Thursday, March 11, 2010

Santa Maria Novella to open its first Boutique in Florida at Bal Harbour Shops

PR Log (Press Release) – Mar 11, 2010 – PRESS AND MEDIA CONTACT:

SONIA GIBSON & ASSOCIATES

Sonia Gibson & Jennifer Heegaard

T: 305.777.0217

Jennifer Heegaard/ Jennifer@soniagibsonpr.com/305.803.5505

Sonia Gibson/ Sonia@soniagibsonpr.com/305.458.5003

(Bal Harbour, FL. March, 2010) LAFCO NEW YORK's fourth free-standing SANTA MARIA NOVELLA boutique will officially open with a grand celebration, at the prestigious Bal Harbour Shops, on Thursday, March 18.  SANTA MARIA NOVELLA has chosen to partner with South Florida’s only University based Cancer Research Center, The University of Miami’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. A very generous 25% of the evening sales will benefit the organization.

LAFCO's visionary founder Jon Bresler says, "Along with my dream of offering this historic and authentic Italian apothecary line to Santa Maria Novella devotees here in the US, was the dream of those stores being in the best shopping venues that the US has to offer".  After opening a flagship store in trend-forward Soho New York, then paving the way for the resurgence of the Melrose Place area by opening a store at Melrose Place and Melrose Ave in Los Angeles five years ago, Mr. Bresler set his sights on the beautiful Highland Park Village shopping venue in Dallas, Texas. This fourth Santa Maria Novella boutique is his dream come true.

The original Santa Maria Novella apothecary in Florence (the oldest continually-open and most prestigious pharmacy in the world) is almost 800 years old and the products that customers will find in this new boutique have a long and illustrious history. From the Santa Maria Novella Eau de Cologne signature scent (a mix of citrus and bergamot first concocted by the monks at Santa Maria Novella for the Queen of France, Catherine de Medici, to use for bathing) to their world famous pot-pourri (a masterly mix of grasses, resins, berries and flowers), SMN products have been coveted for centuries by faithful customers and A-list celebrities alike.

To showcase these historic products, Vincent LaRouche, LAFCO's Creative Director has created " a glimmering contemporary Italian apothecary with touches of old world glamour";  a 300 square foot "jewel box" boutique with mosaic stone flooring, custom made Italian oak shelving complemented by Italian antiques, brass fixtures and leather accessories for the home. "The Santa Maria Novella boutique is a mecca for those that love the Italian lifestyle", says Bresler, "a world of scents and flavors to be enjoyed by those who appreciate only the best". Customers are shopping for the fine perfumes, soaps, lotions and home fragrance items that have made Santa Maria Novella a world famous brand as well as Italian leather goods by Arte e Couio.

This will be the first Apothecary/ Perfumery for the ultra luxe Bal Harbour Shops

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