New Year, New Opportunities!
Winter 2021
These gift sellers have weathered the pandemic and are looking forward to
brighter days ahead plus
New Vendors
New Showroom Renovation
ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL GIFT MARKET: JANUARY 12–19 VIB DAY: JANUARY 11
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CONTENTS
winter 2021 feature
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Brighter Days Ahead Lessons learned in 2020 are helping independent retailers navigate the long, winding path back to normal.
shoptalk
6 Meet Your New Reps 8 Big Changes in the Showroom 10 Vendor Spotlight: 10 New Lines We Love
in every issue 4
O n Our Minds Lindsay Darrah DeMyer welcomes you to the winter market in Atlanta.
GIFTS AND ACCESSORIES FOR ALL AGES & ANY OCCASSION
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Darrah & Co. Winter 2021
DARRAH & CO. LTD. 40 JOHN PORTMAN BOULEVARD SUITES 1818, 1819, 1812 & 1834 ATLANTA, GA 30303 (404) 577-6538; (800) 741-6614 FAX: (404) 577-9278 WWW.DARRAHREPS.COM
MADISON/MILES MEDIA PRESIDENT ADAM WEISS EDITOR KIMBERLY TURNER ART DIRECTOR BEN CARPENTER Darrah & Co. is published twice a year by madison/miles media, 624 Six Flags Drive, Suite 226, Arlington, TX 76011. Visit madison/miles media on the Web at www.madisonmilesmedia.com. No part of this publication may be reprinted without permission. © 2021 Darrah & Co.
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New Year, New Opportunities
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Darrah & Co. Winter 2021
ery few of us will be sad to see 2020 go. As we leave this challenging year behind, we look forward to new opportunities in 2021. This issue will introduce you to two new reps joining the Darrah & Co. team, 10 fabulous new lines you’ll see at the market and some exciting new changes to our showroom. Though things are looking up, we’ve still got some work to do before we get back to what we consider “normal.” With this in mind, our main feature looks at how the adaptations made and tough lessons of 2020 can serve retailers in 2021. You’re bound to pick up some tips that can help your business thrive. We are prioritizing the safety of our customers and staff at the show and adhering to the carefully thought-out reopening policies provided by the International Market Centers (available at togethersafely.com). Even so, we know not everyone will feel comfortable coming to the market in person. If you don’t, we invite you to visit our virtual showroom on darrahreps.com and to work with your rep so we can meet you at your comfort level. We hope to see you at our newly renovated showroom on the 18th floor of Building 2 in Atlanta’s AmericasMart complex. Follow us on social media (facebook.com/DarrahCompany and @darrahcompany on Instagram) for the latest info on events and market activities.
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shoptalk get to know us
Meet Your New Reps
We are thrilled to welcome Paula Blevins and Kathryn Henry to the Darrah & Co. team. Get to know them a bit better!
PAULA BLEVINS
Sales Representative, Western North Carolina and Tri-Cities of Tennessee Background: I was a buyer for 26 years with Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina. I’ve worked with all retail categories in my career but spent the most time with Christmas, food, candy, toys and custom development. Why Darrah? I was 24 when I started at Biltmore, and even though I’ve had a great career, I felt it was time for a change, as I still have many years to retirement. I love retail, the shows and working with my vendors, and I knew I still wanted to somehow be involved with the industry. Other
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Darrah & Co. Winter 2021
opportunities have come up, but I just didn’t feel a connection. When I found out that Rhonda Richardson was retiring, I just knew it was an opportunity for me. I have great respect for Vicki as a leader in the industry, and working with her and Lindsay over the years made me feel like it would be a great fit. The decision was actually easy considering I knew leaving Biltmore was going to be bittersweet. Favorite thing about your job: I guess first and foremost would be the great relationships with my vendors. If you have that, everything else just falls into place, and I’m excited to get started on building relationships with all my new Darrah & Co. customers! Hobbies: I love traveling with my husband in our RV, visiting places we’ve never been. I also love reading and spending time with my seven (soon to be nine) grandchildren. Most unusual job: I was the official score-book keeper for a ladies high-school basketball team for eight years. Fun fact: I don’t like to cook, but I won a biscuit baking contest. Go figure!
