Perfumology — Local services in Philadelphia

This review could have gone in either direction, but I wanted to be fair based on my overall experience.

I stoped in the store while visiting my family in PA this January, and wow this store is absolutely incredible. I walked in the store with a friend of mine and was introduced to Nir. I recently got into the perfume game and was excited to try some new scents. I ended up leaving with a bunch of samples which I purchased (this was new to me, never have I had to pay for samples when visiting a store... but I didn’t mind since the store was beautiful and Nir seemed really kind). Since I’m not from the area anymore Nir told me (and I confirmed this with my friend who was there with me, that he indeed did say this and she was the only other person in the store at this time) that he could give me a discount if I bought a bunch of fragrances from him, since I emphasized my obsession with wanting to buy a bunch in the near future. I left the store feeling really excited to reach out in the coming months when I was ready.

Fast forward to April. I finally reached out to Nir, looking to take advantage of buying in bulk to take advantage of getting a discount which he had told me when I left his store previously. I was looking to spend a good amount for my first order (6 bottles to start) with many orders to follow in the coming months. Considering my size of my order I was expecting to be welcomed with equal excitement from Nir for placing an order of this size and working with him for many years to come, but instead was faced with a very different side from what I experienced at the store. I had other niche perfume companies offer me a discount for 20% off and that’s what I asked for from Nir when I told him about my order, but he said he only sells at full price (unless I outsell his best customers, whatever that’s suppose to mean). Needless to say we went back and forth and I ended up buying from someone else who was much more giving than Nir and welcomed my business with excitement (and free samples on top of that). Nir never responded to my inquiry about buying multiple bottles from him, but stated he would think it over.

With that all being said, there was much more that was discussed between us that honestly would make this review easily a 1 star rating. However, factoring my first experience at his store and how he treated me, along with his store, it’s fair to give him a 2 star rating at this time. It’s sad he wasn’t able to read me correctly. I’m a very direct person who would have been easily one of his best clients over his lifetime. Maybe not from making a 100% profit on every sale, but nonetheless he would have made a fair profit that he now isn’t going to get out of his own greed. It seems you have to pay full price on a few bottles first before he gives into helping you out with any sort of discounts for buying in volume. Based on my first experience in the store this was originally and should have stayed a 5 star review, but telling a customer they are wrong for eagerly wanting to do business with you is where you failed. At least next time you have a client who does this and wants to buy in bulk, I’d suggest telling them what you CAN do, instead of just turning them down. You never know who...

I don't think I've ever written a Google review but after my experience today, I had to... /TLDR/: If you're reading this review and are thinking "you'll get around to it" about heading out to this store, I'm gonna need to you close whatever device you're on right now and drag yourself over there because you're in for a real treat. /For the Expert/: If you're into niche fragrance and know what you're looking for, the owner of this store will be able to point you in the right direction to find what you want. /For the Novice/: If you are like me, however, and don't know much in the way of niche fragrance, I suggest you plan a solid 1-2 hours to really explore this store and all the owner has to offer. He is quite literally a walking TOME of fragrance knowledge. I came into the store with a mere idea of what I wanted, went on a FULL nearly 2 hour journey from exactly what I was looking for to fragrances I would have never thought I would like, and left with what I would consider a small fortune of "it" fragrances that will bring memories for years to come. From entering the store to exiting, I was attended to in such a thoughtful and enjoyable way. I wish I could bottle this experience and wear it as a fragrance, honestly. Not a question left unanswered or a stone left unturned, this was truly an amazing experience. I think knowledge of art is often hard to convey because you get so entrenched in your passion that it's hard to translate to a beginner. However, the owner of this store, a clear expert in his art, was able to meet me at my level, teach me along the way, and open my eyes to what fragrance really has to offer. When you get into this area of fragrance, what you're paying for is ART and experience. Having someone as knowledge to assist you along the way makes it that much more special. Thank you SO much for such a wonderful time today & I cannot wait to get back there and develop my love for this art...

Haven't bought a full bottle yet - still trying the samplers to see what I like. But had to drop by and give this place a rave review anyways.

If anything, you should come here for the experience alone. Nir, the owner, was in the store when I went in. He says he has 1,100 scents available and you can try them all, and I believe him. For all that, the store is beautiful, tastefully organized and easy to browse. Everything's lined up by perfumier, with beautiful packaging and "ingredients" on display when available, and testing strips are scattered around liberally, so you can try whatever calls out to you. We spent an hour and change just spritzing everything with a great name or great notes and having a blast.

It's also just a beautiful store in a beautiful neighborhood - Nir and I spent a good amount of time talking about the way he's lit the place, the fixtures he's had put in (all on my prompting, I love those kinds of convos). It's clearly a labor of love for all involved.

But it's really the deep knowledge and attention to their customers that set these guys apart. My partner and I both know a few perfume houses, so we talked about some notables ones we knew, and every sentence Nir spoke, I learned something interesting. While browsing, out of the corner of one ear I heard him explaining to another pair about the design process used at one of the houses they carry. And I also talked to a few of the staff, who it's clear are hired on just the same values - knowledge and care - but selected to complement what Nir knows. The net effect is that any time you talk to somebody who works at Perfumology, you feel like you're in the hands not just of an expert who wants you to love what you buy, but an artist who believes in their power of their medium. It's exactly that quality that makes this an unmissable visit...