What does a pair of creative, driven and passionate New Yorkers do during a pandemic? Move to Music City and open a new brick-and-mortar beauty retail space. We caught up with partners Bennett Jason and Martin Casanova to learn more about this style-focused destination and what’s next for their brand Revelhaus.
What made you decide to open Revelhaus?
Revelhaus is a culmination of needs and wants. Coming to Nashville from NYC, a primary intention was to own our own business, embracing curation to bring brands not easily found in the Nashville area. Pairing that with Nashville’s only “theater and performance” store recently closing, we noticed a big entertainment market getting left stranded with nowhere to replenish. We wanted to change that, while introducing today’s most inspired makeup brands in a tangible way.
What is the concept of the store?
Reestablishing destination boutiques with pro education and regionally hard to find brands. Our brands cater to the convenience girl with a 5 minute beauty ritual, lots of multiple products, lots of time management tips and tricks. We also are the destination for Nashville’s drag scene, offering the essentials for performance makeup. We strive to attract an all-inclusive demographic, where the on-the-go mother of 3 can shop alongside the trans burlesque performer, find similarities, share makeup tips and find interest in supporting one and other.
Where is it located?
Revelhaus is located in the Germantown district of Nashville, TN. This neighborhood is industrial and residential. It reminds me of Bushwick, Brooklyn. It is burgeoning and eager to bring in local one-of-a-kind boutiques that will support its point of difference. Our building, 100 Taylor is an arts collective, packed with all kinds of creative small business, candle makers, photographers, interior designers and fine artists. The energy here is filled with a buzz of fresh ideas. The building, once not ideal for retail, recently underwent huge pushes to defend, nurture and bring in more retail to the space.
What will make this unique to makeup stores in Nashville and other pro focused national retailers?
Leaders in Nashville’s beauty scene are very female forward. Revelhaus, being owned by two queer men, makes much destinction in our brand and visualizes individual, customized beauty and their rituals differently. Having professional makeup artists of male gender and of any gender variant is very important to us. We also find industry community and education to be a major priority, offering a wide array of masterclasses and seminars that detail some of the industry’s top tips and tricks. We find much inspiration in other industry leaders like The Powder Group and the support and community building it is dedicated to. If we can offer a fraction of what they offer, to strengthen and bring confidence to artists and their clientele here in Nashville.
What pro products will you carry? Will you carry any products that are exclusive in Nashville to Revelhaus?
We are launching with a curated selection of pro must-haves including Alcone, Bdellium Tools, Danessa Myricks Beauty and Kryolan. We also have many local artists that contribute their skills, techniques and products. We carry a “Ayurvedic style” beauty brand, think salves, teas and tinctures. We carry a more spiritual Wiccan beauty brand offering smudge sticks, scented conjure oils and healing salts. We offer custom wigs, nails and lashes on demand. Our education menu provides many more services as well as providing makeup services by appointment. We have 3 fashion collections: Brooklyn Celestial, Good Girls Wear Black and Venus Rules. We also stock drag essentials from Got2Be and Elmer
You carry your own brand of Revelhaus skincare. Can you tell us about the line?We created the Revelhaus skincare line as a love letter to the many years of education from our industry. Over the years, I recognized and researched the whats, hows and whys to the ingredients that make our products active and unique. We make small batches of each product by hand, and offer 6 products. 01. Cleanse, 02. Exfoliate, 03. Tone, 04. Renew, 05. Moisturize and 06. Glow. These products are packed with antioxidants, hydrators and cell regenerators that provide an energized and brightened skin. You may head over to the Revelhaus Instagram page, there are posts of each product and a detailed explanation of the ingredients and their functions. Prices range from $18 for the toner, to $38 for the Renew. Makeup and skincare go hand-in-hand, both have given me so much inspiration throughout my 20 years in the scene, seeing and listening to the impact and difference it makes on those that incorporate it into their daily routine.
The brand also offers a 30% pro makeup artist discount and can be found at www.shoprevelhaus.com