KATHRYN HENRY
Sales Representative, Central and Northeast Florida Background: I started in the industry about 20 years ago and then switched to business services. I’ve been back in it for a couple of years and couldn’t be happier. Why Darrah? I’ve admired Vicki ever since she gave me some advice while riding on the elevator together at market 20+ years ago, and Darrah & Co. has always been one of my favorite showrooms, so of course it’s where I wanted to be. When I got back in the industry, they didn’t have an opening in my territory. Susan was my first call when we moved to the Orlando area earlier this year. Favorite thing about your job: I adore getting to know my customers, and how can you not love having so many gorgeous lines? Hobbies: I have two daughters (7 and 11), so they keep me pretty busy. When I can, I also enjoy reading, cooking stuff my kids usually won’t eat, hiking and porch sitting with a cup of coffee or glass of wine (if that counts as a hobby). Most unusual job: I answered Thomas the Tank Engine’s fan mail. Fun fact: Colonel Sanders taught me one of my first curse words.
shoptalk
breaking news
Big Changes Get a sneak peek of the Darrah & Co. showroom’s massive renovation.
A
s we write this, our showroom on the 18th floor of Building 2 is in disarray. Wires hang from the ceiling, plastic sheets protect shelves, and the dust has yet to settle from removed walls. But by the time you arrive in January, we’ll have a beautiful new showroom that will better serve both vendors and retailers. Take a little tour with Darrah & Co. Vice President Lindsay DeMyer.
OUT WITH THE GLASS
The biggest change is that we removed all of the glass windows and doorways. There’s not a piece of glass or doorway anywhere, just gates that fold back up
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Darrah & Co. Winter 2021
into the walls. You can see without obstruction into the showroom spaces. It’s really beautiful. When you come down the hallway, it will be a seamless experience where you can drift in and out without feeling encumbered by a door. It’s also great for vendors because everyone wanted to be in the doorway, and nobody wanted to be behind glass. Now it opens up the same opportunities for everybody. Without the glass, you may be in our showroom without even knowing it. It’s really exciting.
HOSPITALITY
We’ve also updated and refined our
hospitality spaces. We did major renovations on the kitchen, cutting it in half and removing the eat-in part. It’s been reconfigured to be much more efficient. It’s purely for producing food. We created a duplicate kitchen in the other showroom by tearing out the service bar that was there and moving it back toward the offices. In all of that newly created space, we installed a kitchenette with a full-sized refrigerator, wine fridge, sink and ice maker. It will be fully functioning on its own, and we’ll do cafe seating there. It’s a really intentional way of pulling the energy into that middle area where
people can sit and write orders and grab a bite to eat or something to drink. If customers want a place where they can come and plug in, there’ll be a smart bar where they can plug in their phones or laptops. It will really change the energy.
INTO THE 21ST CENTURY
We’re also going to change a lot of the lines around. Swig, for example, is having a little remodel. We’re going to repaint the floor so it’s a nice, fresh, crisp white. We’ve opened up a lot of areas that used to be storage or service bar or office areas, and it’s all open showroom space now. We tore out all of the halls and offices that we possibly could and really opened everything up. It’s a much more flexible space for us, our vendors and our customers. It’s going to be really great and will give us a chance to move into the 21st century and do some things we’ve been wanting to do for a long time. We can’t wait to show you around in January!
Our major renovation will allow us to serve you better, whether you’re a vendor or a customer — with new hospitality features, a more open layout and a brand-new energy.
SCAN HERE to place your Spring Order
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shoptalk vendor spotlight
10 New Lines We Love Your customers will be thrilled by these new additions to the Darrah & Co. showroom.
1 BODYGUARD
Where safety meets style
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Father Marty Well created this line of protective tools with his three daughters in mind. “I want every family to feel at ease when they cannot be there to protect their family,” he says. Best-selling products by Bodyguard include the sonic alarm, pepper spray and a stylish crystal-covered whistle. The line also includes COVID safety items such as keychain sanitizer. Well says Bodyguard chose to work with Darrah & Co. because “they make you feel like family and their loyalty is infinite.”
2 C.R. GIBSON
Journals, memory books, gifts and stationery
C.R. Gibson began printing letterhead, stationery and marriage certificates in 1870 — 150 years ago! It created its first baby book in 1898; today, the company makes one in every four baby memory books. Celebrate baby’s milestones, special birthdays, another Monday or your favorite holiday with C.R. Gibson’s quality journals, photo albums and gifts, all designed with paper lovers in mind.
