Museum Store Spring 2013

www.MuseumStoreAssociation.org SPRING 2013 | $15

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CULTURAL HOTSPOTS IN THE CITY OF ANGELS

42

TURNING DISASTER INTO OPPORTUNITY

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SELLING BY DIRECT MAIL

BUYER’S GUIDE

CHIHULY

STUDIO EDITION GLASS Pictured is Chartreuse Persian Pair by Dale Chihuly.

Please join us in offering your patrons a unique opportunity to collect Chihuly glass.

Contact us to find out how this program can benefit your organization.

800.574.7272 paulaj@chihulyworkshop.com P.O. Box 70856, Seattle, Washington 98127 chihulyworkshop.com Photo by David Emery

Spring 2013

Museum Store helps cultural commerce professionals operate more effectively, find sources of museum-quality products and contribute to the missions of their institutions.

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Volume 41

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Issue 1

Features

MSA STAFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CEO

JAMA RICE, MBA, CAE

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Made in America Buyer’s Guide Discover new products and learn how to sell away with team U.S.A. BY APRIL C. MILLER

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Check Out the City of Angels Learn about the cultural hotspots in L.A. and get more details about the MSA Conference before you head to the 2013 event! BY STEPHANIE PETERS

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From Disaster to Opportunity Find out how the store at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library recovered from a devastating flood.

COMMUNICATIONS STAFF MEMBERSHIP AND COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

STEPHANIE PETERS COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

KATHY CISAR COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

SYBIL FAURER

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR

ADRIANA HERALD MEMBER RELATIONS COORDINATOR

BY CATHERINE NEWTON

C ANDRA HENDRICKS MEETINGS AND CONFERENCE MANAGER

JENNIFER ANDER SON ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

LEIGH RUSSO

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SKIES AMERICA PUBLISHING COMPANY ART DIRECTOR

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Selling by Direct-Mail Catalog The Milwaukee Art Museum provides lessons learned from its museum store catalog project. BY MARGE D. HANSEN

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Re-Constructing Your E-Store Facing a temporary store closure, the Cooper-Hewett, National Design Museum ramped up its e-commerce site.

JACQUELYN MERRILL EDITOR

REBECCA OSTER BACH

BY TRACI RYLANDS

ADVERTISING

MARY PETILLO

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PRODUCTION MANAGER

CINDY PIKE

Idea Gallery: Displaying Scarves & Ties Get inspired by your peers with these original ways to showcase scarves and ties.

CIRCULATION

ALLEN NELSON

Departments

HOW TO CONTACT US E-MAIL: speters@museumstoreassociation.org Please provide your full name, location and institution or company name.

MAIL: Museum Store Association 3773 E Cherry Creek North Dr, Ste 755 Denver, CO 80209-3804 www.MuseumStoreAssociation.org Phone: (303) 504-9223 Fax: (303) 504-9585

48 30

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President’s Message Time to remember and give thanks.

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Executive Director’s Message Working together to envision a bright future.

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Knowledge Standards Q&A How do I keep my museum shop running smoothly on a daily basis? BY SALLIE STUTZ

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Customer Relations Maximize profits (and customer service) with these core selling techniques.

ADVERTISING: Mary Petillo: (503) 726-4984 maryp @skies.com Museum Store magazine (ISSN 1040-6999) is published quarterly by the Museum Store Association.

Postmaster: Send address changes to Museum Store Association 3773 E Cherry Creek North Dr, Ste 755 Denver, CO 80209-3804

BY ANDREW ANDONIADIS

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Business Relations Best methods to bring local artwork to meet customers’ demand.

© 2013 Museum Store Association Inc. All rights reserved.

Except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, no part of this magazine may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from MSA. Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Museum Store Association. Printed in the USA.

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Human Resources How the no-collar workforce is reshaping the workplace. BY THOMAS W. MCKEE

MSA and Museum Store Association are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

62

Advertiser Index

BY KURT ROSSLER

Cover Image: istockphoto.com/©Diana Walters

SPRING 2013 | MUSEUM STORE

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| president’s message |

The core purpose of MSA is to advance the success of cultural commerce and of the professionals engaged in it. An international association, MSA is governed by a seven-member board of directors.

Looking Back, Looking Forward TIME TO REMEMBER AND GIVE THANKS.

| BY ELIZABETH RICKER

y term as president began in earnest at the conference in New Orleans last year.

We had great fun in Louisiana and a great meeting. Summer brought us the challenge of the search to find our new executive director for MSA. I am so grateful for the help and insight of our candidate review committee members and all the hours they put in to doing in-depth interviews and analyzing the candidates. My special thanks to Stacey Stachow, Barbara Lenhardt, Meta Bloomberg, Leslie Hartman and to the late Valerie Troyansky for their participation, engagement and thorough deliberations for the future growth of MSA. We are very pleased with our new executive director/CEO, Jama Rice, and hope you will be able to join us in L.A. at the Conference & Expo and have the opportunity to meet her. Her experience with association management combined with a retail background and love of museums helped us make the correct choice.

Special thanks as well to Beverly Barsook—her long years of dedication to MSA are deeply appreciated. Her thorough preparation for the transition made all the changes seamless. Thanks also go out to all the staff in the MSA office. This year they survived the move from our old offices into more compact digs and the changing of the executive directors without missing a step. They are a great team, and a great asset to MSA. I want to take a moment to remember those we have recently lost: Past Presidents Valerie Troyansky and Cliff Harrison, Merit Award winner Lee Werhan and Service Award winner Carolyn Forsman. The support given over the years by these three, the knowledge and experience so freely shared, will be deeply missed by our membership. It is hard to lose such talented, caring people. They will be missed but not forgotten. Their legacy lives on through their engagement in MSA. Please try and join us in Los Angeles for the annual Conference & Expo, April 13−15.

Take advantage of this trip, add on a day or two, spend some time visiting all the wonderful museums and venues available in the city and surrounding areas. We have so few opportunities to talk with our peers face-to-face; don’t pass up this trip. Use every tool available to convince your management how much it will benefit you, your institution and your business to attend.

My term as president ends at the board meeting in L.A. I believe we are in good hands with Stacey Stachow as incoming president, Barbara Lenhardt as first vice president, and David Duddy as second vice president. They, the rest of the board members, our new executive director/CEO and the staff are all ready to take MSA into the future. Talk with them, share with them, challenge each of them with your hopes of what you want MSA to be for the next 50 years. I have learned so much during my time on the board. It has been a real pleasure to serve MSA and to be able to give back to the organization that has helped me in my career over the last 40 years.

M

Elizabeth Ricker bricker@naturalhistoryfoundation.org 4

MUSEUM STORE | SPRING 2013

BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT

ELIZAB ETH R ICK E R NEW MEXICO MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY AND SCIENCE ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.

FIRST VICE PRESIDENT

STAC EY STACHOW WADSWORTH ATHENEUM MUSEUM OF ART HARTFORD, CONN.

SECOND VICE PRESIDENT

B ARB ARA LEN HARDT THE JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS WASHINGTON, D.C.

SECRETARY

J ANIC E W R HE L GEORGIA O’KEEFFE MUSEUM SANTA FE, N.M.

TREASURER

C AND AC E ALLE N MUSEUM OF NEW MEXICO FOUNDATION SHOPS SANTA FE, N.M.

DIRECTORS AT LARGE

G LORIA ROSENA U- STE RN MINNESOTA HISTORICAL SOCIETY/ SPLIT ROCK LIGHTHOUSE TWO HARBORS, MINN. -AND-

J ULIE STEIN E R THE BARNES FOUNDATION PHILADELPHIA, PA.

| executive director’s message |

Teamwork Is Key WORKING TOGETHER TO ENVISION A BRIGHT FUTURE.

hanks to all who have extended me such a warm welcome as I take on the role of executive director/CEO for the Museum Store Association. Board members, search committee members and staff, as well as many members and affiliates, have reached out and offered support and encouragement. I greatly appreciate this reception.

In just a short time I have learned that the MSA community is open and willing to share its wisdom with newcomers to the industry, as well as others with burning questions about cultural commerce. This group also is one that respects and actually

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| BY JAMA RICE

celebrates the diversity of ideas and views that abound in a world where there is no standard model for retail success.

What a great place to land—one where camaraderie is alive and well and the sharing of ideas is the norm.

I have a lengthy background in the business world and also as an association management professional, and those are the lenses through which I will look at MSA’s future. With a lot of experience in membership organizations, I have developed a habit of considering all of the association’s activities through the filter of its very diverse member community, while

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shepherding the organization’s resources— financial and human—in a way that focuses on the strategic priorities set by the board. And to me, human resources must include MSA’s devoted volunteers in addition to the staff. Since our volunteers all have demanding day jobs, this means that every hour they spend helping MSA is precious indeed.

In an organization that has been around since 1955, many priorities and trends have come and gone. After only a little time sitting in the executive director chair, it’s obvious that there are many traditions that MSA will hang on to. They are part of the culture of the organization and of the foundation that has made it successful for going on 60 years. There also are practices that have outlived their usefulness, and undoubtedly change is part of the nearterm landscape for MSA. As we navigate these changes, please be sure to provide feedback—what’s working in addition to what’s not working. I always share this motto with anyone who works with me in the association world: We can’t make needed changes if we don’t understand what is and isn’t working for our members, and we need our members to tell us exactly what that is.

Meeting everyone in L.A. is high on my list of things I’m planning to enjoy in 2013.

If you can’t be there, feel free to drop me an email and I hope we’ll meet somewhere along the way, if not before, maybe in Houston at MSA 2014.

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Jama Rice, MBA, CAE jrice@museumstoreassociation.org

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According to MSA’s Knowledge Standards, operations includes the ongoing management of the store and its related sales outlets. Operations management is a huge job of juggling the multi-faceted daily work of running a store. It covers a wide range of issues including receiving and fulfillment, physical maintenance, security of inventory and personnel, supervision of staff, execution of special events and training on all inventory management systems. Think of Dr. Seuss’ Bartholomew Cubbins with his 500 hats! What a lot of skill sets to coordinate every day.

Here are examples of the operational issues that you will need to master if you want to excel in cultural commerce: • Operations & Maintenance: This category covers the physical spaces—shop, offices, stockrooms, etc.—that you manage and work in on a daily basis. Organization and cleanliness is everything! Get to know the spaces for which you have responsibility. First, get them organized. Next, work with your institution’s security and maintenance managers to help set up daily/weekly/monthly assignments for keeping them clean. Learn the right cleaning products and methods, especially if your staff does some of the lighter cleaning. Be sure your security manager has security procedures for monitoring the shop—in-store camera monitoring, regular guard surveillance, locks changed and bags checked. Loss prevention is a big topic but it starts with

organization and cleanliness. Train your staff to be the watch-dogs of your inventory to prevent loss.

• Merchandise Tracking: Merchandising (a whole other topic and Knowledge Standard!) truly begins when the inventory enters your institution. You may or may not have a fulfillment center where the receiving and storage is done. However, once it enters the shop, it is now available for sale. Be sure it is not damaged and ticket it for sale. Designate its placement in the store and in back-up storage locations. Periodically conduct physical inventory and determine how you will reconcile any discrepancies.

• Special Events: Teamwork will be necessary to plan and execute special promotions for your shop.

Set up meetings well in advance to coordinate special events and book signings—do you have extra tables, chairs, tablecloths?

Do you have the proper signage?

• Maintain Store Systems: A reputable point-of-sale (POS) inventory management system is critical and one of the most valuable tools you own! It will allow for good customer service, detailed selling reports for buying decisions, financial information for accounting obligations, and more. Stay on top of any new technology, trends and related issues!

The responsibilities of a store manager are wide-ranging and require constant vigilance and updating. Just keep a good supply of different hats on hand to meet the challenges.

Sallie Stutz is the vice director of merchandising for the Brooklyn Museum and is a longtime member of MSA. She has served on several committees including the educational task force, nominating committee and the board of directors.

