while that was a fun idea, that space is now being transformed to finally deliver something her customers have been asking for all along: Waddell is converting it into a place for estheticians to provide facials.
Listen to the full episode to hear more about how Waddell creates a space that’s a sanctuary in a stressful city.
