New West Seattle Junction business on the way: Knows Perfume

Story and photos by Mary Sheely
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

A guy walks into an empty storefront and gets asked about perfume.

It sounds like a joke, but it’s actually what happens when Mike Ross stops to ask what new business is going in at 4536 California SW (map) in The Junction.

“How do you feel about perfume?” he’s asked.

“I don’t,” is his reply.

Christen Cottam is out to change that.

This April, she’ll be opening a perfumery, Knows Perfume, in that space (formerly home to Westside Alterations).

But abandon any preconceived notions of what her store might be like. For starters, Cottam herself is witty, down-to-earth, with flame-red hair and a unique credential – she recently retired from Tacoma roller-derby team Dockyard Derby Dames, where she competed with the handle Flirtation Device. More importantly, she won’t be selling the kind of perfume you can find at your local Sephora or Nordstrom — or anywhere else in town, either.

“It’s my job to help you find your Holy Grail of scent,” says Cottam, whose store tagline is “purveyor of uncommon scents.”

“I would hear friends say, ‘I hate perfume’ or ‘I get a headache’ or ‘It never smells good on me,’” she says. “And I just discovered that I have a knack for helping them find something.”

It’s that knack that she plans to put to work for her customers.

“When somebody says, ‘Oh, I really like the smell of violet,’ I say, ‘Do you like a more green violet or a more earthy violet? Or a more candy violet?’” Cottam says.

“It can be specific like ‘fresh blooming roses’ or vague like ‘I love the smell of concrete after rain.’ Then I’ll pull things to try.”

She’ll also make it easier for customers to find scents they like by posting perfume reviews — much like the ratings found in a wine store. Cottam realized that wine connoisseurs weren’t so very different from “perfume geeks” like herself during the 10 years she spent in biotech sales in San Francisco.

“I started to look at perfume almost like I looked at wine,” she says. “‘What are the characteristics of perfumes I like? What do they have in common? Oh, a certain perfume note! Oh, I like a lot of perfumes with amber in them.’”

She began devoting a good part of her vacation time to learning more.

“There’s a group that meets twice a year in New York called Sniffapalooza,” she says. “You spend one day uptown where you’re at Bergdorf, Barneys, Henri Bendel. The second day, you’re in SOHO, down in the Village, and you visit smaller perfume shops. They know you’re coming—they have samples and a lot of times they have speakers who have created the perfumes. You end up being so enthusiastic about it. I kept saying, ‘I would love to open my own store. I would love to open my own store. And Seattle doesn’t have anything like this!’”

Cottam moved to Seattle just over four years ago.

“I freaked over West Seattle!” she says. “I ended up at looking down at the city on Alki and said ‘Oh, this is a great neighborhood.’ Ever since I moved here, it has been great; that hasn’t changed.”

It’s no surprise that she’s thrilled to be opening a business here.

“How cool it is that I can be a part of my community?” she says. “One of the things I was so excited about the store is I want to do the Art Walk. One of my favorite perfume blogs was saying that perfume is the Rodney Dangerfield of the art world, and I was like, ‘That is so true!’ I kept coming back to these themes of art, art, art and community, community, community, so it’s cool that I ended up with a space right where it is.”

She plans to host monthly events where people can learn a little more about a certain scent, get practical advice like how to make a perfume last, and take home a free sample pack.

“There’s so much to learn and it’s fun,” she says.

At the moment, Knows Perfume is made up of little but subflooring and drywall. But Cottam shares a “mood board” of planned decor including a custom painting by local artist Kerry Smith. She’s most excited about the feeling of openness that was created when her contractor, Luther Chatel, removed a dropped ceiling. Aside from visual appeal, air circulation is critical to a store like Cottam’s.

“I want it to be a place where it doesn’t smell when people walk in the door,” she says. “You walk into some of those places and it’s like a full assault!”

Instead, patrons will experience the scents when they try them on personally. An elegant bar will be built toward the back of the store where visitors can talk to Cottam about their likes and dislikes at their leisure. Like Cottam herself, the experience will be a friendly one.

“I want it to feel like it isn’t intimidating or overwhelming,” she says. “My hope is, you come in and sit down at the bar and you start talking — what do you love the smell of, what do you hate the smell of, what smells remind you of something.”