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CUSTOMER RELATIONS

Back to Basics MAXIMIZE PROFITS (AND CUSTOMER SERVICE) WITH THESE CORE SELLING TECHNIQUES. | BY ANDREW ANDONIADIS

2. Articulate an effective proactive opening statement.

3. Continue with suggestive and add-on selling.

4. Handle more than one customer at a time.

ISTOCKPHOTO.COM / ©SJLOCKE

Initial greeting and acknowledgement

o maximize revenue, simple, core, proactive selling techniques should be used in all museum stores, of all types and sizes, all the time. If visitation is low, it’s one of the few things the bricks-and-mortar side of retail can do to increase revenue. In busy museum stores the same techniques should be employed to maximize base revenue during favorable visitation conditions.

Appealing mission-related product selections, attractive displays and merchandising and an enjoyable store ambiance are necessary ingredients to maximize sales and enhance the visitor experience, but there is nothing like the interpersonal connection between store staff and visitor. One can always build a superstructure of progressively more sophisticated, and usually effective, selling techniques. However, the focus of this article is on basic steps that are at the foundation and can be employed by everyone, regardless of age or status (paid or volunteer), with significant and immediate results.

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MUSEUM STORE | SPRING 2013

Before initiating even the most fundamental proactive selling program, the sales staff must believe basic proactive selling is part of great customer service and isn’t being pushy or aggressive. Especially in a museum store environment, where available shopping time may be limited by an idling tour bus or tired fellow visitors, proactive selling is critical to helping the visitor find what they want and building a

In most circumstances making eye contact, saying “Hello” and “Good morning/afternoon/evening” and perhaps following up with “Where are you from?” is a pleasant beginning. If you recognize the visitor, “It’s nice to see you again” is a wonderful way to show appreciation for their return visit.

Proactive opening statement In my experience, the statement made after the initial greeting is the most critical to building sales and making sure the visitor has a superior store experience. The key ingredients of this statement are asking an open-ended question that is most easily answered in the affirmative and elicits some

The statement made after the initial greeting is the most critical to building sales and making sure the visitor has a superior store experience. more satisfying purchase with the resulting increased revenue.

To achieve any of these goals when a customer enters the store, staff needs to stop doing anything else, come out from behind the sales counter and employ the steps below.

1. Start with a simple warm initial greeting and acknowledgment of the visitor.

information about the customer’s purpose.

The phrase suggested for the core of this step is a close variation of “What was your favorite experience in the museum?”

This open-ended question almost always generates a positive response. For example, “I loved the Bowie knife exhibit,” “The Mary Cassatt and John Singer Sargent paintings were my favorites,” “We had a great time in the children’s hands-on

exhibit” or “The medicinal herb garden was very interesting.” Each of these responses launches the interaction with the visitor on a positive note and helps the staff person begin to think about products to suggest that are most likely to resonate with the visitor from among all the items in the store. Of course, product knowledge is critical at this juncture.

Before we leave this section, let’s make sure we are clear that “Can I help you?” should never be uttered. It does nothing to encourage answers that are helpful and often results in a, “No, I’m just looking” response which, at least temporarily, ends the opportunity for further meaningful conversation.

day and help combat the statistical tendency for the average transaction to decrease on busier days. Five steps can help make the most of busy days.

1. Subtly acknowledge the presence of additional customers while working with a customer.

2. Flow from one customer to another.

Put a product in the customer’s hand and suggest things for them to do that will occupy their time while you temporarily move on to another customer. When you return, this makes it seem like you’ve been gone a shorter length of time.

3. Tell the customer you are leaving and that you’ll be back with them in a moment.

4. Pace yourself to give adequate and similar attention to every customer.

5. When returning to a customer, thank them for waiting.

A final note. Please make sure customers are not referred to as “guys” as in “Can I help you guys?” or “Did you guys find everything you wanted?” And for goodness sake, end the transaction with “thank you” not “no problem.”

Andrew Andoniadis is the principal in Andoniadis Retail Services, a consulting firm that has specialized in revenue-generating strategies for museum stores for 21 years.

He can be reached at (503) 629-9279, Andrew@MuseumStoreConsult.com or www.MuseumStoreConsult.com.

Suggestive selling Getting a positive response to the “What was your favorite experience in the museum?” question assists the salesperson to help the visitor define and find what they want with a resulting satisfying purchase.

Using the examples above, the visitor can be directed to replica Bowie knives; paper products and soft goods with Cassatt and Singer Sargent images; and activity kits or herb seed packets. These suggestions greatly increase the chance they will find something to buy that will be tailored to their interests, help them continue their education or remind them in the future of their visit to the museum. From the museum’s perspective, this sequencing of interaction will increase the size of the average purchase and result in a more memorable customer experience.

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BUSINESS RELATIONS

Attracting Local Artists BEST METHODS TO BRING LOCAL WORKS TO MEET CUSTOMERS’ DEMAND.

ell, sell, sell! It is a simple, yet important mantra that drives all industries. As a museum store manager/buyer, your ultimate goal is to attract artists and products that will sell, sell, sell. However, it may take a bit of trial and error to determine the exact strategy to meet the specific needs of your customers.

Museum stores of different sizes and locations will have very specific strategies to attract works of art that will be of interest to their clientele; however, there are a few methods that work across the board.

S

Be proactive It may be cliché, but sitting back and letting things come to you will never produce the best results. Proactive outreach is a recurring theme with many museum store managers. Whether you run a small, local museum store, or one that attracts a nationwide following, the key is to take it upon yourself to find exactly what your customers demand. And oftentimes, this

begins with local, innovative art.

Showcasing local artists is marketing 101 to museum stores. It is fairly evident that customers feel drawn to purchasing local art over mass-produced products. In order to attract as much local art as possible, museum store managers and buyers often use social media, such as Facebook, Twitter and blogging. In addition, one tried-andtrue method is to go out and pound the pavement, as they say.

In-person networking will always be a proven method to attract the best products

| BY KURT ROSSLER

Host your own events Trunk shows are an important method of attracting a large number of artists and customers to come together. For example, the Milwaukee Art Museum holds a twiceyearly trunk show with students from a local university. “If during a trunk show an artist sells particularly well, we may add them to the store selection on a regular basis,” explains Karen McNeely, director of retail operations at the museum.

Giving customers a chance to meet and greet local artists is a great way to

In order to attract as much local art as possible, museum store managers and buyers often use social media, such as Facebook, Twitter and blogging. for your store. As a proactive buyer, you should attend state art council events, local craft shows and student exhibitions, as well as host your own trunk shows that showcase artists. You have to look for every angle available in order to find what is out there, even if it means hosting your own event.

create a memorable experience. Raymond McKenzie, assistant manager, retail operations at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, suggests, “art museums should be dynamic and engaging.” He points out that building a network of artists and employing a diverse staff with knowledge across many genres will provide the greatest ability to attract the best art for your store and provide your customers with a positive retail buying experience.

Establish a jury

ISTOCKPHOTO.COM / © RICH LEGG

Whether informal or not, developing a juried process to select art is an often used method. The parameters are variable and should be adjusted for your specific size and location. For example, some museum stores prefer to keep the selected jury a secret from the artists and vice-versa, therefore creating a blind selection process based solely on the quality of work.

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MUSEUM STORE | SPRING 2013

Jury members can be selected from the local art community and should be from diverse backgrounds. They can also be inhouse staff if so qualified. “Make sure that the jury are people who really understand the goals of your store,” says McKenzie.

“A curator may be able to know what is important or suitable for a collection, but they don’t always know what sells.”

The Store at SAGE Center at the Boardman Chamber of Commerce in Boardman, Ore., is brand new and has employed a successful jury process to attract artists. After launching the program just a few months ago, they have already had 20+ artists submit their work. “It takes time and you have to be proactive, constantly taking leads and pursuing them,” says Amber Killingbeck, assistant director, Boardman Chamber of Commerce. She plans to conduct a second jury panel to select another group of artists in the near future.

The success of juried shows has been proven over the years. The Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center in Anchorage, Alaska, conducts several juried shows a year and has seen great success. They host a Thanksgiving craft show that is juried and showcases 40 to 50 artists who sell their work in person. The museum has picked up many new artists to sell in their store simply from hosting that show.

“The jury process provides a broad spectrum of tastes,” explains Mark Weber, manager and buyer at the museum. “Someone may not like a piece of art, but another jury member may discuss it with them and open up their appreciation for it.”

Another event hosted by the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center runs up to seven days a week for 30 to 60 days where multiple artists will showcase their work to the public. This is a great experience for both the artist and customers. “Treating the artists well and hosting good shows will attract additional artists through word of mouth,” suggests Weber.

The reality is that proactive outreach supported with as many methods as possible is the best way to find local, innovative artists. It may take time, but once established, your network of artists should snowball. Talk to other museum store managers, find out what works for

them and then develop your own strategy that best suits your store. The key is to go to the artists. Do not wait for the art to come to you.

Kurt Rossler is a freelance writer based in Denver, Colo. He specializes in retail marketing, technology and consumer trends.

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HUMAN RESOURCES

A New Breed of Volunteer HOW THE NO-COLLAR WORKFORCE IS RESHAPING THE WORKPLACE.

ive them flexibility, respect and snacks. Sounds like great advice for volunteer involvement, doesn’t it? But in actuality it is how the under-30 generation is reshaping the workplace.

Nick Shore, in his MediaPost.com article, “Turning On The ‘No-Collar’ Workforce,” states, “MTV’s new ‘No Collar Workers’ study seeks to understand the working experience through Millennial eyes…and to help employers decode how to leverage the abundant creative energies of their cubicledwelling populations.” He writes: • A typical boomer response: “Give me my objectives and get out of my way.”

• A typical Millennial response: “I need flexibility, respect…and snacks.”

Those three words—flexibility, respect and snacks—are just three examples of how the 10,000 Millennials who turn 21 every day and more than 40 million Millennials

| BY THOMAS W. MCKEE

ISTOCKPHOTO.COM / © KRISTIAN SEKULIC

G

the no-collar workplace), but also working conditions. On April 30, 2012, The Society for Human Resource Management along with the think tank Families and Work Institute released a report describing

One way to respect Millennials is to give them responsibilities, especially in developing and using social media. who are currently in the workplace are changing it. They are bringing their attitudes, their skills and their smartphones with them.

It is naive of us to ignore these changes because the new breed of worker is also having an impact on volunteer involvement.

We need to consider these three words if we are going to be successful recruiting and leading the new breed of volunteer.

1. Flexibility Flexibility not only includes dress (hence 14

MUSEUM STORE | SPRING 2013

unexpected changes in how employees are allowed to juggle when they work.

Their findings included the following: • 77 percent of employers allow at least some employees to use flex time and periodically change their start and quit times—up from 66 percent in 2005.

• 87 percent allow at least some employees to take time during the work day to tend to family or personal affairs without a dock in pay. In 2005, 77 percent of employers allowed it.

It’s not just the Millennials who want flex time. Gen X—those 30- and 40-yearolds who are busy raising families—are seeking this flex time. The study revealed that in order for companies to retain their valued employees, even in a turbulent economy, they need to be flexible.

One Good Idea: Recruit task-oriented teams rather than individual volunteers.

Create a team of five to 10 volunteers who will share the responsibilities and then empower the team members to work out their own flexible schedule.

2. Respect MTV’s new “No Collar Workers” study also revealed how Millennials want respect— mainly to be listened to: • 76 percent believe that “my boss could learn a lot from me.”

• 65 percent say, “I should be mentoring older coworkers when it comes to tech and getting things done.”

• Nine out of 10 Millennials want senior people in their company to listen to their ideas and opinions.

Shore concludes his article with these words about the Millennials and the new organization: “The new organization is the listening organization: listening to social media, listening to their customers and listening to the next generation.” But sometimes communicating with the Millennials, who we call the texting generation, is a huge challenge.

One Good Idea: One way to respect Millennials is to give them responsibilities, especially in developing and using social media. I would gladly turn over our Facebook page to any one of my teenage grandchildren. This is true of many areas of technology. Their personal pages are so fresh and up to date. My personal page is, well, just sort of there.

