Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella — Local services in New York

I previously had a 5-star review for this SOHO SMN store, but that was when Royce and David worked there. Unfortunately Lola and another new employee ruined that experience and my view of Santa Maria Novella today.

I had purchased a bottle of perfume for my girlfriend's birthday. When I was purchasing it over the phone with Trivani, I asked if it could be returned if my girlfriend didn't care for the scent. She told me it could be returned so long as it wasn't opened, so she included a sample of the scent to use to make that determination without needing to open the box with the bottle.

My girlfriend told me she didn't care for the scent from the sample, so I called the store to request the return. However, contrary to what Trivani told me, the employee today and Lola said it cannot be returned even though the bottle arrived April 1 (Today is the 13th) and still within the two week window.

Furthermore, the new employee told me there is nothing they can do and to just email corporate, then when I expressed concern about that delaying me outside the return window she tried to put blame on me by saying "you should have called sooner to request a return". Then Lola got on the phone with me and was rude, disrespectful, and then in the middle of me telling her not to hang up the phone on me, she hung up. I hope Santa Maria Novella looks into this situation and I would like to hear back since this remains unresolved and has left me with a terrible customer service experience and a very negative view of SMN. Original Post: Chivalry is not dead. David and Royce truly know how to treat customers in a way that will generate loyal, life-long customers. I cannot give enough praise to David and Royce. I was purchasing the delicate pet shampoo (which I love) for my dog and it was sold out online. David was patient and polite with me the entire time we spoke. I also spoke to Royce earlier today, and yet again, I feel compelled to praise the customer service, kindness, and character of the people this company is bringing into their business. Fortunately they were able to get the shampoo sent out to me. To the leadership of Santa Maria Novella Retail-- thank you for providing me with the outstanding customer service I received from David and Royce. Seriously, if you want to be taken care of, these two will give you the best customer service there is. You've earned a lifelong customer and I plan to call David and Royce for all...

The Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is an absolute must-visit when in Florence. Founded by Dominican friars in 1221, it’s considered the oldest pharmacy in the world — and stepping inside feels like entering a beautifully preserved piece of history.

The building itself is stunning, with high vaulted ceilings, frescoes, and elegant displays that make it feel more like a museum than a shop. Every corner tells a story of tradition, craftsmanship, and Florentine heritage. Even if you don’t plan to purchase anything, it’s well worth visiting just to experience the atmosphere.

The selection of products is outstanding. Their perfumes, soaps, skincare, and herbal remedies are all crafted with exceptional quality and attention to detail. Each fragrance feels unique and sophisticated, nothing like the mass-market scents you find elsewhere. You can really tell these formulas have been refined over centuries.

The staff were friendly, professional, and very knowledgeable. They took time to explain the history behind the products and helped guide me through different fragrance families without any pressure to buy. Their passion made the experience even more special.

While the prices are definitely premium, the quality, heritage, and presentation make it worth the investment. Even a small item feels like a special souvenir from Florence.

In short, the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is a rare blend of history, art, and luxury. Whether you are a perfume lover, a history enthusiast, or just someone looking for a memorable experience, this place should not be missed. Five stars...

I love this brand and shopping in the NY store is always a pleasure. Recently many products I love changed, they discontinued Nori night cream which works amazingly for me, the F cream doesn’t smell the same and not as rich as before, the most disappointing thing is my favorite perfume Rosa is changed, the package changed from the beautiful frosted glass bottle, and smells very different. I’ve been using SMN Rosa for a decade, I would give 10 stars for the old one, it became my scent, every time I wear it I feel great, I could actually smell the rose and received so many compliments. But now the notes are not the same, it doesn’t last long as the old version and doesn’t have the elegant rose fragrance any more, instead of it, it begins with a strong alcohol scent and left with some grass tone to it. I really miss the old bottle Rosa, the old formula was well balanced and classic. Today I went to SoHo store and found out the notes are different, they changed the roses types, took out mimosa and a few others, add vanilla to it. How I wish they would stick classic as they were known through, those old formulas were tested throughout times which is the main thing distinguishing SMN from other brands. Luckily I found last two bottles of old version from Aedes perfumery, they can last me for a while until I can find permanent...