Three days before the soft launch of the inaugural McGee & Co. retail flagship in Salt Lake City, the 7,500-square-foot sales floor is remarkably serene. Every design element occupies its destined space with absolute precision. A dining table stands prepared for an imaginary family gathering, accented by a delicate, wispy arrangement of white anemones. Shelves are artfully filled without appearing crowded; pillows are plumped to perfection; throws are carelessly yet purposefully draped with a touch of calculated insouciance. Glass cloches shelter candles, alongside meticulously stacked piles of matches.
This pristine state is the result of a rigorous, all-day photo shoot held just twenty-four hours prior in anticipation of the official September 25 grand opening. True to form, Shea McGee—co-founder of Studio McGee and the lifestyle brand McGee & Co., alongside her husband, Syd—looks as impeccably styled as her surroundings. Sporting her signature sparkling smile and wheat-blonde locks, she effortlessly orchestrates the final touches.
Located in Salt Lake City’s historic Trolley Square shopping district, this expansive storefront represents a monumental pivot for the empire: the realization of "McGee 3.0." For over a decade, the couple has built a digital-first home design and e-commerce empire. Now, they are translating their viral aesthetic into a tangible, three-dimensional brick-and-mortar reality. The flagship features a curated rotation of the in-house McGee & Co. line, complemented by exclusive vintage items and hand-picked specialty brands such as Match pewter and Caroline Francis candles.
The launch marks a critical evolutionary phase for a brand that has expanded from a humble Instagram renovation blog into a multimedia phenomenon encompassing a Netflix series, high-profile retail licensing deals, and millions of devoted followers across platforms.
Chronology: From Instagram Blog to Retail Real Estate
To understand the weight of the Trolley Square opening, one must trace the deliberate, sometimes winding path of the McGee brand over the past decade.
The Early Years (McGee 1.0): The journey began in the nascent days of Instagram, when Shea began documenting the step-by-step renovation of her own home. The relatable, transitional aesthetic struck an immediate chord with design enthusiasts navigating a market saturated by stark minimalism or dated traditionalism.
Expansion and Media Scaling (McGee 2.0): As demand surged, the couple founded Studio McGee as a full-service design firm, quickly followed by the e-commerce arm, McGee & Co. The subsequent years brought mainstream media exposure, a massive social media following—currently sitting at four million on Instagram alone—and a hit Netflix series, Dream Home Makeover. Lucrative licensing partnerships soon followed with major household names like Target, Kohler, and Ann Sacks.
The First Retail Attempt: In the late 2010s, the McGees tested the physical retail waters with a modest pop-up shop in Costa Mesa, California. Measuring a mere 600 square feet, the footprint proved too restrictive to support a robust furniture inventory. Buoyed by growing demand, they began planning a proper, full-scale retail location. Those plans were abruptly shelved when the COVID-19 pandemic hit just days before a major lease was set to be signed.
The Trolley Square Project: Years later, the couple discovered a cavernous commercial vacancy in Salt Lake City’s red-brick Trolley Square district—conveniently located near a Kohler showroom, a key corporate partner. The space, however, required immense vision. Formerly a Hard Rock Cafe and later a comedy club, the building had its soaring ceilings and large windows concealed beneath black film and nightclub interventions.
The Two-Year Buildout: The extensive renovation took two full years. Shea immersed herself in the project, visiting the site daily to ensure the architecture reflected the soft, layered transitional aesthetic synonymous with the brand.
The Present (McGee 3.0): With the soft launch imminent and a grand opening scheduled for September 25, the flagship opens its doors, establishing a physical template for future locations. The couple already has sights set on expanding this brick-and-mortar footprint with three to six additional stores over the next two years.
Supporting Data: Scale, Reach, and Infrastructure
The sheer magnitude of the Studio McGee operation defies simple categorization. What began as a husband-and-wife residential design consultancy now operates as a multi-tiered lifestyle corporation with massive consumer reach.