3. Snacks/Fun Snacks are a way to build community

PINE NEEDLE & PEWTER NECKLACE(S) Designed by the artist and cast in America, embellished with individual long leaf pine needles, stitched with waxed linen.

New this year, unique in design.

For ordering information, call 910-799-8363 or email pgb@pinegardenbaskets.com

www.pinegardenbaskets.com

SPRING 2013 | MUSEUM STORE

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HUMAN RESOURCES

Quality Mexican art for your museum store. Handmade from Mexico to the world. Support cultural heritage, tradition and fair trade.

USE CODE MSASP13 FOR 10% OFF FIRST ORDER

www.buddhaboard.com 16

MUSEUM STORE | SPRING 2013

Tom McKee is president and owner of www.volunteerpower.com, a leadership development firm specializing in volunteerism. He has more than 40 years of experience in volunteer leadership. Tom began his speaking career to one of the most difficult audiences—high school assemblies.

Since those days he has addressed more than one million people spanning three continents—Africa, Europe and the United States. Over the past 40 years he has trained more than 100,000 leaders how to manage the chaos of change in an organization. He recently contributed the article “Motivate Your Staff and Volunteers” in the spring 2012 issue of Museum Store.

Flexibility, respect and snacks—sounds like these three essentials for Millennials are not only changing the workplace, but are strategies that we all could and should practice.

MASTER THE ART OF LETTING GO

www.handartmx.com.mx email: handart@handartmx.com.mx phone: 521+55+21291897

and just have fun together. Shore says that “Workplace 2.0” is a life-work “smoothie.”

• Nearly nine in 10 Millennials want their workplace to be social and fun.

• 93 percent want a job where they can be themselves.

Many employers are afraid of having fun in the workplace, but having fun is very important for volunteers who are not getting paid for what they do.

One Good Idea: Provide a high-energy training session with lots of fun and food.

Make sure your trainer is entertaining with humorous examples, video clips and learning exercises.

BOARD

(604) 709-5667

* Present this promo code and receive a special offer: MSASPR13

NEW from THAMES & HUDSON

BRANDT NUDES Mark Haworth-Booth “A photograph by Bill Brandt proclaims him an artist and a poet of the highest order.”

—Ansel Adams 144 illus. | $70.00 INDIGO Catherine Legrand The ultimate reference on indigo dyeing worldwide and a compendium of indigo textiles 500+ illus. | $50.00 LATE RAPHAEL Tom Henry et al.

A revelatory exploration of Raphael’s work and influence, published with the Museo del Prado 288 illus. | $65.00 LE CORBUSIER AND THE POWER OF PHOTOGRAPHY Nathalie Herschdorfer et al.

Traces Le Corbusier’s experiments with photography and his use of it to promote his work 403 illus. | $60.00 THE MAGIC OF M. C. ESCHER J. L. Locher A classic study of a great artist and his beautiful, complex works on paper 380 illus. | $31.95 paper

MIDNIGHT TO THE BOOM Susan S. Bean Highlights from the Peabody Essex’s Herwitz Collection of modern Indian art 142 illus. | $50.00 MODERN NATURE: GEORGIA O’KEEFFE AND LAKE GEORGE Erin B. Coe et al.

A landmark survey of O'Keeffe’s early work, published with the Hyde Collection and accompanying a touring exhibition 124 illus. | $40.00 THINGS COME APART Todd McLellan 50 design classics, from cell phone to grand piano, exploding in midair and dissected in frameby-frame stills 181 illus. | $29.95

TWILIGHT OF THE ROMANOVS Philipp Blom et al.

The lives of the tsars and their subjects from 1855 to 1918, told through rare archival photos 360 illus. | $60.00 VINCENT’S TREES Ralph Skea Illuminates van Gogh’s belief that painting should “celebrate the finest qualities of nature” 75 illus. | $19.95

Distributed by Norton For more information, visit thamesandhudsonusa.com

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MERCHANDISE PLANNING

U.S.A. MA

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S Stocking the merchandise isn’t enough th hough—promoting the products both iin-store and online is key to making the sale. “We have seen stores have success with end-caps and aisles that highlight American-made products with flags, signs and captions that describe the origin of the products,” d Kiirstin Barrett of General Pencil Com mpany in Redwood City, Calif., says.

“Uniquee signs that showcase the story of each manufacturer f help catch customers’ attention.”

Through social media you can extend your reach.

“Use hashtags with Twitter, Instagram and Facebook: #USAmade, #MadeInTheUSA, #BuyUSA, #ShopLocal and #ShopUSA,” suggests Hillary Voight, marketing and PR coordinator at baabaazuzu in Lake Leelanau, Mich.

Lincoln, R.I.-based, ChemArt Company’s Allison Houle suggests encouraging others to like the Facebook status or retweet: “Offer a special bonus such as a sticker, bookmark or percentage off a future purchase.”

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★ ffering American-made produ ucts not only meets a consumeer demand but also shows your store’s support of stateside artists and manufacturers. “The consumer is now empowered and understands the importance that their purchasing power has,” says Liz Bordessa,, president of Upcycle it Now, Lon ng Beach, Calif. “They can create jobs and stimulate the economy by buying prroducts made in America.”

Vendors producing American-made products are proud to do so, and many say they hear often from clients that store guests are specifically asking for items made in the U.S.A. One caution to store buyers is not to compare product pricing with “cheaper versions from overseas producers,” explains Gary Vandenberg of Art Plates in Chatsworth, Calif. “Sometimes a 3x markup is not possible. However, the reward is having a unique product mix, supporting American ingenuity and supporting American workers.”

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Looking to increase your selection of American-made merchandise? Take a look at the following: [1]

[2]

The new line of shaped puzzles and patriotic products are just a few of the thousands of high-quality, made-inVermont wooden toys, gifts and games available from Maple Landmark Woodcraft—in business for more than 30 years. All help children with hands-on learning and exploration.

Customized items available with low minimums and set-up costs.

Show patriotic pride with the Stars and Stripes Mug from New York-based

Introducing...

[3]

[4]

Applewood Books. Founded in 1976 in Massachusetts, the company publishes books for children and adults. Other titles include “The Emancipation Proclamation,” “Camp Fire Girls,” and more.

David Changar Ceramic Designs.

Made from porcelain, the mug holds 18 ounces of liquid and is both dishwasher- and microwave-safe. Each piece is signed by a master craftsman.

Custom work is available. In addition to museum stores, David’s work is in many corporate collections.

[5]

Josh Bach Limited pure silk neckties have been hand-crafted in New York City for more than 17 years. The company’s ties have become a wardrobe staple for anyone with a discerning eye for design, fashion and craftsmanship. Five Josh Bach designs are in the permanent collection of the Museum at FIT (the Fashion Institute of Technology).

The award-winning Fractiles Magnetic Tiling Toy (large edition) includes 192 colorful, flexible magnetic tiles, a 12" x 12" powder-coated steel activity board and color-illustrated storage folder. Fractiles uses a unique sevenfold geometry in the designs created using three different shaped magnets.

Two smaller editions, Travel Fractiles and Fridge Fractiles, are also available.

[6]

Cube notepads from Stik-Withit Printworks turns something practical into something beautiful. Each cube includes 500 removable, repositionable adhesive notes. Choose from the company’s art selections—such as Mona Lisa or the American flag—or

“The Constitution of the United States of America” and “Hello, America!,” a patriotic board book for children ages 2−5, are just two of the more than 6,000 titles available from

THE

Janet Egan Design

COLLECTION

W E A R A R T.

ARTIST

Inspired by Painters like Matisse, Gauguin, Rousseau, Kline and Designers like William Morris, the Artist Collection comes in 3 styles: swing (short), camelot (mid-length), sherlock (long).

Some are reversible.

XS-2XL

Come visit us at the Expo in Booth #308!

Rousseau sherlock cotton voile Gauguin sherlock cotton voile Matisse camelot taupe/black silk Kline sherlock silk Morris sherlock linen

MUSEUM STORES, 536/, 4)084 &9$-64*7& #065*26&4 PS #: 41&$*"- "110*/5.&/5 r 774 202 2190 • www.janetegandesign.com 20

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[10] The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church Pendant from ChemArt Company (a veteran-owned small business based in Rhode Island) is one of several pieces in the company’s Frank Lloyd Wright Collection.

It’s adapted from details of the brass altar screen Wright designed for the church. Also shown is a Tiffany Lamp Ornament, finished in 24-karat gold.

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Mismatched and fingerless mittens are the newest offerings from Solmate Socks. Hats, scarves, rag rugs and of course socks, are also available. All of the colorful and complex patterns are knit in Vermont at a family-owned knitting mill. All are hand-finished and then mismatched with care.

Mugzie travel drinkware from Art Plates combines the waterproof properties of neoprene wetsuit material with a spill-proof, stainless steel 16-ounce mug. The hand-sewn fabric cover is made from 1/4" closed-cell neoprene and is covered with soft, waterproof polyester fabric. The stain-resistant cover is printed in hi-resolution and has full-wrap coverage. Features removable lid and non-skid bottom.

MA

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[8]

Ciao Bella Jewelry presents the Americana Collection: bracelets, earrings and necklaces made with various state stones, charms and historical images. Custom design work is available, and the company provides display cards with the healing stone properties, plus state stone/gemstone descriptions. Military charm bracelets and those with historic structures are some of the most popular.

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The company is an official Vermont Business Environmental Partner.

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have a design custom made to feature collection-related artwork. Shown is the 2 ¾" notepad; additional sizes are available.

[11] KaleidEscapes by Seattle-based LaGrave Designs transforms photos of buildings and landmarks into stunning dimensional kaleidoscopic art. Shown is a piece created from a photo of a stained glass window in La Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, France.

Designs are meticulously cut, hand assembled and framed in shadow boxes. Have a custom design created for your next exhibit.

[12] Parli-Cards are educational gifts, games and souvenirs that feature a series of traditional card and board games along with a growing set of

The Assistant Manager™

Proven. Scalable. Affordable.

Point of Sale Merchandise Admission Fast Food Inventory Management

eCommerce Customer Relationship Management Membership Integration

Store Polling and Distribution Accounting Group Reservations

Where retail experience and technology come together.

888.THE.14POS - 888.843.1476 | nonprofitpos.com | See us at Expo Booth #202

SPRING 2013 | MUSEUM STORE

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[16]

[17]

[18] Trademarks and copyrights used herein are properties of the United States Postal Service and are used under license to Harmony Designs. All rights reserved.

[19] [21]

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MUSEUM STORE | SPRING 2013

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Acronym Ace titles—flashcards designed for fast, fun group and party settings. Board game titles include Presidents & Founding Fathers and U.S. Senate (Congressional Edition).

Acronym Ace titles are SpeakGOV, SpeakSPORTS and SpeakTXT. [13] Glass Eye Studio’s hummingbird feeders brighten one’s view and attract feathered friends. Each ball features one of the Seattle-based company’s spring- or summer-themed color mixes and includes the plastic feeder and S-hook for hanging. Instructions are included. Every six months, the company adds more than 60 new products/designs to its line.

[14] Dubbed the “princess of pocketbooks,” sculptor Julie Feldman has been creating luxurious and unique handbags for 15 years. Silk ribbon roses adorn satin evening purses in assorted shapes, sizes and colors, combined with one-of-a-kind use of additional trims, mixed media and etched details. Custom designs are available, and the artist is available for in-store purse signings.

[15] Vintage-style filigree made in the United States and designed at the turn of the 20th century is repurposed to create NoMonet’s flower fairy earrings. The filigree is antiqued or silver-plated, handpainted with a resin-based paint and layered with more brass filigree to resemble flower petals. All earrings are designed and painted by California artist Steph King.

Do you have PUBLICATIONS that have STOPPED SELLING? Bullpen Book Sales purchases museum publications in the following areas: ART HISTORY PHOTOGRAPHY DECORATIVE ARTS ARCHITECTURE DESIGN

Let’s work together to move out your dead stock and free up storage space.

