Bath & Body Works Opens First Feel Good Concept Store

Bath & Body Works opened its first Feel Good concept store in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Friday, with two more locations set to follow in Miami and Columbus, Ohio, this fall, according to information the company sent to Retail Dive.

The format is designed to make fragrance discovery easier. It reflects the retailer's Consumer First Formula, a strategy the company says aims to drive sustainable, long-term growth.

What shaped the new format?

Consumer feedback drove the design. The company said easy navigation, clear information about product ingredients and benefits, and an enhanced testing experience were all included to make Feel Good a "more contemporary expression of the Bath & Body Works brand."

Maly Bernstein, chief commercial officer at Bath & Body Works, said the Charlotte store will help the company better understand how shoppers engage with the brand and will inform how the store experience evolves.

The concept marks a test-and-learn approach. If the format performs, it could shape a broader redesign across the chain, which operates stores across the U.S. and Canada.

What will shoppers find inside?

A curated assortment highlights the retailer's signature fragrances, including:

• Champagne Toast
• Warm Vanilla Sugar
• Japanese Cherry Blossom
• Fruit Fusion, a franchise launched with Hilary Duff in July

The store features immersive testing stations and discovery zones for hands-on interaction. These include an Eau de Parfum bar, a lip-and-blend station, and sink stations for product exploration and demonstrations.

A digital Fragrance Finder uses a quiz to match shoppers to fragrance families and scent recommendations based on personal preferences. Shoppable drawers let customers browse directly. Items are organized by fragrance family, including Warm & Woodsy and Fruity & Bright.

"The intent behind our Feel Good concept stores was to create an environment that feels warm, authentic and beautiful while making it easier and more enjoyable for consumers to shop," Samantha Day, associate vice president of store design at Bath & Body Works, said in a statement.

Why is the retailer investing now?

The concept store is part of a wider update of the chain. This summer, the retailer announced it was rolling out enhanced experiences to all of its stores in the U.S. and Canada.

CEO Daniel Heaf called 2026 "an investment year" on an August call with analysts.

The latest earnings show the pressure behind that investment. Net sales fell 2.3% year over year to $1.5 billion. Net income rose 84% to $118 million. Direct to consumer, the channel selling straight to shoppers rather than through intermediaries, posted positive growth in Q2 for the first time since 2021.

"Returning Bath & Body Works to sustainable growth is a multiyear transformation," Heaf said at the time.

The Feel Good stores give the retailer a live laboratory for that transformation, and the Charlotte location's performance will determine how quickly the format spreads beyond three test markets.