Digital Footprint: The brand commands an enormous audience online. The primary @studiomcgee Instagram account boasts approximately 4 million followers, while @mcgeeandco approaches 2 million. Their active YouTube channel consistently pulls in hundreds of thousands of views per video release.
Store Metrics: The Trolley Square flagship spans a generous 7,500 square feet. It is structured to mimic the layout of a sprawling residential home, complete with an entryway, multiple living spaces, dining rooms, bedrooms, and a dedicated garden shop.
Product Assortment: The store carries a wide array of categories, including large-scale upholstery—such as the prominent Octavia sectional greeting guests at the entrance—alongside lighting, rugs, fine linens, home fragrance lines, and tabletop accessories.
Corporate Partnerships: Studio McGee maintains lucrative product lines and licensing agreements with retail giants including Target (Threshold designed with Studio McGee), Kohler, and Ann Sacks.
Future Growth Targets: Building upon the success of the Salt Lake City flagship, the leadership team has confirmed active plans to roll out between three and six additional brick-and-mortar retail locations across the United States over the next 24 months.
Official Responses: In Their Own Words
Despite managing a multi-million-dollar brand with global reach, Shea and Syd McGee remain intensely hands-on, viewing the new flagship not merely as a sales floor, but as a translation of their personal design ethos.
Reflecting on the transition from digital curation to physical retail, Shea notes the unique perspective the new space provides:
"I’m getting to see our products through new eyes—and I was the one that concepted them! When you see them in a store setting, pieces can have a lot more detail than you can see online."
She adds that her involvement in the storefront has been total and uncompromising:
"I’ve been here every single day, thinking about it morning and night, because I want it to represent exactly what’s been in my head."
Describing the operational philosophy behind the store’s layout, Syd explains that they studied successful mid-tier and boutique retailers—such as Buck Mason—admiring their attainability, lively merchandising, and attentive customer service. The goal was to thread the needle between an impersonal big-box retailer and an exclusive boutique.
Addressing the brand’s core identity, Shea emphasizes the importance of accessibility despite scaling into ultra-luxury markets:
"We can design homes that are in the tens of millions of dollars, but we can apply the principles and teach people, and have a relatable, warm persona… I have aspirations of growing nationwide, but also I don’t want to lose that personal feeling that comes from a standalone store."
Implications: The Future of Personality-Led Retail
The opening of the McGee & Co. flagship carries broader implications for the interior design and retail industries, particularly for personality-driven brands navigating the post-digital era.
1. The Blending of Digital Influence and Physical Spaces
For years, digital creators have relied on Instagram grids, Pinterest boards, and streaming platforms to sell products via affiliate links and e-commerce checkouts. Studio McGee proves that digital success can successfully bridge into traditional brick-and-mortar retail, provided the physical space offers an experiential component that a website cannot replicate. By designing the store as a walk-through residential home rather than a traditional warehouse-style showroom, the brand converts passive viewers into active, sensory participants.
2. The Operational Challenge of Scaling a Personal Brand
When a business is inextricably linked to the personal brand of its founder, expansion introduces severe quality-control risks. Consumers walking into a Studio McGee flagship expect the taste, warmth, and meticulous styling of Shea McGee herself. To mitigate this risk, Shea spent two months developing an exhaustive training manual for sales associates. The guide outlines hyper-specific details—such as the precise distance a rug should be placed from a wall and signature bedding layering techniques. This institutionalization of personal taste is critical for maintaining brand equity as the company scales nationwide.
3. Democratizing High-End Design
Through in-store complimentary design services, the Trolley Square location attempts to lower the barrier to entry for professional interior styling. Shoppers unable to afford a full-service Studio McGee residential project can still access personalized furniture recommendations grounded in the "world of Shea." This strategy reinforces the brand’s foundational promise: making sophisticated, transitional design feel achievable, warm, and deeply personal.
As passersby continue to cup their hands against the newly unveiled windows in Salt Lake City, eager for a glimpse inside before the official doors open, it is clear that the appetite for the McGee aesthetic is stronger than ever. The transition to "McGee 3.0" is officially underway, setting a new benchmark for how design influencers can conquer physical retail.
