Pauline’sGifts SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE

America’s oldest seaport is celebrating it’s 400th anniversary in 2023, and one of it’s wellknown and respected gift shops, Pauline’s Gifts, has risen to the occasion. Not only is it the largest retailer of American and decorative flags on the north shore, the gift shop also carries quite the selection of custom merchandise specially made for Gloucester’s big 400th anniversary.

Owner Pauline Bresnahan explains, “I try to have anything that I can have personalized, so a lot of the products this year are with a company that can personalize with Gloucester. Because we are in an anniversary year, it has been huge for me this year.”

Custom-designed hats, T-shirts and sweatshirts with special anniversary designs are selling rapidly. Bresnahan herself, a decorative artist for more than 40 years, has had a hand in some of the designs.

Last year, she started selling Gloucester caps with embroidery bearing the seaside city’s 1623 founding date inside a fish, and this year, she added embroidery on the back of the hat says, “400 Years Feeding America.”

She also started putting the tag line on T-shirts, “so that is where my focus was this year was with my own designs,” she says. “That is my trend this year, and it is a big one.”

She kids that her daughter is a graphic designer “so I get inhouse work done pretty reasonably.”

A Busy Start And Heart

Bresnahan says the start of summer has been a busy one with not only customers but community activities. She proudly displays the Starfish Award she received from Seaside Retailer magazine in 2022 on a shelf so “right as people walk in the door, they see it.” The award recognized the store’s charitable efforts, for holding collection drives for U.S. service women through Operation Troop Support.

Since then, she was asked to be in a commercial for a local bank and asked to do a live broadcast for the city of Gloucester’s Fourth of July Parade. People all over the world with connections to Gloucester will be able to view it, and it will be broadcast in local nursing homes for people who aren’t able to make it to the parade.

Coastal Connection

For the past 10 years, Bresnahan has also spearheaded a flag donation program. “We collect donations for the 175 flags that are displayed on the Boulevard in Gloucester, which is where the Fisherman’s Memorial Monument is located.”

The flags fly from Memorial Day to Sept. 11. About seven years ago, someone asked Bresnahan if she could put names on the flags, so she contacted a local veterans’ agency and was told that the names could be added between the grommets.

“We started doing it and people just love it,” says Bresnahan. “It’s really not a memorial, it is a celebration of the people that love that display.”

Some people do it in memory of people and others do it as a Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gift.

Trying New Things

Beyond Bresnahan’s local and national pride as evidenced through the products and services the store provides, the gift shop also sells a variety of other merchandise, with ornaments and jewelry being extremely popular.

“I’m always willing to try new things,” she says. That was the case in January when she attended The Boardwalk buy- ing event during the Coastal Connections Conference.

“I don’t do a lot of big shows anymore. It’s just overwhelming, and for me The Boardwalk was the perfect size,” she says. “It was just wonderful.”

Some of the lines she brought in from The Boardwalk included apparel from Bali Queen, an entire jewelry display from Dune Jewelry & Co., and True Ocean health and beauty products.

“They were three lines I hadn’t had before and I brought them in,” she says. They were products I probably wouldn’t have ever seen had I not gone to The Boardwalk.”

Not long after the putting out her new-found product lines, she says, “I sold a lot of all their products in just one day, and I am just a small 1,000-squarefoot-store, so I thought that was pretty interesting.”

Pauline also gets to nearby shows, New England Made and Cape Cod and the Islands Gift Show. When she is able to get away, she also attends Las Vegas Market. Her 1,000-square-foot shop also holds displays of greeting cards created by local artists, jewelry, nautical gifts and driftwood art.

Bresnahan says that none of the store’s success would be possible without the local community. “I’ve been blessed to be in a great community that really supports their local stores,” she says.

Positive Momentum

Next year the store celebrates its 25th anniversary. Bresnahan made a significant investment in the building and parking improvements at the store.

“I’ve noticed a huge increase in people stopping at the same time,” Bresna- han says. “I was able to do it and finally bit the bullet and made the investment, and I can’t believe how much it has changed.”

Bresnahan is gearing up for her store’s next Woman to Woman donation drive to benefit Operation Troop Support in September, and she was touched to have recently received a thank you note from one of the women serving overseas. “Those are always the best gifts,” she says.

She’ll also be returning to the Coastal Connections Conference in Orlando Oct. 22-24 participating as a panelist on an interactive question and answer session titled, “Creating Coastal Connections” session.

This informative session is an interactive group discussion where the audience can learn about and discuss ideas, best practices, challenges and opportunities in coastal retail with the panelists.

