by Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Aug 18/97) - A Yellowknife entrepreneur is planning to bring an extensive line of perfume, cosmetics and skin-care products to communities across the territories.

Kim Staples, owner of Merle Norman Cosmetics store in the capital, is working on a plan to visit major arctic centres in the fall, demonstrating the products and recruiting sales staff.

"We're planning to launch our whole mail-order business next month," said Staples.

An independently owned franchise chain out of Los Angles, Merle Norman is a proven success. Currently there are 90 stores in Canada and more than 2,200 in the U.S.

Staples owns the franchise rights for the entire NWT.

"Our main business is in Yellowknife, but we want to expand to offer our products to people across the territories," said Staples.

The week-long visits Staples is hoping to make to the Northern centres will include makeovers, beauty consultations and a cornerstone of the Merle Norman success formula, plenty of free samples.

"'Try before you buy' is the Merle Norman motto," said Staples. "And sanitization is our No. 1 priority, there are individual samples for each product we sell."

Price is another part of the Merle Norman success story. Staples said prices are equivalent to those available at duty-free stores.

The product line includes 200 designer fragrances (for men and women) as well as a huge variety of skin-care products and cosmetics, said Staples.

Front and centre during the Iqaluit visit will be the fall line of colors.

"There's a wardrobe of makeup for each season, and right now we're launching our fall colors."

What's in for the fall? Burgundy and brown colors with a shimmer of gold and silver, said Staples.

The company is also looking to recruit beauty advisers-sales consultants in as many communities as possible.

Prospective consultants would receive training in Yellowknife, then sell products in their home communities through demonstrations in private homes, classes, conference rooms, hotel rooms or community halls.

In fact, for the trip to Iqaluit, Staples is hoping to find a college or school classroom in which to demonstrate her products.