Birchbox (CLOSED)

Following the trend of websites opening brick-and-mortars (Piperlime and Warby Parker are recent NYC additions), Birchbox debuts its first boutique in Soho. The company fills its store with full-size versions of the men’s and women’s beauty-product samples it’s been sending to customers for years. In addition to stocking popular brands like Smashbox, Caudalie, Baxter of California and the Art of Shaving, the shop features testing stations, as well as free how-to classes on makeup and hairstyling. And it’s not getting out of the distribution business: At the BYOB (“build your own Birchbox”) section, you can fill a box with five samples for $15.