Merchandise at

Pharmacies, Variety, and Discount Stores

By Genie Davis

At pharmacies, variety, and discount stores nationwide, best-selling merchandise is a rich potpourri of customer favorites. For this article, five store owners and staff members described their top sellers, as well as the customer base they work hard to reach.

In Seattle, Wash., at Osara Commissary, Owner David Allison presides over a Japanese variety store that features food and snacks, housewares, stationery, handbags, kimonos, and plenty of Studio Ghibli ware. But right now, his best-seller is a product that’s locally made: by his wife. It doesn’t get more local than that. “My wife’s original hats and beanies are doing the best for us by far. She does Japanese hats with cats and Japanese writing on them. Chopsticks and sake sets are also good sellers, as is our Japanese pottery,” he reported. The reason? “Each of these items are unique. We try not to offer the same items you see everywhere, and they are practical at the same time, too. Artistic but practical is what we sell.”

With that in mind, while his 500-square-foot location in Pike Place Market traditionally drew a strong tourist base, there has been a shift in customers. “Since COVID-19, our customer base has mostly been local, and of all ages. We are popular with young people on up. We’ve built a loyal clientele since we opened, and they are the ones that have kept us going for the last months. They bring in their friends as well.” He noted, “People from Seattle used to hesitate to come to Pikes Place Market because of the crowds, but now they are rediscovering it.”

At the Big Box Outlet in Monroe, Wash., Manager Colin Carlson described the store’s best-sellers as “furniture and clothing. We carry pretty high quality for our prices, and we have a good mix of things, mostly

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Making the Customer Count (From page 61)

items that were overstock. People can check out items on the floor, and if they like what they see, they go with it.” Having the ability to view the products first hand elevates sales, he said. Another important element is customer service, he attested. “We have a good routine, too, helping people, and that along with our pricing and our location, the whole kit and caboodle really, attracts buyers and makes us worth the trip for people.”

Carlson said the store has a wide diversity of shoppers from throughout the state. “We do get a lot of local shoppers, but people will come from all over, Spokane, Yakima, you name it. We cater to everyone by having such a great variety of things to buy. We have a little grocery, furniture, big box store items, which means really everything,” he said, adding, “We

Tips from the Experts

Display Advice from Owners, a Supervisor, and a Manager

Asked for tips on gift display, store officials at pharmacies, variety stores, and a discount store provided answers that suit their locations.

In Seattle, Wash. at Osara Commissary, Owner David Allison presides over a relatively small space that he keeps “well organized. We keep our like-items together, all chopsticks next to all sake sets in a section, that type of thing.”

Things are only slightly different at the large Big Box Outlet in Monroe, Wash., according to Manager Colin Carlson. “We do holiday groupings, putting special items in the front of the store by the windows so people can get a taste of a seasonal or popular trend. In general, the store is organized by section, whether it is apparel or grocery or furniture.”

In Eugene, Ore., Natalie Ferguson, supervisor at Hirons Drug, said, “Seasonal display is big for us, and we also do themes of items, like unicorn items, or mermaids, or camping. We do more basic items organized in a rainbow of colors.”

On Whidbey Island, The Star Store in Langley, Wash., also uses themed vignettes, Owner and Buyer Tamar Felton reported. “Everything in my store has a story, and I also work with color coordination, such as coordinated apparel colors next to linens next to cookbooks next to dinner ware. I have done this for 36 years, and it seems to be working. If something is working, do it.”

In Los Osos, Calif., at Tewell Los Osos Rexall, Owner Jason Tewell said he’s not sure what display technique works best.

“The jury is still out, we have tried thematic, we’ve tried cross merchandising and like-items together. It’s easier for me to keep track of things when the same items are together, cross merchandising is harder. But it’s difficult to tell in terms of numbers of sales which type of display works best for us.” have an enormous selection and great prices. We have a very cool eclectic mix of things, such a unique variety that you wouldn’t think you’d find here, and that sort of treasure hunt mentality attracts everyone.”

In Eugene, Ore., Natalie Ferguson , supervisor at Hirons Drug, related that the store’s best-sellers include “Boma earrings and rings, Woodwick candles, and funny gag items like unicorn-themed items, Sasquatch items, little sound machines, mystery boxes, and hats for cats. Those items are more of a spontaneous buy.” She said the items all sell well in part because of their placement in the store. “The gag gifts are in our middle aisle which leads up to the register. The other items are kept near the front of the store.” The Boma earrings and rings are also popular because they are made with precious metals, which the company promotes as being easy and non-allergenic on the skin.

Ferguson said customers are a good mix of all ages at the store. “There are many young shoppers because of the students in the area, and we have older clientele as well because of the phar-

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Making the Customer Count (From page 63) macy in our store. So, to suit them all we have a wide variety of merchandise. We’re known as a kind of ‘everything’ store that includes a little bit of something for everyone.”

On Whidbey Island, The Star Stores in Langley, Wash., carries a large array of goods with some fun best-sellers, according to Owner and Buyer Tamar Felton

“Right now, candles are doing great, especially funny and happy candles. There’s the snarky, uplifting and fun Malicious Women line, and we actually have a line that is called Happy Candles. They’re well-priced and have clean, fresh scents that’s especially appealing to enhance the home when you’re staying home a lot, which of course people are doing right now.” Felton said, “Glassware and barware, anything you can mix a cocktail in, shakers, glasses, things like that, are also doing great. People are buying a lot of cards, because they can’t visually be with someone, so they send cards instead. Puzzles and games are also big sellers.” She includes gloves, hats, and scarves as also doing well, as people turn to walks outdoors and similar activities. But, she suggested that judging from her top sellers, “I think people are sitting around by candlelight writing cards to their friends or working puzzles, and drinking a homemade cocktail in a nice glass.”

Felton’s customers are a mix of locals and travelers, both young and old. “We have things to appeal to everyone. We have a baby department, men’s, women’s,