Today we’d like to introduce you to Deborah Turner.
Deborah, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have lived many lives actually. I’m originally from Toronto but live in Highland Park now with my husband, Jim. I have three wonderful boys: Morgan, Christopher, and Sam.
Throughout the 80s and 90s, I modeled and acted. I’ve died a horrible gory death in a slasher movie but my career highlight as an actor was playing Burt Lancaster’s daughter in the television movie, Barnum. Acting is, and always has been, one of my great passions and it’s something I fully intend on continuing for the rest of my life. I’ve also appeared in over 80 TV commercials and had roles on television and in film. The way acting challenges me creatively is something I’ve also found in the perfume world.
I’ve been interested in scent my entire life. I can recall building a collection back in the 80s and how it was so dependent on my emotions. Sometimes, my perfume reflected my mood, and other times, it would set my mood.
But, in 2016, my love for perfume was reinvigorated by a trip to Siena, Italy. The one and only thing on my to-do list was to visit a niche perfumery, so I could bring home a scent that nobody else had. I knew if I was thinking this, surely other people were, too. It was stumbling into Amaranthus, a small perfumery in Siena, that kind of set everything into motion. In that shop, I met my eventual mentor and now-friend, Vincent Gambino, and the rest is history. His passion for the art, individuality, and craftsmanship of niche perfume fueled my motivation to dive into this amazing world, and I immediately knew that this was something that Dallas would love, but didn’t yet know that they needed.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Smooth? Absolutely not. Rewarding? Absolutely. Part of the challenge was deciding which brands we wanted to curate. I wanted to make sure I had something for everyone, from the beginner niche customer, all the way up to the seasoned scent addict. I had tons of fun designing the store, but, like any new venture, there were some hiccups. Construction problems meant delaying our launch and adapting as we rolled with the punches. Of course, there’s the mundane work like unboxing and stocking the shelves, setting up our point-of-sale system, etc., but it was endlessly worth it seeing my vision and dream come to life.
Please tell us about The Scent Room.
We are thrilled to be the first niche perfumery in Dallas and one of the few in the nation. Some of the lines we carry are virtually impossible to find in any other shop in the country. I also designed our store to be so much more than a typical shopping experience. There are no counters, so clients are free to interact directly with the scents. Our knowledgeable specialists are trained to guide clients on their journey and to help them find the perfect scent to add to their collection. We want it to be a destination for people to come and experience with friends, family, and their partners. Our guests are free to explore, sit, relax, and enjoy a glass of wine or champagne. Finding the perfect fragrance can take two minutes or two hours, so we want people to take their time, if they’d like, and not feel pressured or rushed. We’re excited to say that we are always expanding and looking for a new, niche, indie brands to bring into the shop. We have such a positive relationship with our clients and the Dallas fragrance community is so outspoken and tight-knit that we have even found some new brands through client suggestions.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Honestly, nothing. While it hasn’t been the smoothest road, I’ve learned from every “bump” along the road. The “gestation period” for The Scent Room was long but that allowed me to think through every detail so that I could bring my vision to life exactly the way I’d always imagined it.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3699 McKinney Ave Suite 301
Dallas, TX 75204 - Website: thescentroom.com
- Phone: 214-796-8402
- Email: deborah@thescentroom.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scentroom/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScentRoom/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/thescentroom_
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-scent-room-dallas
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