3 DEI/WILLOW STREET DESIGNS
Bright, colorful designs that bring the fun
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Dennis East International’s busy creative team offers over 3,000 products, with 1,200 new items every year. With a focus on current trends, unique home décor, seasonal and gift items at a great price, DEI has something for everyone. DEI is in the process of rebranding to Willow Street Designs, named after the childhood home of Founder and President Greg Bilezikian. The industry leader is “excited to make its permanent home with Darrah & Co.” and will debute exclusive new designs at the January market in Atlanta.
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4 GIFTBOX SHOPPING
Great face masks at a great price
As the world changed in 2020, Giftbox Shopping decided to prove that “even in dark times, we can still be a light to those around us.” They wanted to create products that would help keep people safe while sharing messages of hope, faith and love. These fun masks are designed to show your personality and style or to convey messages of hope. No matter which one you choose, you’ll show your personality.
5 THE GIFT WRAP COMPANY
The oldest established gift wrap manufacturer in the USA
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This is a one-stop shop for creative gift wraps, tote bags, specialty containers, ribbons, bows, packaging accessories and more. The new year will bring a new colorful, whimsical birthday collection as well as curated collections ranging from bold and bright to muted and sophisticated. “We are so excited to be represented by Darrah & Co.! We were attracted by Darrah’s reputation of excellent sales and service, and the vendor packages they carry.”
6 HOMESICK
A home fragrance and lifestyle brand dedicated to bringing joy
This lifestyle brand brings joy to your home by helping you feel closer to the people, places and moments that matter most. Its high-quality, cruelty-free, non-toxic candles evoke memories of your hometown, favorite vacation or special memory. Each long-lasting fragrance is created with input from dozens of experts before the candles are hand-poured right here in the U.S. using a natural soy wax blend and 100% organic cotton wicks. They are new to Darrah & Co. but say, “We love how much knowledge and experience they bring to the table. They make Homesick a better brand for retailers.”
7 OAK & OLIVE
Unique and innovative product for outdoor living and indoor entertaining
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Oak & Olive is celebrating its 21st year in business and its first year with Darrah & Co., which it joined because of Darrah’s “great reputation for offering unique and popular product lines to a wide variety of retailers.” The company began with the Mega Mat — a waterproof picnic mat that remains a bestseller — before expanding its offerings to more than 600 products for home entertaining, backyard living, camping, tailgating and travel. In 2021, the line will add marble and wood cheese and serving boards, new charcuterie boards and wine pourers and an expanded selection of cork caddies.
8 TOP IT OFF
Effortless, fabulous fashion for every day and every occasion
Get the look that customers want for less with Top It Off Accessories. Wraps, ponchos, kimonos, tops, tunics, cover-ups and much more — all in stylish patterns and colors. Pastels are hot for 2021 with minty greens, smooth blues, light pinks and dreamy patterns. You’ll also see new totes and wristlets made with natural jute fabrics as well as bamboo ponchos and wraps.
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9 VAAN & CO.
The pioneer of up-cycled genuine leather products
Vaan & Co. uses discarded genuine leather remnants. This sustainable brand focuses on zero wastage and quality products. Founder Jay Dhawan says, “Upcycling is the future of many industries, especially fashion, and we are proud to be at the forefront of it.” New for 2021 will be recycled canvas patterns blended with jute and leather, new bag styles, an expanded bar line (wine carriers, coasters, etc.) and new conceal-and-carry items. These new products will join popular items such as the iconic herringbone collection, small crossbody bags, totes and duffel bags. Vaan & Co. decided to join Darrah & Co. because, according to Dhawan, “[I]ntegrity is the most important thing; I heard Lindsay speak about her employees and customers with so much respect. That’s also what we believe at Vaan & Co. ... I’m truly excited to start this journey with Darrah & Co.!”
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10 Z WRAPS
Eco-friendly, stylish, reusable food storage
Michelle Zimora, founder of Z Wraps, started the company because “I saw how much food waste there was, and there wasn’t a great storage option that didn’t create plastic waste. I wanted to offer people a beautiful, easy-to-use, reusable alternative to plastic wrap and Ziplock bags. After a lot of testing, our food wraps are now available for your lunchbox, leftovers, hostess gifts and more.” In 2021, Z Wraps is excited about introducing a line of kids products by designer Katie Vernon and about working with Darrah & Co. “What’s not to love about Darrah & Co.!?” Zimora says. “Their energy, passion, relationships, knowledge… must I go on? I’m thrilled to be working with such a fantastic group!”