OCT. 22-24

AUGUST

Aug. 1-4

Atlanta Apparel Atlanta www.atlanta-apparel.com

Aug. 5-7

Biloxi Mississippi Wholesale Gift Show Biloxi, Mississippi www.wmigiftshows.com

Aug. 5-8

IFJAG

Las Vegas www.ifjag.com

Aug. 6-8

Miami International Mart Show Miami Gardens, Florida www.martofmiami.com

Aug. 6-9

Las Vegas Apparel Las Vegas www.lasvegas-apparel.com

Aug. 11-13

GTS Greensboro Expo

Greensboro, North Carolina www.gtshows.com

Aug. 13-15

Shoppe Object New York, New York www.shoppeobject.com

Aug. 15-16

Super Zoo Las Vegas www.superxoo.org

Aug. 20-23

ASD Market Week Las Vegas www.asdonline.com

Aug. 22-25

Dallas Apparel & Accessories Dallas www.dallasmarketcenter.com

Aug. 27-29

Trendz West Palm Beach, Florida www.trendzshow.com

September

Sept. 7-9

Surf Expo Orlando www.surfexpo.com

Sept. 8-10

Norton’s Gatlinburg Apparel, Jewelry & Gift Show Gatlinburg, Tennessee www.nortonshows.com

Sept. 8-10

Carolina Children’s Market Fort Mill, South Carolina www.charlottechildrens market.net

Sept. 10-11

Michigan Women’s Wear Market

Livonia, Michigan www.silverliningshows.com

Sept. 12-13

New England Made Boxboro, Massachusetts www.nemadeshow.com

Sept. 12-13

Mid-Atlantic Merchandise Mart

Philadelphia www.midatlanticmart.com

Sept. 13-14

Northern Michigan Show Gaylord, Michigan www.silverliningshows.com

Sept. 19-21

Dallas Total Home & Gift Market

Dallas www.dallasmarketcenter.com

Sept. 20-21

Midwest Market Days Chicago River Grove, Illinois www.midwestmarketdays.com

Sept. 20-21

TMC – The Merchandise Centre Chicago/Shiller Park, Illinois www.tmcexpo.com

Sept. 20-22

Trendz West Palmetto, Florida www.trendzshow.com

OCTOBER

Oct. 4-7

Las Vegas Souvenir Show Las Vegas www.lvsouvenirshow.com

Oct. 10-14

October Atlanta Apparel Atlanta www.atlanta-apparel.com

Oct. 13-15

Crescent City Apparel & Jewelry Show Slidell, Louisiana www.gtshows.com

Oct. 14-18

High Point Market High Point, North Carolina www.highpointmarket.org

Oct. 22-24

Coastal Connections Conference Orlando www.coastalconnections conference.com

Oct. 29-31

Ocean City Resort Gift Expo Ocean City, Maryland www.oceancitygiftshow.com

Shoreline at Surf Expo to debut at September event

Surf Expo, the premier watersports and coastal lifestyle trade show, enhances the buying experience for both watersports and outfitter retailers with the debut of its new Shoreline offering during the Sept. 7-9 edition.

Shoreline at Surf Expo will feature products dedicated to technical apparel, equipment and gear any enthusiast needs to transition from a day on the water to stretching out on land, according to show organizer Emerald.

“From the trails to the lakes and beyond, Shoreline at Surf Expo supports the natural evolution of the waterman’s lifestyle with gear, apparel and accessories that will take consumers from coastal shoreline activities into camping, hiking, climbing and other recreational activities found along rivers and lakes,” says Roy Turner, Emerald senior vice president and Surf Expo Show director.

Shoreline is positioned to become the hub for industry-leading retailers and brands focusing on fishing, boating, wakeboarding, technical apparel, outerwear, camping, watersports hardgoods as well as essential gear and accessories. The newest floor category complements Surf Expo’s extensive product offerings — Surf, Skate, Paddle and Bluewater — by targeting the business associated with outdoor amenities and recreation found in lake towns across the country.

Eric Marvin, founder of Elakai Outdoor, is exhibiting outdoor games within the new Shoreline category. Some games include cornhole, bocce ball, croquet and more. While this is Marvin’s first year participating at Surf Expo, he says the new category aligns with his business “Our products can be used on the beach, by the lake or near the ocean. Exhibiting at Surf Expo is a natural fit for who we are as a business and what the Shoreline category is all about,” Marvin says.

Shoreline will also create a seamless connection with Surf Expo’s Bluewater category, which showcases notable inshore and offshore apparel and accessory products ranging from lifestyle and technical apparel to footwear, outerwear, sportswear, T-shirts, sunglasses and much more.

“Blending the inshore and offshore worlds under Surf Expo’s one roof exposes buyers and sellers to this growing crossover market within the coastal lifestyle industry,” Turner adds.

