Where Souvenir Sales Are Second Nature Trends

in Mementos at Caves and Caverns

Cave and cavern stores are often purveyors of unique souvenirs and a mix of conventionally popular items. Nationwide, spelunkers don’t need their carabiners to explore a diverse group of treasures.

At Crystal Cave-Heineman’s Winery, located on the island of Put-in-Bay, Ohio, Vice President and General Manager Dustin Heineman described his best-selling souvenirs as “Everything from wine glasses to sweatshirts to jewelry. The range of items that and seniors. The kids and the seniors will often come in bus groups and tours, so we try to carry items for everyone. The kids all love the rocks, as well as toys such as the little Hatch ‘Em dinosaur eggs we carry. Adults are into the T-shirts and sweatshirts, the shot glasses, wine glasses, and jewelry.” According to Heineman, the site’s 375-square-foot gift shop is “not big enough. We have a high volume of traffic, but limited space, because in the same area we have the shop, the wine bar, and the cave waiting room. We also have a wine garden in the back where guests can come and sip and enjoy our wine.”

“T-shirts especially do well. We are also the Put-in-Bay rock shop, so we offer little boxes filled with interesting rocks like malachite, as well as seashells, or shark teeth. The boxes have our Crystal Cave logo on them. The seashells and the rocks both reflect the fact that we are on an island.”

- Dustin Heineman, Crystal Cave-Heineman’s Winery, Put-in-Bay, Ohio do well for us is in part because both our winery and winery tours, as well as our cave tours, all sell gifts and souvenirs from the same shop.” Heineman’s bestselling name-dropped souvenirs are clothes items of all kinds. “T-shirts especially do well. We are also the Putin-Bay rock shop, so we offer little boxes filled with interesting rocks like malachite, as well as seashells, or shark teeth. The boxes have our Crystal Cave logo on them. The seashells and the rocks both reflect the fact that we are on an island.”

The shop finds its souvenirs from a variety of sources. “Most of the time,” Heineman explained, “I just go online. But for the rocks we carry, I go to Tucson in February for the big rock shows, when they are selling rocks from around the world at a wide variety of vendors.”

Buyers at the cave store come from all different age ranges, he attested. “We get school groups, families

In Horse Cave, Ky., at the Hidden River Cave and American Cave Museum, Tour Guide Joshua Matteson described the gift shop as containing everything from Kentucky-related souvenirs to rocks and minerals of all kinds, along with T-shirts, décor items, and books. Best-sellers? “All our amethyst trees, by far. They aren’t local to the region, but they are so pretty and unique. Overall, anything mineral and jewelry oriented does the best for the store,” he said. When it comes to name-dropped or logo bearing items, the store sells T-shirts, mugs, and water bottles, which he noted do “moderately well”

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NOVEMBER 10-13, 2021 for the store. New souvenirs are stocked from online ordering sources, and like Heineman, guests who are souvenir purchasers cover a wide range of ages. “Kids find what they like, and their parents do, too,” he said. And everyone likes the rocks and minerals that the store offers. cation. Name-dropped shot glasses also do well.” At the moment, tops among apparel items are sweatshirts, she noted. “It’s because we have been having very cool weather here.”

At Natural Stone Bridge Caves and Park in Pottersville, N.Y., Shift Supervisor Jill Mead agreed that rocks and minerals sell best. “Because we are a cave attraction, we do a lot of geode popping and cutting.

Mead said that the shop primarily stocks souvenirs through trade show attendance. “Our owners, a husband-and-wife team, Greg and Dee Beckler, go to trade show events in Tennessee and they go to Tucson, to the big rock show. We also shop at Wilcor International, a company that carries a lot of wholesale items in the area, from kids’ items to a lot of our name-drop items as well.”

“We do the best with gem necklaces and marble turtles. The turtles are both unique, and proceeds from their sales go to support turtle rehabilitation. I think people like to support that, and there is a nice little mission behind the sculptures, which are very well-made.”

That is a big seller in our rock shop. In gift items, we try to find different souvenirs that stand out from the ordinary. We do some local handmade items on commission, like earrings and necklaces, sterling silver with garnet in them from local craftsperson Judy Brown do very well for us. And we also do quite well with a few simple novelty magnets and paintings on fungi.” She added, “Additionally, we sell stone bookends made of cut geodes that are vividly dyed to create brighter colors. We have balsam bags, kids’ toys and lanterns, and we have another local craftsperson who creates beautiful ceramic ornaments that we sell.” The store also offers apparel items that do well. “Other items that sell well for us include plant-pot hangers, carved stone animals, and wind chimes. We have gem mining that does well, and little gem-mining bags.” Perhaps one of the most unique top sellers for the gift shop, Mead reported, are “Agate stone chess sets. They come in different sizes and [colors.] They are a very big seller for us.” In short, the unexpected and unusual items the store carries all do well because they are not something shoppers can find just anywhere. But while unique and locally made items are strong sellers for the store, so too are T-shirts, hats, mugs, insulated mugs, and cups which are name-dropped, or feature a logo with a carabiner on them. “We have our name or logo on all our T-shirts, as well as those with Adirondack Mountain Park on them, which is our lo-

As to what visitor age group is a main gift shop purchaser, Mead said it’s across the board. “Adults go through the rock shop all the time and we make a lot of sales there, the kids are more interested in smaller souvenirs. So, I suppose if I can pick just one category it would be the adults.”

Chase Lasley , gift shop manager at Diamond Caverns in Park City, Ky., related that his store’s best-sellers are also in the gems and minerals category. “We do the best with gem necklaces and marble turtles. The turtles are both unique, and proceeds from their sales go to support turtle rehabilitation. I think people like to support that, and there is a nice little mission behind the sculptures, which are very well-made.” In the name-dropped and logo category of souvenirs, Lasley said that stickers and magnets do best. “They are inexpensive items, and we have multiple kinds of these. Sweatshirts and hoodies do well in name-dropped apparel,” and everyone likes wearable souvenirs. The store finds the souvenirs it stocks at a number of different trade shows and rocks shows throughout the country, Lasley stated. He reported that adults are hands-down the main buyers for the gift shop items. “We are right off the Interstate, which draws adult travelers and families, but as far as large groups of children, school groups and such, they are siphoned off by Mammoth Lakes National Park. Groups go more for that location.” With that in mind, he pointed out that “We select souvenir items that fit that crowd, so we don’t have too many toys or anything like that. We are more of a rock souvenir shop than anything else.”

Overall, it may take a deep dive to discover interesting rocks and minerals in the caves and caverns themselves, but visitors to attractions’ gift stores can find them ready to buy. ❖