Ed Ripp

BULLPEN BOOK SALES 2638 - 6th Street NW Albuquerque, NM 87107 505.345.7477 ripp505@gmail.com

SPRING 2013 | MUSEUM STORE

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[16] Chihuly Pure Imagination Jigsaw Puzzles are available from Chihuly Workshop. The 1,000-piece puzzles may be challenging, but worth it when the vibrant colors and stunning images come together. Each image is taken from the work of Dale Chihuly, and the Pure Imagination line was created to support his mission to make the arts accessible to all children.

` on metal High quality giclees

[17] baabaazuzu’s one-of-a-kind mittens are made from salvaged wool sweaters.

Every original, upcycled pair is ecochic with an array of bold colors, textures and patterns. Antique buttons embellish each cuff adding a fun vintage flare. Lined with polar fleece, baabaazuzu mittens—bestsellers for the 20-year-old Michigan-based company—are both stylish and warm.

[18] This five-stone large necklace from Smart Glass Jewelry is handmade from recycled bottles and includes an antiqued brass chain. Atlanta artist Kathleen Plate repurposes empty beer, wine, sake and soda bottles into beautiful, wearable and eco-friendly works of art. Plate has been featured on shows such as “Big Ideas for a Small Planet” and “Entourage.”

A wide range of art and custom 504.289.3361 www.WorksonMetal.com Visit us at MSA Expo booth 506 26

MUSEUM STORE | SPRING 2013

[19] Based in Pennsylvania, Harmony Designs specializes in custom products. Glass paperweights, mugs, bookmarks, tote bags, key chains, aprons and more are created to your specifications. Product development includes free set-up, full-color printing and free proofs with orders.

Personalize any item with an image

or text. Use the company’s website to preview merchandise before ordering.

[20] Cedar Pointe Pencils from General Pencil Company are made from sustained yield western incense cedar wood, and feature a smooth graphite core, a comfortable hex grip and a soft black eraser. Reusable storage box highlights a brief history of the company and its story of pencil making in Jersey City, N.J., that dates back to 1889.

[21] These pine needle and pewter necklaces—available with 18", 20" and 24" antique bronze chains—are new from Pine Garden Baskets.

Ten different designs are currently available from owner Melanie Walter. All feature an antique gold finish. Basket-making kits and other pieces are also available from the Wilmington, N.C.-based company.

[22] Upcycle it Now, based in California, gives a second life to nondegradable exhibit banners by using the material to create fashionable tote bags, wallets and purses. Banners are hand cut to optimize the graphics, and custom designs are available. A unique and sustainable way to let guests bring home pieces of your exhibits.

[23] Southern California-based Petal Connection is a mother-anddaughters team using all-natural flowers, petals, leaves and butterflies to make one-of-a-kind wearable pieces. Most of the flowers in the line come from their own gardens, and the farm-raised butterflies have lived out their natural 20-day life cycle.

The natural elements are encased in resin and findings are sterling silver.

™

Dino-Sounds ™ 6 jc^fjZ VcY ^ccdkVi^kZ hdjcY"bV`^c\ idn ™ =VcY"XVgkZY Wn Vgi^hVch ^c I]V^aVcY

HZZ i]ZhZ idnh Vh lZaa Vh bjh^XVa ^chijbZcih VcY lddYZc Vc^bVa bdcZn WVc`h ldcYZg[ja ]VcY^XgV[ih# A LOST ART (323) 930-0278 | www.aLostArt.com Visit us at MSA Expo Booth #514

April Miller is a Cleveland-based writer and a regular contributor to Museum Store.

She last wrote the Custom Products Buyer’s Guide in the winter 2012 issue.

SPRING 2013 | MUSEUM STORE

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RETAIL BUYER’S GUIDE Applewood Books www.awb.com | (800) 277-5312 See our ad on page 6 Art Plates www.artplates.com | (909) 980-7960 See our ad on page 59 baabaazuzu www.baabaazuzu.com | (231) 256-7176 See our ad on page 58 ChemArt Company www.chemart.com | (800) 521-5001 See our ad on page 7 Chihuly Workshop www.chihulyworkshop.com | (800) 574-7272 See our ad on page 2 Ciao Bella Jewelry, Inc. www.CiaoBellaWholesale.com | (412) 818-7271 See our ad on page 9 David Changar Ceramic Designs www.davidchangar.com | (718) 842-6362 See our ad on page 9 Fractiles, Inc. www.fractiles.com | (303) 541-0930 See our ad on page 8 General Pencil Company, Inc. www.GeneralPencil.com | (800) 537-0734 See our ad on page 47 Glass Eye Studio www.glasseye.com | (800) 237-6961 See our ad on page 50 Harmony Designs www.harmonydesigns.com | (888) 293-1109 See our ad on page 34 Josh Bach Limited www.joshbach.com | (212) 964-5419 See our ad on page 15 Julie Feldman Designs www.juliefeldmandesigns.com | (310) 600-8056 See our ad on page 44 LaGrave Designs www.lagravedesigns.com | (321) 427-9238 See our ad on page 13 Maple Landmark Woodcraft www.maplelandmark.com | (800) 421-4223 See our ad on page 36 NoMonet www.nomonet.com | (866) 327-9525 See our ad on page 35 Parli-Cards (a Div. of Practical Strategies, Inc.) www.parlicards.com | (262) 334-1821 See our ad on page 52 Petal Connection www.petalconnection.com/wholesale (818) 434-8091 See our ad on page 58 Pine Garden Baskets www.pinegardenbaskets.com | (910) 799-8363 See our ad on page 15 Smart Glass Jewelry www.smartglassjewelry.com | (404) 371-0013 See our ad on page 11 Solmate Socks www.socklady.com | (866) 762-5523 See our ad on page 62 Stik-Withit Printworks www.swiprintworks.com | (315) 703-8300 See our ad on page 59 Upcycle it Now www.upcycleitnow.com | (562) 508-6813 See our ad on page 8 28

MUSEUM STORE | SPRING 2013

E AT YO U R A RT O U T. “This book gets my ganache flowing— if only art history always tasted this good.”

— TO D D S E L B Y , photographer and author of Edible Selby

“Brilliant, quirky, and irresistible . . .

All dessert books should be this much fun!”

— D A N I E L P AT T E R S O N , chef-owner of COI restaurant

“Only Caitlin Freeman is brave enough (and crazy enough) to dream up desserts inspired by works of modern art— and inventive enough to pull it off . . . This is more than a cookbook, it’s a journal of the creative process.”

— O L I V E R S T R A N D , food journalist and coffee columnist for the New York Times

AVA I L A B L E W H E R E V E R B O O KS A R E S O L D.

Ten Speed Press

@tenspeedpress

www.tenspeedpress.com

A N I M P R I N T O F T H E C R O W N P U B L I S H I N G G R O U P, A D I V I S I O N O F R A N D O M H O U S E , I N C .

SPRING 2013 | MUSEUM STORE

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Huntington Rose Garden

CHECK OUT THE

CITY ANGELS OF

BY VISITING SOME GREAT CULTURAL HOT SPOTS!

BY STEPHANIE PETERS

T

here are many unique, interesting and beautiful places to visit in Los Angeles. Whether you’re coming in early before the Conference, extending your stay, or just finding a little free time in between, you’ll want to make sure to visit these MSA member institutions.* Many store managers have graciously offered a discount to MSA attendees. You’ll just need to show a business card.

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MUSEUM MUSE M MUS USE S U UM MS STORE TORE TORE O | SPR SPRING P ING NG G 2013 201 013 1

*MSA Members as of Feb. 25, 2013.

ANNENBERG SPACE FOR PHOTOGRAPHY

2000 Avenue of the Stars, Ste 1000 S Los Angeles, CA 90067-0001 (213) 403-3007 www.annenbergfoundation.org Offering a 20% store discount on regular price merchandise to MSA attendees.

What to see: The Annenberg Space for Photography is a cultural destination dedicated to exhibiting both digital and print photography. The venue is the first solely photographic cultural destination in the Los Angeles area. Make sure to see the exhibit, “WAR/Photography: Images of Armed Conflict and Its Aftermath.”

CABRILLO MARINE AQUARIUM

3720 Stephen M White Dr San Pedro, CA 90731-7012 (310) 548-7562 x216 www.cabrilloaq.org Offering a 10% store discount to MSA attendees.

What to see: The Cabrillo Marine Aquarium (CMA) is a nonprofit museum just steps away from Cabrillo Beach and the Pacific Ocean in San Pedro. CMA is dedicated to promoting knowledge and conservation of the marine life of Southern California through free and low-cost educational research programs. Explore our 30 aquariums and reach into our touch tank. We also have an Exploration Center, Aquatic Nursery, research library and classroom.

The Cabrillo Aquarium Gift Shop is run by the FRIENDS of Cabrillo Aquarium and includes books, ocean-themed gifts, CMA t-shirts and souvenirs. All proceeds support the educational programs sponsored by the CMA. CALIFORNIA SCIENCE CENTER

700 Exposition Park Dr Los Angeles, CA 90037-1210 (213) 744-7422 www.casciencectr.org Offering a 20% store discount to MSA attendees.

What to see: The California Science

Center is the West Coast’s largest hands-on science center. Make sure to see the Space Shuttle Endeavour and companion exhibit, “Endeavour: The California Story,” featuring images and artifacts that relate the shuttle program to California, where the orbiters were built.

FIDM MUSEUM & GALLERIES

919 S Grand Ave Los Angeles, CA 90015-1421 (213) 624-1200 www.fidmmuseumshop.com Offering a 20% store discount to MSA attendees.

What to see: Much of the merchandise in the FIDM store is designed by FIDM staff and alumni, but also features many up-and-coming Los Angeles designers.

During the MSA Conference & Expo, FIDM will feature the “21st Annual Art of Motion Picture Costume Design” exhibit which will include costumes from “Les Misérables,” “Skyfall,” “Lincoln,” “The Hunger Games,” “Argo,” and “Snow White and the Huntsman,” just to name a few.

The shop will feature merchandise inspired by this exhibition. In addition, the Larson Gallery will be open displaying a portion of the 1,100-piece collection, “A Century of Cotton: Selections from the Helen Larson Historic Fashion Collection, 1800−1900.”

THE HUNTINGTON LIBRARY, ART COLLECTIONS, AND BOTANICAL GARDENS

1151 Oxford Rd San Marino, CA 91108-1218 (626) 405-2100 www.huntington.org Offering a 20% store discount to MSA attendees April 11−16, 2013.

What to see: In springtime, one of the star attractions at The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens is its breathtaking 120-acre grounds, originally the private estate of railroad magnate Henry Edwards Huntington (1850−1927). The Huntington’s 12 themed landscapes, including a 100-year-old Japanese Garden, give the museum’s other treasures (like Thomas Gainsborough’s

“Blue Boy” and the Gutenberg Bible) plenty of competition. Roses, camellias, wisteria and colorful spring perennials are among the season’s standouts. This spring, visitors also can enjoy a profusion of flowers on display on the gallery walls in a special exhibition titled, “When They Were Wild: Recapturing California’s Wildflower Heritage,” on view March 9 through June 3. Afternoon tea in the Rose Garden Tea Room is the perfect way to wrap up your visit. And don’t miss the outstanding selection of botanical-themed gift items in the Bookstore & More, from note cards to gardening books to apparel, including an annual garden calendar and custom garden-themed reverse painted ornaments.

California Science Center

THE J. PAUL GETTY MUSEUM

1200 Getty Center Dr Los Angeles, CA 90049-1687 (310) 440-7330 www.getty.edu Offering a 20% store discount to MSA attendees.

What to see: A few of the exciting exhibitions on view during the MSA Conference & Expo include “Overdrive: L.A. Constructs the Future, 1940–1990,” “Japan’s Modern Divide: The Photographs of Hiroshi Hamaya and Kansuke Yamamoto,” and “In Focus: Ed Ruscha.”

On view in the Getty Villa: “Sicily: Art and Invention between Greece and Rome.”