Shoreline & Bluewater exhibiting brands include: Ronix Wake/ Radar Skis, Columbia OCS, MANG, Bimini Bay Outfitters, Burnside Sierra Pacific Apparel, Elakai, Fahlo, Kracken Adventure Bikes, Intracoastal Waterway, Kanga Coolers and others.

Atlanta Apparel enhances at-market experience

Atlanta Apparel’s “JuneFest” kept the energy high, June 6-9 at AmericasMart Atlanta, throughout four market days featuring enhanced at-market, festival-themed amenities and events alongside sourcing from 750-plus showrooms and temporary exhibits.

“Atlanta Apparel continues to raise the bar through its unmatched at-market experiences, Southern hospitality and notable line listings,” said Caron Stover, ANDMORE’s senior vice president, apparel. “There were many reports of strong order writing, especially across the game day category, and all market events were well-attended and extremely popular.

This June, Atlanta Apparel showcased its 350-plus permanent showrooms and 400-plus temporary exhibits, with an emphasis on southeastern categories, such as game day, as well as apparel, accessories and young contemporary.

Atlanta Apparel also continued to augment its at-market sourcing experience for buyers, with hallmark hospitality and a full schedule of “JuneFest” events, education and amenities.

“This was a fantastic show for us; Town Pride is only two years old as a company and we opened many new accounts,” said exhibitor Tamara Moran, owner of Town Pride. “Buyers were coming to see our game day collection and ended up placing orders for our general town collections as well. The southeastern region responded so well to our line. Atlanta Apparel works very hard to generate some great energy, and the coffee, drinks and food all make a noticeable difference. This market was just an overall really fun experience.”

Exhibitor Lorelei Miller, sales manager and account executive of TCEC, added, “Our booth has been busy since we opened with buyers sourcing game day and outerwear. Atlanta is where we gauge reaction and figure out the next direction of our lines, and we are looking forward to continuing to connect with all the new accounts we brought in this market.”

Returning buyer Lori Taylor, owner of The Ivy on Pine in Fitzgerald, Georgia added, “I have been sourcing at Atlanta Apparel for three years and we come to all five markets per-year. We find everything we need in Atlanta, from apparel to accessories, and we even discover new lines every market.”

The next Atlanta Apparel market runs Aug. 1-Aug. 5, with temporary exhibits running Aug. 1–3, and showrooms open by appointment on Saturday, Aug. 5. More information is at www.atlanta-apparel.com.

Las Vegas Market expands decor at summer show

Home decor resources continue to expand this summer at Las Vegas Market with four updates bringing a range of fresh accents and accessories to the 150-plus resources throughout Buildings B and C at Las Vegas Market, July 30-Aug. 3, 2023, at World Market Center Las Vegas.

“On the heels of a very successful Spring High Point Market, leading brands are looking to Las Vegas Market to tap into a West Coast clientele,” said Dorothy Belshaw, ANDMORE executive vice president and chief growth officer. “Summer 2023 updates, which total more than 42,000 square feet of new and expanded permanent showrooms, reflect the depth and breadth of decor resources available to retailers and designers at Las Vegas Market this summer.”

Building C welcomes two new showrooms: Balta Rugs (area, outdoor and kids’ rugs) in 4,500-plus square feet; and FGA (preserved trees and floral arrangements) in a new 900-plus-square-foot showroom.

Three expansions — CHANDRA (handcrafted rugs); D.V. KAP Home (decorative pillows and textiles); and Uttermost (decorative mirrors, art, lamps, accessories, botanicals, lighting, rugs and accent furniture) — allow for line extensions within existing showrooms in Buildings B and C.

Las Vegas Market charter exhibitor Uttermost’s expansion is 11 years after the brand’s debut in Las Vegas. President Mac Cooper, says, “Our REVELATION brand has averaged 40% growth since its debut in 2015, yet our presentation space in Las Vegas hasn’t expanded in several years. By moving our cafe and Salt & Light presentation to the new space, REVELATION can show more of our great new additions.”

“We have been looking to expand for a few years now and have been waiting for the right space to suit our locational and product needs,” said Peter Sivas, director of marketing for D.V. KAP Home, which has a line with over 4,000 SKUs. “This new location allows us to tap into a new type of customer who might not have had the opportunity to experience our product.”

Complementing the permanent showrooms are 30-plus decor brands located in temporary exhibits in the Expo at World Market Center Las Vegas.

Home decor is offered on 15 floors in Buildings A, B and C plus the Gift and Home Temporaries in the Expo. A full list of exhibitors is at LasVegasMarket.com/exhibitor/ exhibitor-directory.

