Souvenirs, Gifts & Novelties - January 2021

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38 Art Museum Shops Tout Stationery and Handcrafted Items

Stationery and handcrafted items remain staples at many art museum shops.

40 Bonus Sidebar: Crafts From Around the World

44 Country Charm with All the Fixins - Country Giftware and Edible Gifts at Country Stores

For this article, SGN’s Contributor spoke with five store owners about the edible gifts and giftware picture.

50 Selling a Wave of Gift Choices – Beach and Resort Personal Care, Candles, and Coastal Gifts

A look at great-selling gifts, personal care and pampering products that are selling well at resort-area shops

52 Bonus Sidebar: Arranging for Great Sales - Top Display Tips for Gifts

55 Presents to Celebrate Parents – Drug Store and Gift Store Quality Gifts for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day

How retailers make the most of special occasions to honor parents.

56 Bonus Sidebar: SGN Asked - What merchandise do you have that would appeal as Nurse’s Day gifts?

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58 Bonus Sidebar: SGN Asked - What merchandise do you have that would appeal as graduation gifts?

Apparel Section

60 Dressing for Home – Apparel Best-Sellers at Resort and Beach Shops

Despite the pandemic, people still want to update their wardrobes, especially if they are shopping during a weekend get-away, this article found.

64 Bonus Sidebar: Selling Tips for Sunglasses and Hats

Jewelry Report

68 Where Beautiful Locales Meet Stylish Adornments - Jewelry at Resort and Beach Stores

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For this article, two retailers in vacation spots each give their perspectives on selling jewelry.

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Zoo and Aquarium Retail

76 Sure-Selling Souvenirs – How Two Facilities are Faring During the Pandemic

In this article, officials at a zoo and an aquarium discussed retail trends after re-opening.

78 Bonus Sidebar: What Are Kids’ Favorite Souvenirs?

Games, Playthings and Plush

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80 What’s Trending in Toys – Best-Sellers at Baby, Hardware, and Toy Stores

How the 2020 winter holidays changed toy sales at a selection of stores.

82 Bonus Sidebar: Are Puzzles Still a Piece of the Profits Picture?

Licensed Merchandise

84 Fanning Fan Fever – Selling Licensed Merchandise to Serious Sports Followers

Despite the pandemic, jerseys, caps and T-shirts were still selling well in 2020.

86 Bonus Sidebar: When the Customers Are Kids, What Is Selling?

Party Store Report

88 Springing into Sales – St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, and Spring Merchandise at Party Stores

For this article, four retailers discussed how they have been coping with the effects of the pandemic on their stores.

Print Your Catalog in SGN for Selling Success

Now more than ever, Souvenirs, Gifts & Novelties (SGN) readers are looking for the best products at the best prices for their loyal clientele. Position your merchandise front and center for retailers by printing your catalog within the pages of SGN, a trusted source of operational ideas and the best goods.

To learn more, contact the SGN advertising sales staff by emailing sgnmag@Kanec.com or by calling 610-645-6940.

Commentary

Looking Forward in a New Year

Souvenirs, Gifts & Novelties (SGN) has been there for its readership throughout a difficult 2020 and will continue to offer valuable editorial insights and merchandise leads in the new year. This issue, we offer a variety of interesting articles and ads from many of the top vendors in the industry. We hope you will share the print edition with your staff, and also visit us online at www.sgnmag.com and on Facebook and Twitter.

In this issue we offer a Special Gifts and Home Décor Section that examines the selling picture at boutiques, and in a look at art museum shops, we cover trends in stationery and handcrafted items.

Scott C. Borowsky

Quotable

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Country giftware and edible gifts at country stores is another story topic, as is personal care, candles and coastal gifts at beach and resort stores.

We also look at drug store and gift store quality gifts for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, and at apparel best-sellers at a time when casual dress is trending.

In the Jewelry Report, we examine jewelry trends at resort and beach stores. And in the Zoo and Aquarium Retail section, souvenirs is the topic, while in the Games, Playthings and Plush section we look at toy best-sellers at baby, hardware, and toy stores.

We also offer stories on sports fan and party stores. And the issue includes bonus sidebars on home décor, world crafts, gift displays, Nurse’s Day and graduation gifts, sunglasses and hats, souvenirs, puzzles, and more. Additionally, the edition features a bonus Jewelry Vendor Spotlight covering the 1 Tree Mission® bracelet line, and an IMC Retailer Q & A.

I hope you enjoy the issue. Please contact me by calling 610-645-6950 or emailing editorsgnmag@ kanec.com and I will respond to your query personally.

