The Mac cosmetic counter at Trimingham Brothers Ltd. will close down on July 2 with the Estee Lauder and Clinique counters due to follow suit on July 18. The closures have been scheduled as 163-year-old Trimingham's continues to sell off its stock in preparation for its own closure on July 27.

This newspaper understands that part of the reason Mac is departing early is because its cosmetics stock is in low supply.

The brand is also not keen to be associated with a bargain type sale.

While there will be no price reductions since all leftover stock will be returned to the manufacturer, sales staff are telling customers to come into the store now and stock up on their favourite products as there is certain to be a ?gap? before any new retailer sets up the cosmetic lines in a new location.

The cosmetics department is one area where Trimingham's has held a virtual monopoly over the years and this newspaper understands that three of the larger remaining retailers - Phoenix Stores, A.S. Coopers and Sons and Gibbons Company - have all expressed interest in the business.

Trimingham's lawyer Wendell Hollis was unavailable yesterday, but he previously told this newspaper: ?There will be an ongoing cosmetics business in Bermuda and it is just a question of who is going to have it,? he said.