Visitors to the Center should be sure not to miss the new Children’s Shop in the West Pavilion, Plaza Level (featured in SPRING 2013 | MUSEUM STORE

31

CHECK OUT THE

CITY ANGELS a recent Museum Store magazine article).

In the other shops in the museum, you’ll find unique merchandise related to the “Overdrive” exhibition, which focuses on L.A. architecture, and the photography show that features two rarely shown Japanese photographers. The store at the Villa features beautiful objects, apparel and jewelry inspired by the ancient art of Greece, Rome and Etruria, gorgeous art glass, and an excellent selection of books on antiquity.

JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM

100 N Central Ave Los Angeles, CA 90012-3911 (213) 625-0414 www.janm.org Offering a 20% store discount to MSA attendees, as well as free admission to the museum, April 13−14, 2013.

What to see: The mission of the Japanese American National Museum is to promote understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Japanese American experience. Exhibitions include “Patriots & Peacemakers: Arab Americans in Service to Our Country” (through April 14) and “Visible and Invisible: A Hapa Japanese American History.”

Los Angeles County Museum of Art

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© RYAN ROMERO

OF

Los Angeles Public Library–The Library Store On Wheels

THE JAPANESE GARDEN

6100 Woodley Ave Van Nuys, CA 91406-6450 (818) 756-8166 www.thejapanesegarden.com What to see: The Japanese Garden in Van Nuys is one of the hidden gems in the Los Angeles area and well worth a trip to the San Fernando Valley. This authentic 6 1/2-acre Japanese garden was designed by Dr. Koichi Kawana, a noted Japanese art and architecture historian.

Please be aware that the Garden is closed on Friday and Saturday and it’s always a good idea to call in advance of your visit to make sure the Garden is not closed due to weather or construction.

KIDSPACE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM

480 N Arroyo Pasadena, CA 91103-0001 (626) 449-9144 www.kidspacemuseum.org Offering a 20% store discount to MSA attendees, as well as free admission to the museum.

What to see: Don’t miss the recently opened Galvin Physics Forest, which is an outdoor one-acre expansion of the facility offering a hands-on explanation of the laws of physics. During the MSA Conference & Expo, Caterpillar Adoption Days will be taking place in the store. A live painted lady caterpillar can be purchased to witness the life cycle of a butterfly and then to be released into the wild.

Kidspace Children’s Museum

LOS ANGELES COUNTY MUSEUM OF ART

5905 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90036-4504 (323) 857-6147 www.lacma.org www.thelacmastore.org Offering a 10% store discount to MSA attendees.

What to see: As the largest art museum in the western United States, LACMA hosts many exciting works including “Metropolis II” by Southern California artist Chris Burden. Make sure to check out the Chris Burden limited edition Custom Metropolis II Car in the store, as well. Two of the exhibitions on view are “Stanley Kubrick” and “Japanese Prints: Hokusai at LACMA.” LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC ASSN.

151 S Grand Ave Los Angeles, CA 90012-3034 (213) 972-3440 www.laphilstore.org Offering a 20% store discount to MSA attendees.

NEW

THE GETTY

FROM

Florence at the Dawn of the Renaissance Painting and Illumination, 1300-1350

The Last Days of Pompeii Decadence, Apocalypse, Resurrection

Sicily Art and Invention between Greece and Rome

Edited by Christine Sciacca

Victoria C. Gardner Coates, Kenneth Lapatin, and Jon L. Seydl

Edited by Claire L. Lyons, Michael Bennett, and Clemente Marconi

ISBN 978-1-60606-126-8, $65.00, Hardcover

ISBN 978-1-60606-115-2, $39.95, Hardcover

ISBN 978-1-60606-133-6, $60.00, Hardcover

Eliot Porter In the Realm of Nature

Japan’s Modern Divide The Photographs of Hiroshi Hamaya and Kansuke Yamamoto

Some Japanese Flowers Photographs by Kazumasa Ogawa

Paul Martineau With a foreword by Michael Brune ISBN 978-1-60606-119-0, $39.95, Hardcover

Edited by Judith Keller and Amanda Maddox With contributions by Ko¯taro¯ Iizawa, Ryu¯ichi Kaneko, and Jonathan Reynolds

ISBN 978-1-60606-130-5, $14.95, Hardcover

ISBN 978-1-60606-132-9, $49.95, Hardcover

COME VISIT OUR TABLE AT MEMBERS MARKET

Ed Ruscha and Some Los Angeles Apartments

Looking East Rubens’s Encounter with Asia

Virginia Heckert

Edited by Stephanie Schrader

Overdrive L.A. Constructs the Future, 1940–1990

ISBN 978-1-60606-138-1, $24.95, Paperback

With contributions by Burglind Jungmann, Kim Young-Jae, and Christine Göttler

Edited by Wim de Wit and Christopher James Alexander

ISBN 978-1-60606-131-2, $20.00, Paperback

ISBN 978-1-60606-128-2, $59.95, Hardcover

J. PAUL GETTY MUSEUM + GETTY RESEARCH INSTITUTE + GETTY CONSERVATION INSTITUTE + GETTY FOUNDATION GETTY PUBLICATIONS

Distributed to the trade by the University of Chicago Press 800 621-2736 phone 800 621-8476 fax

For a catalog, contact Getty Publications 800 223-3431 phone pubsinfo@getty.edu Find us on Facebook and Twitter Sign up for Art Bound, the e-mail newsletter from Getty Publications. Go to www.getty.edu/artbound

© 2013 J. Paul Getty Trust

CHECK OUT THE

CITY ANGELS OF

What to see: Designed by architect Frank Gehry, Walt Disney Concert Hall, new home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, is designed to be one of the most acoustically sophisticated concert halls in the world, providing both visual and aural intimacy for an unparalleled musical experience. Free selfguided tours are available. Make sure to visit the store, where you’ll find products with an emphasis on music, design and architecture.

LOS ANGELES PUBLIC LIBRARY − THE LIBRARY STORE

630 W 5th St Los Angeles, CA 90071-2002 (213) 228-7550 www.librarystore.org Offering a 20% store discount to MSA attendees.

What to see: Located in the downtown Central Library, this Los Angeles monument was built in 1926, and is the third largest public library in the United States.

You’ll find an eclectic selection of gifts and goods for bibliophiles of all ages at this institution recently named “Best Gift Shop in Los Angeles” by the LA Weekly!

All sales support the Los Angeles Public Library.

Make sure to check out the session at the MSA Conference & Expo featuring The Library Store’s recently launched mobile version of their store: “Store On Wheels: An Introduction to ‘Mobile’ Retail.”

MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART − LOS ANGELES

250 S Grand Ave Los Angeles, CA 90012-3007 (213) 621-1714 www.moca.org Offering a 20% store discount to MSA attendees.

What to see: Founded in 1979, MOCA

Style meets functionality.

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Custom Gifts • Made in USA • Since 1992 Bookmarks • Paperweights • Magnets • Puzzles • Mousepads Luggage Tags • T-Shirts • Mugs • Tote Bags • Rulers Ornaments • Keychains • Postcards • Aprons

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MUSEUM STORE | SPRING 2013

is the only museum in Los Angeles devoted exclusively to contemporary art. It is committed to the collection, presentation, and interpretation of work produced since 1940 in all media, and to preserving that work for future generations.

NORTON SIMON MUSEUM

411 W Colorado Blvd Pasadena, CA 91105-1825 (626) 844-6942 www.nortonsimon.org Offering a 20% store discount to MSA attendees.

What to see: The Norton Simon Museum is known around the world as one of the most remarkable private art collections ever assembled. Over a 30year period, 20th-century industrialist Norton Simon (1907–1993) amassed an astonishing collection of European art from the Renaissance to the 20th century and a stellar collection of South and Southeast Asian art spanning 2,000 years. Modern

and contemporary art from Europe and the United States, acquired by the former Pasadena Art Museum, also occupies an important place in the museum’s collections.

The Norton Simon Museum Store features a large selection of books on American, European and Asian art, photography, gardens and architecture.

The museum’s stunning art collection is represented in a series of collection catalogs, including a three-volume edition on the museum’s Asian art collection and a two-volume set on the museum’s renowned 19th-century collection. Also for sale are an impressive assortment of art-related books and games for children and a variety of stationery, prints and posters that feature works from the museum’s collections. We print almost all of our paper products in Southern California and offer an extensive printon-demand service of archival digital prints representing a broad range of works in the museum.

PASADENA MUSEUM OF HISTORY

470 W Walnut St Pasadena, CA 91103-3562 (626) 577-1660 x14 www.pasadenahistory.org Offering a 20% store discount on regular price merchandise to MSA attendees, as well as free admission to the museum.

What to see: The 1906 Beaux Arts Fenyes Mansion at Pasadena Museum of History reopened for public tours in December 2012 after being closed for more than two years for extensive repairs and renovation. The $1.7 million rejuvenation and closure made it possible to repair and restore select items in the house. The Fenyes Mansion is unique historically, having housed four generations of the Fenyes-Curtin-Paloheimo family, with the original décor of the early 1900s preserved largely unchanged.

Also on view at Pasadena Museum of History will be the exhibition “I Do! I Do! Pasadena Ties the Knot: 1860 to 1950,” showcasing the wedding dress as an icon

of social customs through the decades. “I Do! I Do!” will provide the opportunity to present more than 35 bridal gowns, accompanied by their stories and related ephemera, from the museum’s costume and textile collection.

The Museum Store at Pasadena Museum of History features the work of more than 40 local artists, publications on Pasadena and surrounding areas, official Tournament of Roses® quality merchandise, and specialized artwork, gifts and books relating to the exhibitions and collections of the museum.

SKIRBALL CULTURAL CENTER

2701 N Sepulveda Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90049-6833 (310) 440-4505 www.skirball.org Offering a 20% store discount to MSA attendees.

What to see: Inspired by the ancient flood story, which has parallels in diverse cultures around the world, the Skirball’s

SPRING 2013 | MUSEUM STORE

35

Skirball Cultural Center BUYER’S CHOICE

AWARDS

FINALIST

popular children’s/families’ destination, Noah’s Ark at the Skirball, invites visitors of all generations to have fun—and to connect with one another, learn the value of community and help build a better world. The floor-to-ceiling wooden ark is filled with hundreds of fancifully handcrafted animals—from cuddly companions to life-sized puppets—all crafted from recycled materials and everyday objects, including bottle caps, bicycle parts, baseball mitts, croquet balls, mop heads and rearview mirrors.

OTHER LOCAL MUSEUMS TO CONSIDER The Autry 4700 Western Heritage Way Los Angeles, CA 90027-1462 (323) 667-2000 www.theautry.org Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels 555 W Temple St Los Angeles, CA 90012-2707 www.olacathedral.org Forest Lawn Museum 1712 S Glendale Ave Glendale, CA 91205-3320 (323) 340-4782 www.forestlawn.com Pacific Asia Museum 46 N Los Robles Ave Pasadena, CA 91101-2009 (626) 449-2742 x21 www.pacificasiamuseum.org Rancho Los Cerritos Historic Site 4600 Virginia Rd Long Beach, CA 90807-1916 (562) 570-1755 www.rancholoscerritos.org

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MUSEUM STORE | SPRING 2013

THE LOS ANGELES CONVENTION CENTER AREA MAP

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2013 MSA RETAIL CONFERENCE & EXPO, LOS ANGELES

SCHEDULE-AT-A-GLANCE

(subject to change)

TICKET

Ticketed Event

(pre-registration required)

Financial Management

Communications

Merchandise Planning

Customer Relations

Strategic Management

FRIDAY, APRIL 12 9 a.m.−2:45 p.m.

Off-Site Learning Experience: The J. Paul Getty Museum

9 a.m.−3:45 p.m.

Off-Site Learning Experience: Pasadena Museums

5:30−7 p.m.

Meet & Greet Event: Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown Hotel

TICKET

TICKET

SATURDAY, APRIL 13 7 a.m.−5:30 p.m.