She later elaborates on this idea, via e-mail.

“What I love most about scent is, much like wine, its subjective nature,” she writes. “The combination of personal preference and an individual’s chemistry make scent both elusive and magical. As an example, I have a great love of white florals like gardenia and tuberose, but they don’t work at all on my skin. Someone else might not like the smell of gardenia, yet it blooms and smells lovely on her skin. Obviously, the ideal combination is both loving a scent and having it smell wonderful on your own skin.”

Cottam will focus on niche lines of perfume that she says are more “dedicated to the art of perfumery.”

She spreads out several perfume samples and begins a rapid-fire description of bottles and packaging, starting with something called Lemon Cowboy.

“This one is a leather scent that I’m trying right now, from an LA company — they’re called Smell Bent,” she says. “This one is called Violet Tendencies—l love the name!”

Next is a fuzzy, book-shaped box. “Alessandro by Mazzolari — I love that it comes in a little velvety book,” she says.

She pulls out another bottle. “My friend loves this one because it smells like hay and grasses.”

Next is a bottle with a label depicting with a woman riding a tiger, Dzing! by L’Artisan Parfumeur. “This smells like the circus!” Cottam says. (Lest you think that sounds less than appealing, the company describes it as a combination of “saddle leather, sawdust from the ring, and the caramelized smell of candy.”)

Cottam is well-versed in unexpected scents.

“One of my friends comes over and says, ‘Make me smell like a library,’” she says. “I have one that smells like library books.”

Her favorite scent, in fact, isn’t from a perfume at all. It’s from her grandfather.

“The smell of pipe tobacco,” she says. “As an adult, I love tobacco scents and I love tobacco in a perfume, and it’s because it reminds me of my grandpa.”

Cottam’s grandfather plays a larger part in her store than he may have known.

“His 90th birthday was in October and the whole family flew out to see him,” Cottam recounts. “And he died the following Tuesday. And what he left to me has allowed me to do this.

“Of course, I’d take him back in a heartbeat,” she says. “I’ll have a picture of him in my store. He was so neat. He smoked a pipe, he worked on motorcycles, he was the best man in my brother’s wedding. He liked dogs and said, ‘Go get yourself a mutt because they’re like Hondas — they’re low maintenance and they’ll last forever.’”

Though Cottam is now able to work on her business full-time, she’s starting out small. Initially, she’ll be the only employee. She’s realistic about the challenges that come with starting a new business. She’s optimistic, too.

“I must have passed that open space for a month or two before I even got the nerve to call,” she says of her storefront. “Something hit me when I started to look around and say, you know, small biz owners are no different than I am. I felt like if I had been brave enough or committed enough to do marathons and rock climbing and roller derby, then clearly I had the mental fortitude to do something brave and leap and do my business.

“I’ve had to be really selective so that [the scents she’ll sell] are sophisticated and well done but also have some lasting power to them,” she says. “Perfume’s an indulgence, and you’re spending money that could be for cat litter or your electric bill. So at least buy something that’s going to stick with you!”

Then she starts laughing when it’s pointed out that she just mentioned cat litter in the same breath as perfume. Like we said — down to earth.

BONUS – ADVICE AND INSIGHT! from Christen Cottam:

How to choose the right scent:
Smelling a bottle or spraying a scent on a tester strip will give you a rough idea of a scent’s character, but you really do need to wear it on your skin to see how it melds with your own chemistry.

The first notes, or top notes, of a fragrance usually dissipate within several minutes of being sprayed due to their low molecular weight. The middle and base notes of a fragrance take 10 to 30 minutes to develop on the skin, and this is when you can truly get an idea if a scent is something you’ll love.

Why some perfumes enter the room before the person wearing them does:
One can become desensitized to a scent over time; this is why many people tend to wear too much fragrance. They assume their bottle of perfume has grown weaker over time, so they apply it more liberally. They can’t really smell it. Unfortunately, the rest of us can!

The two most common complaints I hear about perfume:
That perfume is too strong, or people are allergic to it. Both of these complaints can often be remedied by choosing the right perfume and by not overdoing the application. People who have been diagnosed with perfume allergies can occasionally find a scent that is hypoallergenic.

