Ulta Becomes $11 Billion Beauty Behemoth by Conquering Suburbs

On a bright, chilly fall afternoon, the women streaming in and out of the Ulta Beauty store on Passaic Street in Garfield, New Jersey, are in a hurry. One had just popped in on her lunch break. Another left home a bit early to grab a bottle of shampoo on her way to work. A few had come to the shopping center to pick up kibble or cat toys at the PetSmart next door, and hey, why not sniff some perfumes? It only takes a second.

Itzel Alvarez, a student at nearby Felician University, says she came in after class ...