Registration Open

8−9 a.m.

The Secret Psychology of Consumers

8−10 a.m.

Practical Social Media Workshop: From Your Store to Social and Back

9:15−10 a.m.

Gen Y Decoded: Insights and Tactics for Marketers

10:15−11:15 a.m.

Membership Meeting

11:30 a.m.−1 p.m.

Laughs for Greenberg Fundraising Luncheon

1−2 p.m.

Discussion Groups by Museum Type

1−2 p.m.

Vendor/Buyer Exchange

2:15−2:45 p.m.

Spark Session: Top 10 Things You Need to Know About Social Media

2:15−3:15 p.m.

Store on Wheels: An Introduction to “Mobile” Retail

2:15−3:15 p.m.

Inventory Is Your Retail Heart, Is it Healthy?

3:30−4:30 p.m.

ShopTalk Live: 10-Minute Topics

3:30−4:30 p.m.

Create a Customer Service Strategic Plan

3:30−5 p.m.

The 7-Minute Sell

4:45−5:30 p.m.

Beyond Key Chains and Mugs: A Product Development Panel

4:45−5:45 p.m.

The Future of Retail (Surprise, It’s Mobile!): How Nonprofit Retailers Build Fans and Drive Sales in a Mobile First World

5−5:30 p.m.

Spark Session: Top 10 Things You Need to Know About Open-to-Buy

5:30−7:30 p.m.

Members Market

TICKET

SUNDAY, APRIL 14 7:30 a.m.−5 p.m.

Registration Open

8 a.m.−5 p.m.

MSA Expo

1:30−2 p.m.

Expo Learning Theater: Engaging Young Audiences Through Design

2:30−3:30 p.m.

Refreshment Break on the Expo Floor

6−7:30 p.m.

Networking Reception at FIDM Museum & Galleries

TICKET

MONDAY, APRIL 15

38

8−9 a.m.

Partnering With Publishers for Profits

8 a.m.−3 p.m.

Registration Open

9 a.m.−3 p.m.

MSA Expo

10−10:30 a.m.

Expo Learning Theater: Top 10 Things You Need to Know About Your POS

1:30−2 p.m.

Expo Learning Theater: Top 10 Things You Need to Know About International Buying

2:30−3 p.m.

Cash Bar on the Expo Floor

3−6:45 p.m.

Off-Site Learning Experience: TASCHEN Store Beverly Hills

3:15−4:15 p.m.

Closing Keynote Session—The Loyalty Switch: How to Make Anyone Loyal to You and Your Store

4:15−4:45 p.m.

Conference Wrap-up and Refreshments

MUSEUM STORE | SPRING 2013

TICKET

2013 SPONSORS MSA gratefully acknowledges the following sponsors for their support of the 58th MSA Retail Conference & Expo: PREMIER LEVEL

Closing Keynote and Networking Reception at FIDM Museum & Galleries THE CULTURAL TRAVELER

The Relaxation Lounge CHEMART CO. Booth #419

PREFERRED LEVEL

Exhibitor Breakfast Vouchers and Networking Reception at FIDM Museum & Galleries PARTNERSHIP Booth #633

Badge Holders & Lanyards TAM RETAIL (A Div. of Lode Data Systems Inc.) Booth #202

CONTRIBUTING LEVEL

Networking Reception at FIDM Museum & Galleries THE CHARLESTON MINT Booth #407

Expo Passport DESIGN MASTER ASSOCIATES INC. Booth #316

Networking Reception at FIDM Museum & Galleries FOUND IMAGE PRESS Booth #917

Mulitple MSA Greenberg Scholarships THE INTERNATIONAL GIFT EXPOSITION IN THE SMOKIES速

Expo Passport RENAISSANCE ASSOCIATES Booth #438

Expo Passport STEWART/STAND Booth #612

IN-KIND DONATIONS

Pens DAVID HOWELL AND CO. Booth #200

Volunteer Pins HOGEYE INC. Booth #722

Commemorative Mugs DENEEN POTTERY Booth #214

Tote Bags MUSEUM STORE PRODUCTS Booth #440

Greenberg Pins PINPEDDLERS.COM (The Pin Peddlers Inc.) SPRING 2013 | MUSEUM STORE

39

2013 BUYER’S CHOICE AWARD FINALISTS Attendees of the 2013 MSA Expo will be casting their ballots for the Buyer’s Choice contest with awards in six product categories.

BOOKS & MULTIMEDIA

POMEGRANATE #625 “Charley Harper’s What’s in the Woods: A Nature Discovery Book” A rhyming narrative introduces youngsters to a wealth of individual creatures, all of which can be found in Harper’s “Birducopia” fold-out page at the end.

RANDOM HOUSE INC. #534 “Modern Art Desserts: Recipes for Cakes, Cookies, Confections, and Frozen Treats Based on Iconic Works of Art” Make edible masterpieces with pastry chef Caitlin Freeman’s collection of recipes inspired by works by Warhol, Kahlo and Matisse.

WAX WORKS VIDEO WORKS #724 “National Geographic 125 Years” DVD Collection National Geographic commemorates 125 years with this amazing 10-DVD collection showcasing the moments, the people and the discoveries that changed the world.

CUSTOM DESIGN

DENEEN POTTERY #214 Handmade Logo Mug Our handmade mugs are lead free, food safe, and kiln fired to 2150ºF. Each is handthrown on a pottery wheel one-at-a-time!

LIVE YOUR DREAM DESIGNS #10 Custom Greeting Cards These exquisite cards are created from a single sheet of cut and folded paper demanding a highly developed sense of form, space and design.

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART #611 William Morris – Set of 6 Domed Magnets Our beautiful magnets feature details from six Morris & Company designs in the Museum’s collection.

ECO-FRIENDLY

BUDDHA BOARD INC. #226 Buddha Board The Original Buddha Board is a reusable art canvas where watery brush strokes manifest your creativity and then evaporate so you can start anew!

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MUSEUM STORE | SPRING 2013

SMART GLASS #7 Recycled Bottle Glass Necklace Empty beer, wine and soda bottles are cut and fired, transforming them into beautiful works of U.S.A.-made wearable art with a great eco-story.

SOLMATE SOCKS #323 Mismatched Socks Mismatched socks for adults, kids and babies.

Knit in the U.S.A. with recycled cotton yarn, these are a unique gift for everyone on your list.

Get a sneak peek before you get to Los Angeles! The Buyer’s Choice product categories and nominees are: EDUCATION & GAMES

EDC PUBLISHING/USBORNE/KANE MILLER #603 Optical Illusions Tin Amazing optical illusions inside a fun activity tin. Use the wipe-clean pen provided to make your own optical illusions.

PIGMENT & HUE INC. #803 PUZZLE A•ROUND™ Monarch Butterfly 140-piece round puzzle ships flat and assembled. Customers can see the complexity and the full image of the puzzle at all times.

RED FISH TOYS #112 Dinosaur Alphabet Puzzle As all the Red Fish puzzles, Dinosaur Alphabet Puzzle is hand-crafted in Sri Lanka, of solid rubber wood and non-toxic paints.

FASHION

KJK JEWELRY INC. BY KATHERINE J. KORNBLAU #602 Stained Glass Gem This dazzling necklace, inspired by stained glass windows, uses seemingly random shapes to create a stunning unified statement.

NOMONET #111 Forest Fairy – Flower Fairy Earrings Vintage brass filigree has been antiqued, hand-painted and layered to resemble petals and accented with crystals to create unique flower earrings hanging on secure lever-backs.

VERRE BY JULIE BURTON #507 Quarante Triple Necklace Handmade glass and sterling silver, Verre by Julie Burton puts an end to the notion that glass is less. Simple is elegant, less is more.

PAPER PRODUCTS

L.M. KARTENVERTRIEB & VERLAGS GMBH, GERMANY #401 3-D Postcard 3-D artists lenticular postcard with extreme deepness. This 3-D postcard is made with the newest technology and a brand new high-tech foil.

MAGNOTE #531 PIPEROID Build your own robot in 30 minutes with only scissors! PIPEROID paper robot kits are perfect gifts for both adults and kids. 20+ styles available.

PERSEUS BOOKS GROUP #319 Paper Punk Toy Kit An innovative paper-based building toy that provides endless imaginative and creative play for all ages. Create paper toys with just a few simple folds!

SPRING 2013 | MUSEUM STORE

41

FROM TO

FINDING HIGH GROUND

By Catherine Newton n June 13, 2008, disaster struck the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library (NCSML). Near the banks of the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the museum lay in the path of the worst flood in the city’s history. When the river crested that day, eight feet of water surged through the museum, causing more than $11 million in damage to structures, collections and store merchandise.

The same day, museum staff gathered around President/CEO Gail Naughton’s dining room to begin planning for recovery. “We knew from the beginning that as difficult as it would be, we could take this disaster and turn it into opportunity,” she says. “And we did. Four years later, we’re larger, stronger and more well-known than before.”

How the institution rose from ruin—and how its store played an instrumental role in the recovery— make both a fascinating story and an instructive case study for any store manager who has ever worried “what if ” a natural disaster struck their venue.

O

Success dissolves into wreckage CSML was founded in 1974 by descendents of Czech and Slovak immigrants, and by 1995, had grown into a 16,000-sq.-ft. building with a reputation as the leading educational resource in the United States on the history and culture of Czechs and Slovaks. The museum’s 750-sq.-ft. store was equally successful. An extension of the visitor experience, the mission-driven store featured unique books, glassware, jewelry, toys and other merchandise purchased directly from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, or made by artisans of Czech or Slovak descent. In 2008, the store was on track to meet a revenue goal of $172,000 when the flood struck.

“We actually had about three days’ warning to prepare for possible flooding,” Naughton recalls. “We put our disaster plan into action, and before we were ordered to evacuate, we sandbagged, loaded some of the exhibits and store merchandise onto semi-trailer trucks to move to a safe location, and put other items on high shelves and in the attic. We were told to expect only a few inches of flood water at most. Unfortunately, that forecast was woefully inaccurate.”

When staff returned to the site days later, wreckage lay in every direction, including the store, which Naughton estimates lost two-thirds of its merchandise—about $40,000 in total. It wasn’t just the destruction of merchandise, however. The museum had also lost all three sources of revenue: store sales, admissions and facility rental fees.

N

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OPERATIONS

SPRING 2013 | MUSEUM STORE

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FROM

DISASTER TO OPPORTUNITY FINDING HIGH GROUND

Staying in the public eye s the staff and board of directors grappled with how to move forward, Naughton determined to keep the museum in the public eye—and start generating revenues—as quickly as possible. NCSML leased space at a nearby shopping mall and

by October, a small exhibit and a 750-sq.ft. store opened for business.

The store manager, who has since retired, designed the space, scavenged for fixtures and stocked the shelves with merchandise saved from the flood, including several garnet jewelry pieces recovered from the muck.

Priced at a discount, the jewelry quickly sold, helping the store generate a respectable $90,000 in revenues by year end.

“Shoppers didn’t expect to see a museum in a mall, but it kept us visible in the community and brought us into contact

A

In 2008, an epic flood inundated the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library. Mucky waters ravaged the building, recording damages over $11 million, including two-thirds of the museum store’s merchandise, all vendor files, fixtures and displays. Today, the recovered and expanded museum store is filled with Czech and Slovak gifts and treasures like the marvelous array of crystal, jewelry, glass, ornaments, literature and souvenirs.

with folks who might not otherwise know us,” Naughton explains. “In addition, the store’s revenues provided much-needed income to support the museum.”

The mall was only a temporary solution,

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MUSEUM STORE | SPRING 2013

though. In 2010, NCSML moved back to its original neighborhood in Czech Village.

“We bought and renovated the old Kosek Building,” Naughton says. “The store was smaller—only 250-sq.-ft.—but the location was better because Czech Village is a tourist destination of its own.”