The best way to apply scent:
It’s really a matter of personal preference.

Spraying once into the air in front of you and then walking through the mist allows for a fine, even application, but also leaves scent on your clothing and in your home.

Fragrance can be applied lightly to pulse points such as the wrists, the neck, or the back of the knees. I try not to spray more than two spritzes of any scent to keep it from being overpowering. If a scent is particularly strong, I decant some into a small bottle with a rollerball applicator—this allows greater control over how much fragrance is applied.

My current favorite scents:
Rock Crystal by Olivier Durbano is a great incense scent. Havana Vanilla by L’Artisan is a wonderful vanilla and tobacco. Cuir d’Iris by Parfumerie Generale smells like iris and leather book covers. Lann’Ael by Lostmarch is a perennial favorite; it never ceases to delight me that this tiny perfume maker from Brittany has captured the smell of a bowl of Froot Loops cereal and somehow made it elegant and lovely.

55 Replies to "New West Seattle Junction business on the way: Knows Perfume"

  • MargL February 16, 2010 (10:23 am)

    “…captured the smell of a bowl of Froot Loops cereal and somehow made it elegant and lovely.” I have to track down that perfume just to smell that! Not that I’d wear it but it’d be fun to smell!

  • Meghan February 16, 2010 (10:26 am)

    Sounds like a fun store. Let’s hope West Seattleites are willing to support the type of local business everyone always says they want (but often aren’t will to pay a bit extra to support). I will definitely check it out. Good luck!

  • Ignatz February 16, 2010 (10:29 am)

    What fun! I’m so going there!

  • Aimee February 16, 2010 (10:29 am)

    Christen! I’m so proud of you and can’t wait for the store to open!! I will for sure be one of your first customers!!!
    Huge Congrats!!!
    xoxo,
    Deadly Aim

  • SarahScoot February 16, 2010 (10:33 am)

    Ooh, my interest is very much piqued! How exciting and unique for the AK Junction.

  • jedifarfy February 16, 2010 (10:44 am)

    Oh I’m SO excited! I bought my mom a bottle of her favorite discontinued perfume on ebay and got cheated (the first time ever, but got my money back!), and I wanted to take her somewhere she can get a new favorite scent! Instead of going downtown we’ll just wait til April! :)

  • CMP February 16, 2010 (10:51 am)

    This sounds like a great idea! I can’t wait to stop in to pick up something new.

  • Dawn February 16, 2010 (10:58 am)

    exactly what west seattle needs… elegance and beauty both in product and in the owner!

  • Sue February 16, 2010 (11:15 am)

    Christen, if you can teach people how to wear perfume without pouring the whole bottle on themselves, I will come in and give you a big hug. I am so tired of leaving the bus or an elevator and being able to *taste* someone’s perfume because they put so much on.

  • Forest February 16, 2010 (11:20 am)

    No humor intended, I have been looking for a bottle of the limited-edition “Play-Doh” fragance that came out a few years ago in honor of the product’s 50th birthday.

  • Kirsten February 16, 2010 (11:49 am)

    Christen,

    I am so excited! I have been looking high and low for L’Artisan Parfum (refuse to buy it at Barney’s) and when I saw that you were opening in West Seattle, I thought, “I wonder if she’ll sell L’Artisan?” and when I scrolled down and saw the picture, my heart leapt with excitement. i can’t wait until you open. …please carry Mure et Musc.

  • John February 16, 2010 (11:51 am)

    I’m happy to see another business come to WS! Economy be d***ed! Perhaps on a metrosexual note, will there be fragrances for/will she work with men?

  • Eliza February 16, 2010 (11:52 am)

    I am super excited!! Best of luck!

  • Aja February 16, 2010 (11:58 am)

    Ooh, I wonder if she’ll try to carry Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab oils. They’re amazing, one of the nichiest of niche companies! :)

    I would so be there every week!

  • pigeonmom February 16, 2010 (12:02 pm)

    As a fellow Frag Hag and a Sniffapalooza Alum, I am so excited to
    have Christen in my ‘hood!

