Games, Playthings, and Plush

Great Additions (From page 89)

Finding New Merchandise

When looking to add new items to her inventory, Nickelson analyzes current sales to better understand market trends. “We explore whether we should expand an assortment or top sellers, research if there are similar or complementary series that could be as successful, and look to see if there are newer additions to best-selling categories,” she said.

As she researches market trends, Nickelson speaks with vendors and reads reports, retail merchandise magazines, and websites. Per-

Continued on page 92

Popular Plush at Water and Theme Park Shops

Plush come in many shapes and sizes these days, so which ones are top dog at water and theme park gift shops?

Nickelodeon Universe at Mall of America has a custom designed line of plush, which is its bestseller. Within that line, the overall best-selling plush is a custom 18-inch Appa from the film and television series “Avatar the Last Airbender.”

“It consistently remains our best overall selling plush because it is soft, cuddly, high-quality construction, and he is just so dang cute,” said Mary Nickelson, retail and purchasing manager.

Another top seller for Nickelson are 6-foot-long plush snakes that come in a variety of colors and designs. Some even feature special materials, such as sequins, that appeal to boys and girls of all ages.

Levi Tobias, merchandise manager at Worlds of Fun & Oceans of Fun in Kansas City, Mo., said its logo tie-dye teddy bear is most popular. “Tie-dye may have been created decades ago, but it is definitely still a favorite for guests of all ages,” he said. “It is bold, fun, and nostalgic.”

Monty the Moose is the most popular plush at Wilderness Hotel and Golf Resort in Wisconsin Dells, Wis., said Callie McFaul, corporate buyer. The toy wears a Wilderness Resort T-shirt.

For Susan Vaslev, co-man- ager and buyer at the Enchanted Forest Theme Park in Turner, Ore., plush bags containing a plush animal with “Enchanted Forest” embroidered on the side are all the rage. “This satisfies the parent’s desire to buy their child a memento of their visit and the child’s desire to have something cute and cuddly,” she said. The park has three shops, ranging from 285 to 945 square feet. ❖