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Winter 2021 Darrah & Co.
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brighter daysahead Lessons learned in 2020 are helping independent retailers navigate the long, winding path back to normal. BY KIMBERLY TURNER
ith several vaccines on the horizon and a much better understanding of how the novel coronavirus spreads, there’s reason to have higher hopes for 2021. Moody’s Investor Services changed its official outlook for the retail industry from neutral to positive in October and says it expects “stability” (what a beautiful word!) in 2021. But the path back to normal is long, winding and uphill most of the way. Retailers across the nation will need to stay nimble, creative and open-minded to survive what’s left of the pandemic. We spoke to several of our retailers to find out how tackling the challenges of 2020 prepared them to meet the demands of 2021.
INSIDE THE STORE
From opening just one month before the statewide shut-down to having a tree fall onto her shop in hurricane winds, nothing could stop Ginger Pigg of The Perfect Pigg from making her store a success in 2020.
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You’ve widened your aisles and arranged your displays to allow for social distancing, stocked an array of cute masks, put new cleaning policies in place, installed contact-less payment options and set up sanitizing stations. There’s nothing left but to throw open the doors and welcome shoppers, right? Wrong. Many consumers are nervous about returning to in-person shopping, so you’ve got to let them know that you’ve put in the time and effort to give them a safe experience. An Intouch Insight survey found that in October, the main change that consumers wanted to see from retailers was a commitment to ensure that all customers are wearing masks. In the same survey, 82% of respondents wanted hand sanitizer or disinfectant wipes to be available, and 77% wanted businesses to limit the number of customers allowed inside the store. Go online and clearly communicate what your customers can expect as they return to your business. Once consumers know that you’re looking out for their safety, you’ll still need to compete with the convenience of delivery to get them into your store. (More on delivery in a moment because it’s an option you
should consider if you haven’t.) “As a result of COVID-19, all retailers will have to make their in-person experiences even more extraordinary for those who can visit in person,” writes Harvard Business Review. “They have to give people a reason to visit that is so compelling, it justifies their exposure to health risks and overcomes the inertia of the behaviors they adopted during the shutdown.” The good news is that people want to shop in person. Data from New York–based PR agency 5wPR’s Consumer Culture Report found that 68% of Millennials prefer to find new products in a store rather than online. The desire is there, but it may take a little extra effort to get them out of their PJs and into your store. That may mean special promotions, activities or in-store events — handled safely, of course. Think of fun, safe ways to encourage in-person shopping — personal shopping services, private shopping appointments, special experiences or giveaways. Get creative and have a good time with it! Ginger Pigg, owner of The Perfect Pigg in Cumming, Georgia, has been determined to get people through the door of her new shop, which opened just one month before the statewide lockdown
order. “If people dressed in a Halloween costume, I gave them 10% off, and I did giveaways,” she says. “For Christmas, I have a little pig dressed in a Santa suit. If they find the pig in the shop, they get a discount or prize. And I’m doing the 12 shopping days of Christmas, so every day will have a different feature, like 20% off for the day or buy one, get one half off.”
SPECIAL DELIVERY!
No matter what precautions you take, some will simply not be ready for an in-person shopping experience. Perhaps they have a health condition that makes the virus particularly risky for them. Maybe they are caring for a newborn or regularly visiting an older family member. Whatever their reason, have patience and remember that there’s more than one way to serve your customers. Delivery options and curbside pick-up became staples for many businesses in 2020 and will continue to be important for retailers in 2021. In addition to offering these services, be sure to promote them to potential customers. Treva Nelson, owner of the Gold Connection in Winfield, Alabama, has always offered delivery, but prior to the pandemic, did not promote it. “I guess I just thought that people knew we delivered,” she says. “But I don’t think they did.” To solve that problem, the Gold Connection started posting photos online of cheerful, gift-wrapped packages delivered to recipients’ doors. “We got a great reaction. People wanted to see their front door on social media, so we started getting followers from that. We got a lot of additional business,” says Treva. “We delivered all over town — to people’s homes, businesses that were open, schools, local banks, anyone that needed a gift. We didn’t realize how popular that would be.” Taylor Alderton, owner of Palm Harbor Boutique in Jupiter, Florida, did not offer delivery prior to COVID-19, but says she will “100% keep doing it” once things have returned to normal. In fact, the business recently moved into a larger space, and Taylor says “part of the reason we moved to the new location was to have a shipping station” for deliveries.