  • kelly rae February 16, 2010 (12:14 pm)

    happy happy joy joy

  • SarahScoot February 16, 2010 (12:14 pm)

    Demeter does an excellent job replicating unusual fragrances at a very reasonable price. I have their pomegranate and dirt fragrances, and used to wear their salon shampoo fragrance about 13 years back, when still in junior high.

  • garden_nymph February 16, 2010 (1:40 pm)

    What a wonderful idea; best of luck! This sounds like a PERFECT place for a, “Girl’s Night Out”!

  • Katie/Arson Annie February 16, 2010 (2:09 pm)

    Congrats lady! I’m one of those who has no appreciation for perfume yet has a very strong sense of smell memory. Can’t wait for you to open!

  • PamL February 16, 2010 (2:29 pm)

    This sounds like a terrific addition to our Junction businesses! I will definitely drop in. Recently, I stopped a complete stranger to ask her the name of her fragrance. It was a Marc Jacobs perfume. She didn’t know which one, but it was lovely and haunting. I’ll be looking to find something like that one. Cheers to you, Christen!

  • Christen February 16, 2010 (2:44 pm)

    Wow, thanks for all of the positive comments!

    Marg, I know: who wakes up in the morning and says “I want to smell like Froot Loops today…”? But somehow it works beautifully.

    Thanks, Aim – you know I’ll be at Oly to watch you skate and cheer my lungs out for you! Btw, I’ll have a big dog bowl out front, so bring Greta when you stop by the store. Knowing me, I’ll have a big jar of biscuits, too.

    jedifarfy – We’ll find something for your mom to love. What did she wear before?

    Ack, Sue, I also hate it when you taste perfume, even if it does smell like Froot Loops!

    Forest and Sarah – Demeter was one of the first fragrance house to have more unconventional scents like Grass, Dirt and Laundromat. I have a lot of respect for what they do. I’m a big believer that if you like the smell of something, wear it and love it, regardless of whether or not it smells like more traditional perfume smells. Forest, by the way, I own the Play Doh scent :)

    John, I will have scents for men, too. My poor roller derby coach has been my guinea pig for mens fragrance for months now – I think he’s secretly glad I’m no longer skating!

    Kirsten: Yep, you’ll be able to get Mure et Musc locally now. L’Artisan scents are done so well, aren’t they? Their in-house perfumer, Bertrand Duchaufour, is one of my favorite artists.

    Aja: I’ll look into carrying Black Phoenix – it’s such a cool, smart, funky line. Their soaps are favorites of mine, too.

    Let me know if you have specific requests or questions – I’m happy to help.

    Thanks again!

    Christen

  • margaritaville February 16, 2010 (2:48 pm)

    What a wonderful way to honor your grandfather. Now I can find a replacement for my discontinued Cabotine. All the best to your new endeavor.

  • junctiongrump February 16, 2010 (2:52 pm)

    Do people still wear perfume?

    I give them two years, tops.

  • jedifarfy February 16, 2010 (3:38 pm)

    Wow Christen, thank you for your responses! :D

    My mom loved Tova, the original scent. She’s totally out now and just doesn’t know what else to wear. She has Evening in Paris, which she likes but prefers for formal occasions. When she heard about your store she got very excited and can’t wait to visit! :)

  • Bayou February 16, 2010 (3:39 pm)

    I’m one of those people who has allergic restrictions to perfumes. I literally have to hold my breathe while walking, well, running through most department stores. So I’m glad to see you are putting extra effort into ventilation and I look forward to checking out your new place. Congrats!

  • J February 16, 2010 (5:36 pm)

    Congratulations on the new business, Christen! Could you also work on teaching people where and when NOT to wear scents, like at the opera, symphony, or other crowded indoor places where people who may find your scent makes them sneeze must sit next to you all night?

  • Kc February 16, 2010 (6:16 pm)

    This sounds like the coolest place ever!!

  • Giselle February 16, 2010 (7:11 pm)

    Christen , You did it !!!!!! Congratulations sweety! I always Loved how passionate you are about all the scents and notes !!! I’ll be coming to see you, So excited for you ! :):)

  • Elizabeth February 16, 2010 (7:13 pm)

    Wow – as a perfume fan I am really looking forwards to this store! Have you thought about carrying the Neil Morris (City Rain, Prowl etc.) or Del Rae scents? Also – what about perfumed lotions?