IMC Unveils new vision and brand identity: ANDMORE

International Market Centers (IMC) has announced that the company is unifying its physical marketplace business with the Juniper digital offerings and rebranding as ANDMORE, a premier omnichannel wholesale marketmaker.

This business transformation follows a year-long initiative to redefine the company’s vision, align all channels under a single brand experience, and offer more ways to seamlessly connect wholesale buyers and sellers through physical and digital platforms.

“Today marks an important milestone as we embark on a new era for our company,” said Bob Maricich, ANDMORE CEO, during the June 13 announcement. “ANDMORE captures our spirit of innovation and focus on doing MORE to support our customers by enhancing and extending the value of our physical markets for both buyers and sellers across the furniture, home decor, gift and apparel industries.”

ANDMORE’s modern visual identity captures the creative and vibrant nature of the industries ANDMORE serves. In addition to the new name and branding, ANDMORE will introduce a host of innovative features and enhancements to its upcoming markets and digital offerings.

The first product introduction under the ANDMORE name is a new buyer mobile app, which launches in preparation for the summer markets in Atlanta and Las Vegas. The @Market app includes pre-market planning tools, a personal QR code for quick badge pick-up, the ability to capture and organize images with notes, turn-by-turn directions to help buyers make the most of their time at market and a comprehensive, post-market recap for easy follow-up and ordering.

“ANDMORE is more than a name or a brand. It is both a promise and a challenge that gives us the space and flexibility to continue to find new ways to provide exceptional value to our partners and customers,” said Maricich.

GTS launches show in New Orleans

The Golden Triangle Show has announced it is launching a new show in the vibrant suburb of New Orleans, at the Harbor Convention Center in Slidell, Louisiana.

The Crescent City Apparel & Jewelry show will be held Oct. 13-15.

GTS launched the show in response to another long-running show organizer in the area, Helen Brett Enterprises, closing, according to Bobby Siddiqui, show director.

“They did shows in New Orleans for 65 years,” says Siddiqui. “So many of my exhibitors urged me to look into keeping a strong wholesale show there, since they had many existing customers.”

The event offers a Cash & Carry option for many of its product categories. To register and for more information, visit www.gtshows.com.

Pure Sea Glass: Discovering Nature’s Vanishing Gems

This definitive reference for beachcombers is also a beautiful addition to any coffee table. The book surveys the history of glass manufacturing, explains the weathering process and offers tips on how and where to find the best pieces. More than 200 exquisite photographs bring to light seaglass’ luminous beauty.

Author: Richard LaMotte

Website: www.schifferbooks.com

Margaritaville: The Cookbook: Relaxed Recipes For a Taste of Paradise

Warm sun, cool drink, and nowhere to be — that’s Margaritaville! It’s a celebration of relaxation, and Margaritaville: The Cookbook is filled with recipes that combine the flavor of island living and the spirit of Jimmy Buffett’s iconic song. The first official cookbook from the world of Margaritaville features favorites like Volcano Nachos and the Cheeseburger in Paradise, alongside more sophisticated options. With its mix of recipes, stories and photographs, it is sure to put you in a Margaritaville state of mind! The book is also loaded with recipes for a blissful island cocktail hour. Authors: Carlo Sernaglia and Julia Turshen; Website: us.macmillan.com/stmartinspress

Haven Point

An instant national bestseller about the generations of a family that spends summers in a seaside enclave on Maine’s rocky coastline, this work of fiction explores what it means to belong to a place, and to a family, which holds as tightly to its traditions as it does its secrets over seven decades of a changing America, through wars and storms, betrayals and reconciliations.

Author: Virginia Hume

Website: us.macmillan.com/stmartinspress

You Are Here: Beaches: The Most Scenic Spots on Earth

This beautifully curated collection of amazing beaches all around the world evokes awe-inspiring, attainable travel adventures. Whether you’re planning a getaway or just want to visit some of the world’s most beautiful outdoor destinations from the comfort of your couch, You Are Here: Beaches is the perfect wanderlust inspiration.

Publisher: Geoff Blackwell

Website: www.chroniclebooks.com

for the little Minnows

Flock of Gerrys- Gerry Loves Tacos

Gerry the Seagull & his musical animal friends (Tuskadero Slim, Crabirita, DJ LlamaRama, Mr Big on Bass and Salty Raven) try new foods, form a band, make a new friend & sing “The Taco Song” to help Octo and his Octo’s Taco truck.

Author: Season Kaz Sparks

Website: www.saltyraven.net

Twinkle Twinkle Little Mermaid

Based on a nursery rhyme, Twinkle Twinkle

Little Mermaid features a mermaid and adorable sea creatures. For ages 0-5.

Author: Janet Beaulieu

Website: www.littlemermaid tales.com