When Audible first imagined The Pillars, they didn’t just envision opening another retail space. It was about creating a heartbeat in the center of Newark. On October 15, the audio storytelling giant unveiled its newest community-forward project. The 15,000-square-foot retail hub at 33 Washington Street was designed to celebrate small business ownership, creativity, and collective care.
Located in the city’s vibrant Arts and Education District, The Pillars is a love letter to Newark’s entrepreneurial spirit—home to three distinct Black- and woman-owned businesses. Think: Tansy, HealHaus, and Pooka Pure & Simple, led by Newark native and beauty trailblazer Dawn Fitch.
For Fitch, this moment feels like coming home. Twenty-five years after launching her clean-beauty brand, she’s bringing Pooka Pure & Simple back to where it all began—this time, with a twist. Her new space inside The Pillars includes The Bloom Bar, an interactive perfume-blending bar where visitors can mix signature scents, unwind, and connect.
“We’re most excited to reopen retail, but more importantly, to be back in the city of Newark,” she tells ESSENCE. “What Audible has built with these pillars—it’s like a pillar of health, wellness, beauty. This is our anniversary month, and being reintroduced in this great space with Audible’s Business Attraction Grant has been amazing.”
For Fitch, this move isn’t just about business growth; it’s about emotional restoration. “We call it Black girl softness,” she says with a smile. “Things are so hard for us right now, and I don’t think we’re getting the love we deserve. When people come in here, they can blend fragrances, talk to their neighbor, and find joy in scent. Fragrance brings you back—to your grandmother’s coat, to a fifth-grade cookie, to a memory that makes you smile.”
In her new space, softness is activism. “This isn’t just about products,” Fitch adds. “You can come to Pooka, blend your fragrance, or just sit in one of the chairs and rest. We want it to be a place where you hang out and rejuvenate yourself. That’s Black girl softness in Newark.”
For Audible, The Pillars represents a bold experiment in community-centered corporate investment. “It’s the first time Audible has ever signed a lease for a non-business purpose,” says Aisha Browne Glover, Audible’s VP of Urban Innovation. “We wanted to invest in the building right across from our headquarters and activate it. This is a big deal for Audible—and for Newark.”
Glover, who pitched the idea four years ago, says the project embodies Audible’s Business Attraction Program, which provides funding, mentorship, and subsidized rent to help local and underrepresented founders thrive. “We were looking for diverse retailers who weren’t chains—businesses that offered experiences, not just products,” she explains. “We wanted spaces where people come not just to buy something, but to return again and again—for team-building, for connection, for joy.”
Each tenant was handpicked through a process that balanced business metrics with community needs. “We looked at ownership, sustainability, track records, social media—everything,” Glover says. “We wanted to make sure we were being responsive to the neighborhood and to Newark’s residents. The goal was never just to fill space, but to create community gravity—a place people want to gather.”
For Fitch, that’s the true magic of The Pillars. “People don’t just want products anymore—they want community,” she says. “They want to make something with their hands, talk, and rest. That’s what Pooka is about, and that’s what The Pillars will be.”