  • Bethany February 16, 2010 (7:35 pm)

    Christen I am so proud of you. It’s going to be wonderful store and I can’t wait for the grand opening!

  • Karen February 16, 2010 (8:08 pm)

    Congrats, Christen! How wonderful that your dream is about to become a reality!! Wishing you lots of success with the new shop! Hope to see you at a future Sniffapalooza too :-)

  • Keri February 16, 2010 (8:32 pm)

    Hooray Christen! I’m so happy for you! I cannot wait to see the store, I’ve been waiting. You look amazing.

  • Xoe February 16, 2010 (8:34 pm)

    OOH! I would love it if you carried Black Phoenix! I love their perfumes, I love all the atmosphere sprays and bath products at Trading Post, and I think their scents would be the star of your shop. It would be amazing to have a store in Seattle that carried their line. Maybe you could do a full moon will call, too? The whole foods in GA that does their will calls seems to have a blast with it. I went to one BPAL event in Los Angeles when I was visiting my sister, and it was such a fun, memorable, exciting experience.

  • LJM February 16, 2010 (10:32 pm)

    Welcome to the neighborhood Christen. Your new adventure sounds very intriguing. Wishing you the best of everything as you leap into the life of an entrepreneur.

  • Meredith February 16, 2010 (11:03 pm)

    I wish Christen all the best! We need more great perfume-geek stores in the Seattle area!

    Also, I wish this article listed her contact information. I’d love to talk to her about a wholesale opportunity. <3.

    Meredith Tucker, Perfumer
    Sweet Anthem Handmade Perfumes

  • Becky February 16, 2010 (11:10 pm)

    Sounds like such an awesome business! Hey Christen… I know that your product will be a great hit. In case you ever need help growing your business (when the time comes), I wanted to suggest to you a great book… titled, “The Handbook of Financing Growth: Strategies, Capital Structure and M&A Transactions” by Kenneth H. Marks. It is a great guide and reference for any business owner.

  • Rochette February 17, 2010 (12:04 am)

    Ditto–boohoo–no contact info!
    Neil Morris Fragrances would love to talk to you!
    (email: rocheraine@gmail.com)
    Congratulations and best of luck from a fellow Sniffapalooza member!

  • Mr. Matt February 17, 2010 (2:40 am)

    Hah, her old derby name is awesome/hilarious.

  • JoAnne Bassett February 17, 2010 (8:31 am)

    Congrats Christen,

    I feel your excitement. I opened a perfume boutique, Le Bijou in La Jolla, CA. They are so much fun to design. I carried my own 100% natural fragrance and organic and vegan body care line only. I also did Custom Couture Perfumes. I have since closed the store but sell online and to other stores. Perhaps you would like to carry my JoAnne Bassett 100% natural line. All the best to you…

    http://www.JoAnneBassett.com

  • Cia February 17, 2010 (10:13 am)

    WOW~ I love this… “Go get yourself a mutt because they’re like Hondas — they’re low maintenance and they’ll last forever”

    Congrats Flirt! I can’t wait to come to your store!!!

  • Karen Gallivan February 17, 2010 (12:42 pm)

    Christen – Congratulations! Luck Beauty has an amazing variety of niche perfumes – Pretty Woman Perfume – Sharon Bolton Scents – Ineke (F has Tobacco!) Lucy B, Christopher Joseph and more – visit us on the web at http://www.luckbeauty.com and I’ll get you samples right away – Karen.

  • Danny February 17, 2010 (12:58 pm)

    They sell L’Artisan in Fremont too: http://www.essenzaseattle.com/

  • Tim February 17, 2010 (2:10 pm)

    Christen, congrats and good luck! As a fellow soon-to-be-open business, I hope things are going well. email us if you have questions about what you need to fill out for the state and feds, we may have an answer!
    Tim and Lori.
    Soon to operate West Seattle Runner
    timhds at hotmail dot com

  • k February 17, 2010 (4:36 pm)

    Christen,
    As soon as you set up an email list will you let the WSB know so we can follow your progress?
    I can’t wait to visit since my favorite perfume/aftershave was discontinued.