Meanwhile, the museum moved forward with a plan to save the flooded building, even though that would mean moving 1,500 tons of brick and mortar 480 feet from its original location to a spot that was three feet higher than the 2008 flood level. “The building with its red roof is an architectural icon in Cedar Rapids,” Naughton says. “We didn’t want to lose it, but the only way we could get insurance on the collections was to move to higher ground.” An addition was also planned to increase the museum from 14,000 sq. ft. to 50,000 sq. ft., and a campaign got underway to raise $25 million. Funding from the state of Iowa, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), private grants, individual donors and even the Czech Republic eventually totaled $27 million. (Insurance proceeds covered only a small portion of the loss; the museum had opted not to carry flood insurance because it sat a foot above the 100-year flood plain and had never been flooded before.)

To re-design the new store, NCSML hired a consultant, Doyle + Associates, to help assess store operations, analyze merchandise, write a business plan and develop the space. The result is a 1,400-sq.-ft. store— nearly double the size of the original shop— with better lighting, modern fixtures and more merchandise. NCSML budgeted $175,000 to open the store, including fixtures, inventory and a new point-of-sales system, and sent the store manager to the Czech Republic and Slovakia to buy directly from artisans. The store now carries at least 10 exclusive lines of Czech and Slovak merchandise that aren’t available anywhere else in the United States.

Added space also called for more staff: a fulltime manager and assistant manager, three contract employees and a cadre of volunteers.

Back better than ever inally, in July 2012, four years after the infamous Flood of 2008, the “new” museum and store opened. “It was a smashing success,” Naughton says. “We were overwhelmed by the interest and support.

F

Of course, it helped that we planned the opening to coincide with a blockbuster exhibit of the works of Alphonse Mucha, considered the father of art nouveau. People came from all over the world.

“We also put a huge marketing effort into the opening, which benefited the store,” Naughton notes. “As any store manager knows, visitor numbers translate into store sales.” Final numbers were not available at this writing, but Naughton estimates 2012 store revenues will exceed $300,000, with a 2013 revenue goal of $360,000. The small exhibit and store in the renovated Kosek Building will remain open, as NCSML explores ways to share the space with the Cedar Rapids Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Reflecting on the experience, Naughton offers a few insights. “After a disaster, take time to step back, assess what you had, and think about where you’d like to head next.

Know that people will want to help you succeed, so take advantage of the opportunity to do new things and come out of the disaster better than you were before.

MSA EXPO BOOTH #426

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FROM

COPING WITH DISASTER: 7 TIPS The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library contracted with Doyle + Associates, a retail consulting firm in Philadelphia, to help re-design its store following the Flood of 2008. Joan Doyle, principal, recently shared a few tips: 1. Review your museum’s insurance policies from a retailer’s point of view. Advocate coverage for inventory at full cost value, as well as coverage for fixtures and, if economically feasible, for lost revenues following a disaster.

2. Have a disaster plan in place, train staff on what to do, and post the plan in a visible location.

3. If you have warning of an impending disaster, expect a power outage. Back up your POS or computer inventory system on an external drive, move electronic equipment to a dry, safe location, and print out a copy of the store’s current inventory so you’ll have a quick reference for assessing loss and filing insurance claims.

4. Evaluate the store and stockroom for potential hazards. Stabilize shelves, place heavy objects on lower shelves, and remove hanging merchandise.

5. Keep large plastic containers on hand to quickly pack up perishable and breakable items.

6. Think of a disaster as an opportunity to change and improve. Create a business plan for the new store, including an evaluation of market interest, revenue projections and merchandising strategies. The business plan will inform the size and scale of the new store which, in turn, will inform the store’s design. Don’t go larger “just because.”

7. A retail consultant can help guide the process. You can search for retail consultants on MSA’s Museum Store Marketplace. To select a consultant, issue a detailed request for proposal (RFP) so you can better compare expertise, experience and pricing.

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MUSEUM STORE | SPRING 2013

DISASTER TO OPPORTUNITY FINDING HIGH GROUND

“Maintain a presence in the community and put your story in front of people so they can watch your progress and root for your recovery,” she continues. “If possible, open an interim location that includes a store.

In fact, the store should be part of recovery plans from the beginning. In addition, revisit your disaster plan and make it as detailed as possible. For example, our plan specified using semi-trailer trucks to move exhibits and merchandise, but we didn’t consider that the parking lot where we planned to send the trucks would also be under water!”

Naughton concludes, “Go with the flow (no pun intended), keep your goals in front of you, and laugh once in a while.”

Catherine Newton is a freelance writer based in Denver, Colo. She last wrote how museums handle two stores when traveling exhibits sell their own merchandise for the 2012 winter issue of Museum Store magazine.

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Selling by LYYFFLO COM/© FL OCKKPPPHHOOTO. ISSTTOOC

ORR

BY MARGE D. HANSEN

DirectMail Catalog MILWAUKEE ART MUSEUM (MAM) TESTS THE WATERS

COMMUNICATIONS

Have you identified the best way to deliver your message to customers?

Retail sales gurus advise cross-platform marketing—a balance of offline and online sales efforts. Do catalogs fit into the mix? ack in the day there were big, thick “wish books.”

Fashionistas still love their stylish “lookbooks.” But, with the growth of online shopping and escalating printing costs, many question whether directmail catalogs are a good return on investment. In addition to providing visibility, inspiration and convenience, by streamlining the size, identifying more targeted audiences and posting an online version, statistics indicate that catalogs have made a comeback and will remain a viable sales tool.

The Direct Marketing Association in New York publishes an annual report titled “The Power of Direct Marketing.” Directmail catalog sales for 2008 were $137.7 billion. A significant dip downward to $110.5 billion was reported in 2009, a change of -19.8 percent from the previous year. In 2010, sales increased to $114.2 billion (a 3.3 percent change) and climbed to $126.1 billion in 2011. Catalog sales are trending upward.

The Milwaukee Art Museum (MAM) is a self-described midrange museum. “We are definitely not a small museum, but we aren’t quite in the ranks of MoMA, The Met, et al,” says Karen McNeely, director of retail operations for the museum, located on the lakefront in downtown Milwaukee, Wis. “Having a catalog somehow helps validate us a little more and brings us closer to being in the class of the more prestigious institutions.”

McNeely also felt a direct-mail catalog could provide an opportunity to promote MAM, help build the museum membership and expand the museum’s Web business. At the end of 2012, a survey commissioned by the American Catalog Mailers Association confirms McNeely could achieve these goals. The survey indicated that two of three consumers who receive a catalog via the mail will look at it; 92 percent of respondents have made a catalog purchase, and the preferred way to make a purchase is indeed transitioning to online ordering.

Evaluating a catalog initiative took into account that MAM will undergo a major renovation and reinstallation of the permanent collection in the next few years. “While the newer building, which hosts our temporary exhibitions, will remain open, all or part of the permanent collection will be closed for up to a year,” McNeely explains. “Although reduced traffic is part of the plan, as a retailer at heart it pains me to think of a significant decrease in revenue,”

B

she adds, pointing out that making the store less reliant on museum traffic could be a good move at this time.

RUN WITH IT! t was decided the first catalog would launch in anticipation of the 2012 holiday season. Working within a timeframe of just over 60 days from budget approval at the beginning of September to product selection, preparing copy, coordinating images and finalizing layouts, the MAM catalog was in print and at the mail house at the beginning of November. (Plans for future issues include a much earlier start!)

Assuring adequate inventory to cover potential purchases was a big concern. “I honestly didn’t know what to expect,” McNeely says. “What if we sent out all of these catalogs and nobody ordered? I tried to select items that I knew were strong sellers, eye-catching and also included some items that were exclusive to the museum and well-represented in our institution. We selected product that would appeal to a wide demographic, but we thought of our customer as a woman who would likely be looking for unique gifts. The Web manager also had to make sure that all of the items were up on the website, since many of the sales were likely to be online.”

The actual production process was not only a learning experience, but a multi-department team effort. Which in-house people were involved in producing the catalog? According to McNeely, “It’s easier to say who wasn’t.”

Once the order of presentation and how left- and right-hand reading pages would complement each other were determined, that information, as well as copy and high-resolution images, was sent to the museum design department. Some of the photos came from vendors; others were snapped by the staff. (Image quality is very important since it subliminally conveys product value.)

I

FLIP, FIND, BUY cNeely and her team chose wisely. The catalog has a dazzling blue cover and 24, full-color pages. Some of the items included are a glass ornament and a journal highlighting the skyline of Milwaukee, which features the museum building. Pantonecolored cooking items—mixing bowls, measuring cups and a

M

SPRING 2013 | MUSEUM STORE

49

Selling by DirectMail Catalog spiraled worktop saver—are peppered across ss a vibrant two-page spread. A collection of colorful, hand-blown vases command attention. Paging on, ties, scarves and jewelry bring more personal items ms into the picture. Under the heading ng of “Baubles and Bags,” classic ic purses in sassy shades, wallets and d well-priced, sterling jewelry with h interchangeable marbles jump off the page. Slogan-bearing canvas bags combine whimsy and purpose. Four continuous pages of male merchandise acknowledge another segment of the museum’s membership and provide great gift ideas. Pet lovers enjoy the museum’s pop art painting of “Sunny” by Alex Katz, which decorates a t-shirt and mug, as well as inspired a plush toy, and have their own page at the back of the book.

To make it easy for customers to or order, McNeely followed a good catalog stratagem by adding the catalo museum website address and phone museu number to each two-page spread. numb An in inside shopping page highlights ways to make a purchase, shipping information and member reward inform incentives. incent

READY TO GO REA argeted mailing lists were rented from the company used by the museum’s membership u department. A list compiled by Williamsde Sonoma, considered a complementary So business, was used as was the Chicago bbu Art Institute list. Architectural Digest Ar A magazine’s Milwaukee area and northern ma m Illinois Il llin ZIP codes were tapped, too.

The same firm that prints the MAM member news magazine did the catalog.

Combining the two print runs reduced printing costs. Several tweaks were made before the catalog was sent off to the

T

The MAM’s vibrant full-color catalog targets women looking for unique gifts, and includes products for pet lovers based on the museum’s pop art painting of “Sunny” by Alex Katz, as well as unique gifts for men.

TIPS FOR

SUCCESS Now that she can speak from experience, Karen McNeely offers these five tips for organizing a museum store catalog.

1. Be very cognizant of timing.

2. Make sure the catalog drops during a strong selling time, like a holiday.

3. Backtrack

your

production

time, so you know when you need to get started.

4. Make sure that you have good design and a cohesive flow of pages, which can help the catalog look more polished, even if you don’t have money for professional photography.

5. Even younger folks thought that having a toll-free number gave the catalog more credibility.

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MUSEUM STORE | SPRING 2013

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INCREASE SALES Strategicbusinessteam.com proposes the following ways to increase catalog sales.

• Publicize your distinctive personality.

• Point out unusual or unique aspects of a product in the caption.

• If the product is a luxury item, create a buzz to motivate buyers and help them

Selling by DirectMail Catalog printer, who delivered it directly to the mail house. The print run was 35,000, of which 30,000 were mailed. The MAM marketing department selected Issuu, an awardwinning, Web-based publishing platform, to post the digital edition of the catalog.

“I think we were all exhausted but proud,” McNeely smiles. “It was quite exciting that we got our first phone order the first day the catalog could have possibly hit mailboxes. Overall, we’ve had a very positive response to the catalog.

Since the mailing was not directed to our membership base, most of our phone and website orders came from people who had

“It was quite exciting that we got our first phone order the first day the catalog could have possibly hit mailboxes.

Overall, we’ve had a very positive response to the catalog.”

rationalize the purchase price.

• Catalog real estate is precious. Keep it fresh. Take out unprofitable products, even if they’re favorites of yours.

• Give “just introduced” offerings a preferred position on the page. They are only new once.

• Offer customers gift shipping and the option to enclose a gift card.

• Make the catalog compatible, but not monotonous. Use color, imagery and typography to hold the reader’s attention.

• Don’t use the back cover for mailing info only; include a special offer, unique product or seasonal item. (The MAM winter catalog showcased an attention-grabbing knife holder and a museum-exclusive ornament with descriptions and pricing.)