Scott C. Borowsky President and Executive Editor Souvenirs, Gifts & Novelties magazine

Store Director Micheal Floyd of the Tennessee Aquarium photographed with souvenir merchandise. See the Zoo and Aquarium Retail Section for an interview with Floyd.

“Your customer doesn’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

Damon Richards

Handcrafted in Virginia

For more than 30 years, we’ve studied and perfected what we call “the Science of Sound”. Our chimes are individually handcrafted, hand-tuned, and made in Virginia using USA sourced materials, for exceptional precision and lasting beauty. From the shape of the components to the materials we use, every detail is tested and engineered to deliver superior resonance and tone.

NC Custom, Parent Company of AmuseMints, to Acquire ACE USA

The acquisition of the continental United States business of ACE USA by an affiliate of NC Custom, the parent company of AmuseMints, has been announced.

NC Custom is a leading supplier of logo and designdriven products and collections across the promotional products, travel and leisure, specialty retail and other industries. AmuseMints is the company’s travel and leisure custom products division. ACE USA is known for having on-trend art and innovative product development in order to create unique product collections for a wide variety of destinations. With in-house design, screen printing, embroidery, and pad printing capabilities, ACE USA delivers customized and coordinating product collections, including a wide variety of apparel, hard goods and accessories.

“The acquisition of ACE USA continues our vision of building out a leadership platform in the souvenir and resort business with top notch product, design and development,” said Lance Stier, CEO of NC Custom. “We are honored to build upon the tremendous legacy of the

ACE USA business and are excited to work closely with many of ACE USA’s team members to continue to build this great business.”

“I am very excited to be joining forces again with the team at ACE, said Todd Reisman, president of AmuseMints. “ACE is a top-notch designer, developer and manufacturer of custom apparel and hard goods with a worldclass team. As the souvenir industry has shown us time and time again “collections sell” – and the ACE collections are best-in-class.”

Becky Ourso, president Arctic Circle Enterprises said, “NC Custom is a great fit for our treasured customers. I am thrilled they will be able to continue to offer top-notch designs on a curated product line developed specifically for the gift and souvenir industry.” The company will be combining its production operations with NC Custom’s state of the art 200,000 square feet of customization manufacturing. NC Custom range of customization items

Continued on page 16

NC Custom (From page 14)

includes thousands of items, including apparel, hard goods, health and beauty, sanitizer, confectionery and drinkware and more.

ACE USA was established in Alaska in 1955 as a wholesale supplier of custom designed apparel and hard goods for the gift and tourist industry. It’s broad line of custom gifts include T-shirts, hoodies, outerwear, ceramics, kitchen towels and accessories, socks, baseball caps, totes, key chains, magnets, ornaments, and plush. With Ace’s extensive design capabilities and manufacturing facilities, they are able to deliver customized and coordinating product collections, including a wide variety of apparel, hard goods and accessories.

AmuseMints is a leading supplier of specialty confec-

tionery, chocolate and mints, as well as hard goods, apparel, lip balm, sanitizer and other specialty items to the souvenir and resort businesses. AmuseMints has been a fixture in the souvenir market since 2004 thanks to its creative packaging, artwork, creative design library, licensed portfolio, and short-run custom capabilities. Its products can be found in theme parks, national parks, airports, gift shops, zoos, and other tourist destinations. The company is headquartered in Denver, Colo., and is a subsidiary of Nassau Candy, www.nassaucandy.com.

NC Custom, the parent company of AmuseMints, is a leading supplier and manufacturer of logo-based and design-driven products across the promotional products, travel and leisure, specialty retail and other industries. The company is a subsidiary of Nassau Candy. ❖

In addition to featuring ads from leading industry vendors, Souvenirs, Gifts & Novelties (SGN) is your source for original stories from our team of talented Contributors. Our writers interview your retail colleagues all over the United States to bring you the best trends coverage and operational tips as you strive for business success.

TRADE SHOW NEWS

Successful Trading Took Place at Emerald’s International Gift Expo of the Smokies (IGES)

Emerald, owner of the International Gift Expo of the Smokies (IGES), and sister event to ASD Market Week, celebrated a key milestone for the organization and the expositions industry as a whole. IGES, a comprehensive souvenir, resort, and specialty gift trade show, successfully and safely reunited brands, wholesalers, and buyers on November 4-7, 2020, at the LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

Given current market conditions, and in line with pre-market predictions, the number of exhibiting companies declined 60%, though buyer attendance was down only 30%, creating a 75% boost year-over-year in the overall attendee-to-exhibitor ratio, from seven attendees per exhibitor to 12 attendees per exhibitor. As a result, sentiment scores from exhibiting customers improved across all measures, and confirmed

the demand from the gift and souvenir community to connect face-toface to source new products, replenish inventories, and prepare for the important upcoming holiday season.

