Beauty news: Counting down to the opening of MECCA Dunedin

Around 15 years ago I met with MECCA founder, Jo Horgan on the floor at her very first store in Aotearoa. It was literally minutes from my then-house (dangerous!) and I became a loyal customer from the moment my first purchase hit the bag. Over lunch we talked about her vision for the MECCA brand, which was scarily ambitious but also totally captivating – and yep, she did it. Wanting to bring together the best of beauty around the world under one roof and make it accessible to all was a lofty ambition at the time, but she went on to do all that… and so much more.
Jo’s journey from a single store in South Yarra to a retail powerhouse turning over more than $570 AUD million annually is a testament to the power of vision, perseverance, and a relentless focus on customer experience, and with over 100 stores and a new one arriving in the South Island this Friday – the sky really is the limit.
All of which brings me to the big news at hand: the upcoming arrival of MECCA Dunedin, which is set to throw open its doors this Friday, 14 March. It marks the second new store to open in the Otago region following the recent unveiling of MECCA Queenstown, and the store will bring an elevated beauty experience to local customers, offering an extensive selection of the world’s most prestigious and sought-after brands, as well as exclusive products and services debuting in Dunedin for the first time.
MECCA Dunedin will feature beloved brands such as MECCA Max, Charlotte Tilbury, Glow Recipe, and Emma Lewisham, along with an exciting fragrance collection including DedCool, Maison Crivelli and Tsu Lange Yor. Enhancing the shopping experience, the store will offer a comprehensive service menu with four makeup services, three fragrance consultations, and three semi-private skin spaces for treatments such as Express Facials.
To celebrate, the MECCA team is hosting an action-packed opening weekend between Friday 14 March – Sunday 16 March that I wholeheartedly invite anyone in Dunners to take full advantage of. From the ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the official opening, to the surprise gift with purchase featuring a curated selection of trending beauty products across makeup, skincare, fragrance, hair, and body, available exclusively at checkout, there is so much to get amongst!
The following opening weekend services are also on offer, there to be booked and enjoyed:

Makeup Express Services
MECCA Max Discovery (30 min, $60 redeemable, bookable) – an introduction to MECCA Max for new customers and brand loyalists.
Meet The MECCA Icons (30 min, $60 redeemable, bookable) – showcasing MECCA's most beloved brands.

Hair Express Services
High Touch (15 min, Free, walk-in) – an expert-led hair product demo.

Skin Express Services
Emma Lewisham Express (30 min, $60 redeemable, bookable) – an introduction to beloved New Zealand brand, Emma Lewisham.
Express Agnostic Facial (30 min, $60 redeemable, bookable) – a skincare introduction with one of MECCA’s Skincare Specialists that will leave your skin feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

Fragrance Express Services
Discover Your New Perfumeria Favourite Fragrance (20 min, free, walk-in) – an interactive fragrance experience for all.

I have not been to Dunedin for many years, but with all this happening? That just may have to change!