  • Emilee February 17, 2010 (7:31 pm)

    I’m utterly thrilled after learning of this store! I have literally been searching for perfumeries for months now and will definitely be one of the first customers! Coincidentally, I compiled a list of my (least) favorite fragrances, (least) favorite notes, aspects of my personality, etc. that I want encapsulated in a scent just a few days ago. Hope this perfumery will flourish!

  • Brian Waid February 17, 2010 (10:37 pm)

    Great news. Real perfume, created from natural oils, has distinctive and VIVID qualities we rarely encounter these days.

    We lived in New Orleans and frequented the Bourbon French perfume shop @ Jackson Square. A great anniversary gift was an afternoon session for my wife with “La Nez,” who helped her design a personal fragrance over afternoon tea. The shop then prepared perfume, cologne, bath powder, etc. using that scent and registered it so that she (or I) could re-order later. Sounds like Christen has something similar in mind.

    The NOLA shop also created fun scents for kids, such as strawberry perfume for our young daughter and chocolate perfume for the daughter of the shop order.

    This should be fun. Good luck Christen and I look forward to visiting your shop.

  • Christen February 17, 2010 (10:41 pm)

    Thanks again for the positive feedback, questions, book tips – it’s yet another reminder to me that West Seattle is a great community to live…and work.

    Margaritaville, I can see the white, yellow and green Cabotine box right now. We’ll hunt it down for you or find something else for you to love. The same is true for your mother, Jedifarfy – it looks like the original Tova might be tough to find, but we’ll find something. I have a few ideas already!

    I think you gave me about 18 months more than my dad thinks I’ll have, junctiongrump :) I’m working hard to make sure that life expectancy is much, much longer.

    Bayou and J, I hear you – too much of a good thing is not so good… Two of my best friends do the same sprint through any place that has a strong scent, and I’ve promised them it will be safe to visit me at work!

    Elizabeth, Neil Morris rocks! I’d love to carry his line – his love of the art of perfumery is evident in his work and when he gives talks. He’s spoken at Sniffapalooza and seems like such a nice guy, too. And yes, I will have lotions, bath and body products, and home scents, too.

    Meredith, Rochette and Karen G –Will you friend me on facebook? Then we can go from there. I’ll look forward to talking with you!

    Xoe, I’m all over the BPAL. Aren’t they great?

    Danny, Essenza is one of my favorite shops in Fremont. The owners are so cool (fellow dog-lovers!), and I can always find something great there…

    Emilee, I love it! Bring that list in when I’m open. Or friend me on facebook and I can make some suggestions for you now.

    Finally, k, as soon as my store email and website are up, I’ll let WSB know. Should be just another week or two…

    Best,
    Christen

  • Christen February 17, 2010 (10:49 pm)

    Oh, and Lori and Tim, I was reading about your store just the other day. Congratulations! I will be your faithful customer, especially now that I’ve hung up my roller skates…

  • Sandy February 18, 2010 (11:04 pm)

    Christen – O how exciting to see the positives already. You are going to be SO successful in your business as you’ve been in your prior endeavors. You Go, Girl!!!!!!!! Wish we lived closer, but all these perfumeri-ers will have to sub for me for awhile. XOXO from Dave and Me in Ohio, and – wonderful words about the family party and what all your Grandpa did and continues to do……

  • Arlene Farr February 22, 2010 (12:34 pm)

    Hi Christen!

    Congratulations! I wish I could be there for the grand opening. I’ll be checking in with your Mom and Dad to get the date for that special day. We’ll be cheering you on.
    Ed and Arlene Farr

  • Aunt Sue Mannos February 22, 2010 (4:40 pm)

    You go girl! Aunt Sue

  • Jackie T February 22, 2010 (11:08 pm)

    Christen,

    How exciting I am a smelling type of guy, can’t wait to visit you new store. Pipe and cigar tabbaco are favorite sents of mine I hope they smell good on my girlfriend.Good luck!

    Jackie T

  • Sarah February 23, 2010 (12:13 am)

    Christen,
    I’m am so excited for you, you are so genuine and refreshing, you’re a smashing hit already! Way to go!
    XoXo,
    Nasty Trick

  • Terel February 23, 2010 (9:07 am)

    What a great idea cuz! Best of luck to you. I’ll get there at some point. Excited for you!
    Love you!

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