• Suggest the recipient share the catalog with like-minded friends.

• Enclose a copy of the catalog when shipping other orders.

• Mine information. If you receive a change of address notice, immediately mail a catalog to “New Resident” at the customer’s former address.

• Organize a team review after the catalog goes out to catch any errors or note what worked/what didn’t so the next edition will be even better.

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MUSEUM STORE | SPRING 2013

not ordered from us before. There was also a woman who came from Illinois with the catalog in her hand who became a museum member and proceeded to do quite a bit of shopping in our store.”

The MAM spring 2013 catalog will be available in mid-April, in time for Mother’s Day. “Much of this version will be a repeat, and it will be scaled back a bit,” McNeely confirms. “Next fall we will look at changing it up a bit more.”

Marge D. Hansen is a freelance writer based in Broomfield, Colo., who regularly contributes to Museum Store. She recently wrote about the new children’s store at the J. Paul Getty Museum. The “Kids Only” article appeared in the winter 2012 issue.

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STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

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MuseuM store | sPrING 2013

P

>>

icture this. Because your museum will temporarily close for renovations, your store will be closed as well.

Your e-commerce site needs a total overhaul, too. Feeling panicked yet?

That’s what happened in 2011 when the New York City-based Cooper-Hewett, National Design Museum closed to continue renovations begun in 2008 as part of its $64 million RE:DESIGN capital campaign.

Housed in the historic Andrew Carnegie Mansion since 1970, the museum’s galleries will increase in size by 60 percent. Completion is not scheduled until 2014.

A satellite facility in Harlem, the Cooper-Hewett Design Center, opened in May 2012. With a goal of teaching people of all ages about art and design, hopes are high that it will remain open after the Carnegie mansion reopens.

Since renovations are ongoing, shuttering The Shop at Cooper-Hewett wasn’t a total surprise. But closing a store for an extended period of time is something few museum store Home page before managers ever face. Despite the circumstances, the shop staff was ready to tackle the challenges.

“We right away thought of it as an opportunity for us to improve our physical space,” says Robert Nachman, director of retail. “It’s making it into the museum of the 21st century, and we knew we would benefit from that.”

With a current space of around 1,200 square feet, the new shop will increase by about 30 percent. But that’s not the only change.

“It’s being relocated so it’s part of the natural traffic pattern. The old shop site was sort of off the beaten path down a corridor,” notes Nachman. “We’re working on the design right now with the architectural firm hired to redo the entire museum, and that will include the layout of the shop as well.”

MAKING CHANGES INSIDE AND OUT

E

Home page after

>>

ven before the brick and mortar store closed, plans to redesign the shop’s e-commerce site were in the works, says Director of Retail Operations Jocelyn Crapo.

“As we approached the beginning of a major renovation, it was crucial to move forward as quickly as possible to get the new website on its feet. We needed a way to put more products online—quickly and easily.”

Launched in 2006, the shop’s e-commerce site used a custom content management system on the back end that was a close visual representation of the physical shop space. PayPal was the payment processor, and staff maintained inventory levels for both the physical shop and the e-commerce site by running online sales through the point-of-sale (POS) in the shop.

SPRING 2013 | MUSEUM STORE

55

“We were using and constantly maintaining three different content management systems within the retail team and as many accounting platforms within one department,” Crapo explains. “It was very inefficient, not to mention a high risk of human error. If there was a price change on an item, the price had to be changed in four different places.”

As they sorted through data gathered via Google Analytics, they discovered something was lacking.

“We were getting visitors to the site, but in the end only 0.39 percent of the total visitors who came to the online shop actually purchased something,” Crapo points out.

“Also, nearly nine out of every 10 [shoppers] were abandoning the purchase when they left us to checkout through PayPal.”

STREAMLINING AND SIMPLIFYING THE SYSTEM

A

>>

Product detail page before

that could maintain real-time inventory, selling products through the physical shop, through an off-site kiosk or pop-up shop, and on the Web with one central inventory.

“One immediate problem we experienced was maintaining inventory levels, especially when we had a product that was picked up for editorial coverage, and we had a hard time keeping product in the shop while fulfilling the website orders,” she says.

One example of this is a deck of playing cards exclusive to the shop by noted designer Evan Roth. “They were selling nicely,” Nachman says. “Several weeks after they went up, Roth tweeted about it himself. Those cards sold out in 24 hours.”

More seamless payment processing was another goal.

“The old site used PayPal as

ccording to Crapo, the shop needed a much more robust system

Product detail page after >>

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the payment gateway, and we knew many visitors to our site who had placed items in their shopping cart were not completing their purchases.”

The shop’s new POS system was launched in October 2010, which went a long way to solving problems.

“It’s much more complex and better tied to Google Analytics,” says Nachman.

“Now we know where visitors are coming from and how long they spend on the site, all the usual analytics that we didn’t have information on before.”

designing fOr designers

t

he physical redesign of the shop’s e-commerce site was just as critical as the back end systems due to the nature of the museum itself. As one of only two Smithsonian Institution museums in New York City, the Cooper-Hewett, National Design Museum is the only museum in the country devoted exclusively to historic and contemporary design.

“The design obviously was very important and needed to reflect what we stand for,” Nachman points out. “Our physical store has always been looked at as a gem, a special place, and we wanted to recreate that.”

In addition to consulting with a designer and looking at other retail sites, Crapo and Nachman spent time with the shop’s retail team brainstorming how they wanted visitors to experience the site and see the products.

“We wanted it to reflect the experience they had in the shop,” Crapo explains. “It encourages people to browse through a lot of products while they search. We wanted people to see other things as a way to surprise and delight the user when they find something totally cool that they didn’t expect.”

By envisioning the type of person visiting the site, they came up with creative categories to tickle the imagination. Instead of more common headings like books, prints or jewelry, the new site features categories like live, read, work and even splurge.

Crapo says, “A lot of people go to see what we put in that category [splurge]; what might qualify. Providing a challenge was something we really wanted to do. We wanted it to be a really strong, solid design so people recognize it was different than other sites.”

integrating e-COMMerCe With sOCial Media

i

n addition to unveiling a new e-commerce site in May 2012 (beta site), Crapo and Nachman were keen to link it strongly with social media such as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

“One thing we’ve gleaned from Google Analytics is that it takes a lot of work to build a following,” Nachman comments.

“One of the best ways to do that is to get tied into people that already have a strong following. That exponentially increases the amount of hits you get, the amount of retweets promoting your message.”

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Popular Swiss designer Tina Roth Eisenberg (known for her design studio/blog Swiss Miss) has more than 300,000 followers on Twitter. According to Nachman, when she tweeted about an event at the museum, the shop’s site got 10 more times the number of visitors they normally have.

According to Associate Director of Communications and Marketing Laurie Olivieri Bohlk, Pinterest also is critical to marketing the shop because of its visual nature. “Now people can make wish lists and gift registries from the items they see ‘pinned.’ The possibilities are endless.”

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hile the shop’s e-commerce site is still very new, Crapo is excited about what is now possible in terms of merchandising based on the variety of data they can now gather.

“We will be able to use Web analytics to inform merchandising strategies as we re-open a brick and mortar shop down the line. For instance, we can start to drill down into the purchasing habits of our customers, i.e., people who bought ‘x’ also bought ‘y.’”

In terms of who is experiencing the shop’s new site, visitor demographics haven’t changed much yet, but its exposure has definitely broadened. Nachman says, “We’re attracting the same type of people, there are just more of them coming to the site now.”

That may be the case now, but since the museum opened its new satellite center in Harlem and is hosting more temporary exhibits, the customer base visiting the shop (online or the physical store when it reopens) may become more diverse.

“What were once major factors in product selection will likely become less important,” Crapo says. “Our audience won’t necessarily be limited to people who can physically come to the Upper East Side now.”

Traci Rylands lives in Atlanta, Ga., and last wrote an article in the fall 2012 issue of Museum Store magazine titled “Is Pinterest Right for Your Store” that explained how to use the latest social media trend, Pinterest.

These shops pop!

While the shop at Cooper-Hewett undergoes a redesign, pop-up shops are prime opportunities to spread its physical reach in addition to the e-commerce site.

• From Memorial Day to Labor Day 2012, the Cooper-Hewett’s pop-up shop at Governors Island accompanied the museum’s temporary exhibition “Graphic Design—Now In Production.”

• Director of retail robert Nachman says the merchandise mix at the pop-up shops varies depending on location and audience. “At our Governors Island store, we made a point of making the products more kid friendly, smaller and less expensive.”

• In November 2012, the museum collaborated with Distributed Art Publishers/ArtBooKs to create a pop-up shop at the sixday event, Design Miami. Items sold reflected the designers and movements represented, targeted for the more sophisticated audience in attendance.

• regular shop customers were treated to a holiday pop-up shop located in the museum’s two townhouses (where offices are located) during December 13-18, 2012.

•

Nachman says, “the pop-up shops have been great for information gathering and spreading the word about the e-commerce site. since last May [2012], we’ve done three pop-up locations and we plan to have more. the new site is available at those pop-up shops so guests can navigate it and provide feedback.”

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2013 MSA Conference & Expo ...................... 63 American Heritage Chocolate....................... 21 Applewood Books ............................................ 6 Art Plates ....................................................... 59 baabaazuzu .................................................... 58 BeadForLife ................................................... 28 The Boeing Store ........................................... 29 Buddha Board, Inc......................................... 16 Bullpen Book Sales ....................................... 25 ChemArt........................................................... 7 Chihuly Workshop ........................................... 2 Christina’s World ........................................... 62 Ciao Bella Jewelry ........................................... 9 Clear Solutions, Inc. ..................................... 57 David Changar Ceramic Designs .................... 9 Deneen Pottery .............................................. 56 Design Master Associates............................. 64 EDC Publishing/Usborne/Kane Miller .......... 47 Folkmanis ...................................................... 51 Found Image Press ....................................... 34 Fractiles, Inc. ................................................... 8 FullArt Peru ................................................... 46 Galison/Mudpuppy ......................................... 26 General Pencil Company, Inc. ...................... 47 Getty Publications ......................................... 33 Glass Eye Studio ............................................ 50 handArtmx ..................................................... 16 Harmony Designs .......................................... 34 Historical Folk Toys LLC ............................... 28 Indy Plush ...................................................... 25 Janet Egan Designs....................................... 20 Josh Bach Limited......................................... 15 Julie Feldman Designs.................................. 44 LaGrave Designs ........................................... 13 Live Your Dream Designs.............................. 36 A Lost Art ....................................................... 27 Maple Landmark Woodcraft ......................... 36 Museum Store magazine ............................... 57 NoMonet ........................................................ 35 Opto International ........................................... 5 Parli-Cards .................................................... 52 Petal Connection ........................................... 58 Pine Garden Baskets..................................... 15 Random House, Inc. ...................................... 29 Red Fish Toys ................................................ 13 Shelley Herman Designs............................... 45 Silver Creek Industries.................................. 53 Smart Glass Recycled Jewelry ..................... 11 Solmate Socks ............................................... 62 StikWithit Printworks .................................... 59 Sunset Hill Stoneware................................... 36 TAM Retail (A Div. of Lode Data Systems) .... 23 Thames & Hudson ......................................... 17 Tyler Cody Designs ........................................ 62 Upcycle it Now ................................................. 8 U.S. Games Systems, Inc. ............................. 45 Works on Metal.............................................. 26 YouCanLearnKits.com................................... 27 For detailed contact information about any Museum Store advertiser, please visit www.MuseumStoreAssociation.org and log in to the Member Directory.

L.A.

ONLY IN

THE 58TH ANNUAL MSA RETAIL CONFERENCE & EXPO Los Angeles | April 13–15, 2013

The 2013 MSA Conference & Expo will provide a completely new experience for attendees. Come along as we move outside the usual meeting format to learn about the latest trends, immerse ourselves in the culture of Los Angeles and interact on a whole new level. It’s like nothing you’ve experienced before!

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