IE Bath & Body Works Opens With 'Scent Bar,' New Layout, Upgraded Shopping Space

HIGHLAND, CA — The Inland Empire is getting a sweet-smelling treat this fall with the opening of the newest Bath & Body Works store. The new store, located at 4160 Highland Avenue, inside The Shops at Highland Village. It features Gingham+, and for those in the know, that means elevated design, new technology offerings, and more.

Ron Ford, Chief Stores Officer at Bath & Body Works, discussed the upgrades and what this means for fans of the personal-care brand.

“As a global leader in fragrance, we’re proud to offer a one-of-a-kind shopping experience and a wide selection of the highest quality products at the right price points for our customers,” Ford said. “Our outstanding store associates are key to delivering the immersive and convenient experience we know our customers love, and our brick-and-mortar footprint remains a successful component of our ongoing strategy.”

Eduardo Tonietto, Group Vice President of Store Design, led the new design development alongside Bath & Body Works’ store design team and shared additional insights into the making of the new store format.

Gingham+ incorporates more elevated design elements, technology features, a more open floor plan, and redesigned fixtures to deliver a seamless in-store customer shopping experience.

Informed by research and consumer insights, the new Gingham+ store design includes:

• Improved store layout, including dedicated zones for key product categories, larger aisles and more shopping space.
• Scent Bars in select stores, a new feature where customers can easily test candles, wallflowers and fragrance mists.
• Videos that help customers discover new fragrances and products.

“The customer is at the heart of all our decision-making as a brand and drives everything we do as a business,” says Tonietto. “We’re constantly leveraging data and insights to create and refine a one-of-a-kind retail experience that truly sets us apart.”

Statistics indicate that Gen Z shoppers tend to prefer in-person shopping over online shopping, he said. "Bath & Body Works thoughtfully incorporated its preferences into this new format."

“We’ve heard from this demographic that many of their purchase decisions are rooted in their ability to try a product first, and while we’ve previously offered this, our new design is more intentional with specific destinations in store to test and learn,” says Tonietto. “Our team also knows that Gen Z is looking for a more relaxing and toned-down in-store experience, so we’ve brought in a softer color palette for our fixtures and finishings and incorporated a more neutral palette.”