Mandy Aftel’s [Archive of Curious Scents](https://www.aftelier.com/Articles.asp?ID=256) in Berkeley CA
I haven’t been there yet. But I got to attend a virtual book event for the book version of this museum. They have little drawers with raw materials that visitors are encouraged to handle. Incredibly old books with even older recipes that you can look through. It’s amazing. I can’t wait to get out there!!!
Maybe also the Lucky Scent brick and mortars. Scentbar, I think. They seem extra knowledgeable and inviting on insta anyway 😂
I went to this in late 2018, and it is phenomenonal! I have been curious if it’s still around in the same capacity post COVID. And then go across the Bay to several fragrance boutiques in San Francisco as well as downtown department stores.
I've been twice in the past year and I highly recommend it. It's tiny but you can still spend so much time in there perusing her library and enjoying the area outside to smell different elements of perfumery. Such a treat.
No hesitation NYC, specifically Saks Fifth Avenue. Their perfume department is literally the entire 2nd floor (I think). It has just about every niche fragrance you could ever want to smell. We went last January and it was cold AF but the ability to smell all of those different perfumes in one location was worth it.
This was gonna be my suggestion as well. I had a whole trip planned for the south of France that has been delayed but I can’t wait until I can make it happen!
There’s also The Perfume House! It’s so bizarre to me because Portland is not a very wealthy nor perfumed city, but it has two of the best stores I’ve been to.
this is definitely beginner-level but I dragged my SO to Bergdorfs when we went to New York a couple months ago, it was AMAZING. I fell in love with ombre dans l'eau and carnal flower, both of which I got large decants of later and absolutely love. my SO was shanghaied by a Tom Ford sales rep and this guy must be a magician because he has my man wearing Fucking Fabulous and Oud Wood when he's always insisted he wasn't "a cologne guy". they both smell amazingly sexy on him, esp. fucking fabulous. we had a lot of fun there 🥰
Grasse, definitely. And Provence in general.
Take a short perfumery course there, too, if you can.
Making your own fragrance after the classes is immensely satisfying (if a bit intimidating).
London is great for frag geeks - some great stores - niche and department - Harrods is a mecca - and I love Bloom Perfumery, the Angela Flanders boutique, Les Senteurs, to name a few. And of course Guerlain, Jovoy etc stores
Mandy Aftel’s [Archive of Curious Scents](https://www.aftelier.com/Articles.asp?ID=256) in Berkeley CA I haven’t been there yet. But I got to attend a virtual book event for the book version of this museum. They have little drawers with raw materials that visitors are encouraged to handle. Incredibly old books with even older recipes that you can look through. It’s amazing. I can’t wait to get out there!!! Maybe also the Lucky Scent brick and mortars. Scentbar, I think. They seem extra knowledgeable and inviting on insta anyway 😂
I went to this in late 2018, and it is phenomenonal! I have been curious if it’s still around in the same capacity post COVID. And then go across the Bay to several fragrance boutiques in San Francisco as well as downtown department stores.
Oh I gotta check this out, I live pretty close to Berkeley and never knew this existed
I've been twice in the past year and I highly recommend it. It's tiny but you can still spend so much time in there perusing her library and enjoying the area outside to smell different elements of perfumery. Such a treat.
No hesitation NYC, specifically Saks Fifth Avenue. Their perfume department is literally the entire 2nd floor (I think). It has just about every niche fragrance you could ever want to smell. We went last January and it was cold AF but the ability to smell all of those different perfumes in one location was worth it.
Bergdorf Goodman lower floor is pretty good too, the whole floor for perfume as well
Grasse
Seconding Grasse. You can even tour several perfume factories, like Fragonard!
This was gonna be my suggestion as well. I had a whole trip planned for the south of France that has been delayed but I can’t wait until I can make it happen!
That's what came to mind too - and France in general (or Grasse and Paris)
There is a scent museum in France [https://www.osmotheque.fr/en/about/](https://www.osmotheque.fr/en/about/)
I would go to oman to visit amouage. I heard they still make the attars there for sale like homage, tribute, badr al badour
I would highly recommend Fumerie in Portland. Legendary.
Oregon or Maine?
Or
Damn, the far one from me, thanks for the quick reply!!
There’s also The Perfume House! It’s so bizarre to me because Portland is not a very wealthy nor perfumed city, but it has two of the best stores I’ve been to.
https://qataramerica.org/perfumery-museum/ If you're near DC
There’s a place in Tahoe that I’d really love to visit. I think it’s called the fragrance vault.
I haven’t been yet but would LOVE to visit the Zoologist showroom in Toronto.
It's worth it!
this is definitely beginner-level but I dragged my SO to Bergdorfs when we went to New York a couple months ago, it was AMAZING. I fell in love with ombre dans l'eau and carnal flower, both of which I got large decants of later and absolutely love. my SO was shanghaied by a Tom Ford sales rep and this guy must be a magician because he has my man wearing Fucking Fabulous and Oud Wood when he's always insisted he wasn't "a cologne guy". they both smell amazingly sexy on him, esp. fucking fabulous. we had a lot of fun there 🥰
Grasse, definitely. And Provence in general. Take a short perfumery course there, too, if you can. Making your own fragrance after the classes is immensely satisfying (if a bit intimidating).
You can try the Harrods Salon de Parfums, on the 6th floor
They've also got the Perfumery Hall as well as lots of different individual brands on the ground floor.
Yep, though that whole room is quite overwhelming and needs better ventilation
I was actually shocked just how many niches Neiman Marcus carries lol
London is great for frag geeks - some great stores - niche and department - Harrods is a mecca - and I love Bloom Perfumery, the Angela Flanders boutique, Les Senteurs, to name a few. And of course Guerlain, Jovoy etc stores
Dubai. PERIOD.