MAC cosmetics has made a return to Utah Valley.
MAC left when the Nordstrom at the University Mall in Orem closed last February. Customers were forced to either order the makeup online or drive 45 minutes to the nearest store located at the Fashion Place Mall in Murray. Now, a MAC Cosmetics counter has been added to the Macy's department store at the University Mall.
Aime Saunders works at the new MAC counter and was hired specifically for this new location which opened mid-August.
The new MAC counter opened at Macy's in Orem.
'I think this addition has been in the works for a long time,' Saunders said. 'Nordstrom leaving just kind of paved the way for the new store to open.'
MAC Cosmetics has been a staple for several BYU students, like Jordan Murray, who are excited to have the new store.
'I love MAC and use it every day,' said Murray, a junior from Provo. 'Out of all the products I've used seriously, MAC is the best; after it left Nordstrom, I literally went through withdrawals. I didn't want to drive up there for my random purchases. I will totally shop (at the new counter). A MAC counter is a MAC counter, no matter what department store it's at.'
Shelbey Ballantyne, a junior, worked at Nordstrom for two years and has used MAC products in both work and her education.
'I have used MAC products extensively in my stage makeup classes here at BYU,' Ballantyne said. 'They have high-quality products and have proven themselves as a trusted brand throughout the years. I will go all the time. MAC consistently puts out beautiful seasonal and promotional palettes that I've been missing out on because I don't like ordering online; it's important to me to see and feel what I'm buying.'
Not everyone is completely thrilled with the idea of MAC coming back without a Nordstrom. Molly Jane Larsen, a senior studying English teaching, has been a loyal MAC customer but doesn't know if Macy's is the best place for the new makeup counter.
'I have gone to the MAC counter at Macy's, but only because I had to,' Larsen said. 'Their employees are knowledgable, but I had much better experiences at Nordstrom, their customer service is top notch. I wish we had a full MAC store here, not just in a department store.'