A PERSONAL TOUCH
There are, of course, plenty of big-box and online retailers that offer delivery and curbside pickup, so your small business needs to find ways to stand out. Fortunately, more and more consumers are waking up to the fact that their favorite shop can’t survive without their support. Treva from Gold Connection says, “When we closed [for the quarantine], I think people appreciated the necessity to shop small and to shop local businesses that give back to the community. People have been really trying to seek out local businesses for things they need instead of just clicking on Amazon, and that really helped us.” Personal touches can serve as a gentle reminder to customers that they are dealing with a real locally owned business. Taylor from Palm Harbor Boutique and her family, for example, attached handwritten notes on every care package they shipped. “We didn’t type any of our notes. My mom, my husband and I literally sat and wrote every single note and put it in an envelope attached to each package, just to make everything look a little more personal. I couldn’t tell you how many notes I wrote through this thing, but it worked out really well for us.” Ginger from The Perfect Pigg created a personalized wish list program that allowed people to create a wish list for their birthday or Christmas. When the time came, Ginger would email relatives and say, “I have a wish list for Sarah. I can have it wrapped, you can pay me on the phone and just pick it up outside.” The program has already been a success and is the sort of personal touch that bigbox retailers just can’t compete with.
STAYING ON THEIR MINDS
Every morning at 10 a.m., Ginger Pigg fires up Facebook Live and greets viewers with a cheerful: “Hi, it’s Ginger from The Perfect Pigg where everything’s perfectly picked for you!” She then proceeds to showcase products available for porch pickup, give tours of the shop and share her victories and struggles — like the time that hurricane winds caused a large tree to crush an entire room of her store. During good times and bad, her live
Palm Harbor relied on personal touches during COVID.
videos keep her connected to her audience. Authenticity matters, and sharing what times like this are really like for a business owner can help create lasting connections with your customers. “I had a lady come in who’d never been in before, but she said, ‘I’ve been watching your Facebook Live, and I feel like I know you, so I just really want to support you because I know your story,’” Ginger recalls. Treva’s social media strategy also included Facebook Live (“totally out of my comfort zone,” she laughs), and that brought customers from as far as 50 miles away. “Out of sight, out of mind is how it works for businesses. If you’re not putting yourself out there, people will forget you’re there. We didn’t want our customers to get used to saying, ‘Well, it’s so-and-so’s birthday, I’ll just run into Walmart. It was very important for us to keep up that presence. It was a lot of work, but we made it work.” In Florida, Taylor says her shop didn’t just increase the number of social media posts — especially Instagram and Facebook stories — it also increased the personal connection with customers. “I brought my family into it, which I had never really done in the past,” she says. “My mom or my husband would go on and do some posts. I tried to make it very family-oriented. We boosted posts, trying to connect with people and let them know that we’re not just Amazon or some big company.” Winter 2021 Darrah & Co.
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Got gadgets? Do a step-by-step demo that’ll show customers exactly how well they work. Film an unboxing video of an exciting new product or show off your personality while trying out a new hair accessory. Video is only getting more popular — Stories Curbside pickup and photos have increased in of home delivery were a hit views by 842% in for Gold Connection! the last five years, with more than 300 million views a day on Instagram NEXT LEVEL alone — so don’t be camera shy. Instagram and Facebook Stories and If you’re ready to take your online Live videos can help you interact in new sales and promotion to the next level, and exciting ways. If you sell clothing, consider setting up an online shop, either create a video that showcases an outfit on your own website or via a service such on a variety of body types and shapes.
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Darrah & Co. Winter 2021
as Facebook Shops, which allows you to sell directly via Facebook and Instagram. If you go that route, be sure to set up omni-channel inventory management, so you always know what you have on hand. As you move from in-person only to a more flexible shopping experience, you’ll also need to consider factors like shipping costs (will you offer free shipping over a certain amount?), return policies and other factors that will affect customer convenience. No matter what route you take on the way back to normal, stay flexible and don’t panic. Brighter times are ahead. “The big thing is to put yourself out there and let people know that you’re willing to pretty much do whatever it takes to stay in business,” says Treva. “People appreciate that work ethic. We’ve had a lot of good feedback that ‘Hey, y’all are there and showing up and trying. You’re trying to make the best of it.’ I think that translated really well with our customers. They appreciated it.”
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