“Successfully trading IGES this year is proof that the IGES and ASD Market Week team can produce live events in a controlled, safe environment, especially in a smaller, regional format given the current situation to help our customers get back to business,” said Karalynn Sprouse, EVP of Emerald’s merchandise group which includes the IGES and ASD Market Week brands.

Creating a safe and secure environment was a top priority for IGES show management and partners. Prior to the event, Emerald’s Preparedness, Prevention & Response Plan and IGES’s health and safety protocols were communicated to attendees and exhibitors via a Welcome Packet where they acknowledged and accepted IGES’s Terms and Conditions.

Onsite, the team worked closely with the City of Pigeon Forge as

well as the event’s hotel partners and the LeConte Center to assure strict adherence to every health and safety standard. Examples of the safety measures implemented at IGES included temperature screening, the required use of face masks at all times, registration queue lines to ensure 6-foot social distancing, one-way entrances/exits, transparent shields at all concession stands, and daily disinfection of all seating, restrooms, and frequently touched public areas.

These pre- and onsite measures will again be implemented at another of our sister events, the January 2021 edition of Surf Expo as well as upcoming ASD Market Week events with the goal of providing assurance and confidence around the safe reopening of all Emerald produced events, while placing the highest priority on the well-being of Emerald’s customers, staff, and communities.

For more information please visit the event websites of the International Gift Expo of the Smokies (IGES), ASD Market Week, and Surf Expo. ❖

IMC Announces Date Changes for Las Vegas Market Winter and Summer 2021 Editions

Las Vegas Market Now Runs April 11-15 and August 22-26, 2021

No Changes to Atlanta Markets

Capitalizing on a recent shift in timing of home furnishings industry markets, and in concert with ongoing travel and government restrictions in the western United States, International Market Centers (IMC) has rescheduled the winter and summer editions of the Las Vegas Market — originally planned in January and July — to run April 1115, 2021, and August 22-26, 2021. IMC’s 2021 markets in Atlanta for Gift & Home and Apparel will run as scheduled.

“We have opted to postpone the winter Las Vegas Market in connection with Governor Sisolak’s recent extension of Nevada’s ‘statewide pause’ and in consideration of stayat-home orders currently impacting travel for key western states,” said Bob Maricich, IMC CEO. “HPMA’s decision to change High Point Market from April to June further affirms our decision and allows us to shift the winter Las Vegas Market into April. We also will alter our summer Las Vegas Market dates from July to August to allow enough time between the April Las Vegas Market, new June High Point Market dates and our summer market in Las Vegas. Our Las Vegas

Showrooms including the Las Vegas Design Center remain open for business by appointment for buyers.”

IMC will contact all buyers pre-registered for winter Las Vegas Market to communicate the change and to assist with adjustment of their plans. As an added benefit, the summer Las Vegas Market runs concurrently with HD Expo (August 24-25, at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas) and ASD (August 22-25, 2021, at the Las Vegas Convention Center), giving buyers and exhibitors additional cross-market opportunities.

According to Maricich, IMC’s gift and home furnishings events in Atlanta – as well as IMC’s Atlanta Apparel Markets in February, April, June, August, September and October –remain unchanged by the High Point and Las Vegas date shifts. “Our decision to maintain current timing and format of the events in Atlanta was informed by feedback from buyers and tenants as well as recent experience safely and successfully hosting eight markets for the Southeastern region at AmericasMart.” ❖

TRADE SHOW NEWS

Physical and Digital Updates Drive Optimism for Winter 2021 Atlanta Market

Atlanta Market opens International Market Centers’ (IMC) 2021 market year with a renewed optimism powered by expansive product resources, market center physical updates and new digital tools set to optimize the market experience for buyers and sellers. The Winter 2021 Atlanta Market is January 12-19, 2021 with temporaries January 13-17, at AmericasMart Atlanta

“2020 had many challenges, but we are energized as we look toward 2021,” said IMC CEO Bob Maricich. “We are starting the year off strong in Atlanta with the products, tools and experiences that will help buyers and sellers get back to business.”

Atlanta NEXT Continues

IMC enters the next phase of its transformation of the AmericasMart campus in January 2021. Buyers will find additional remerchandising of the 1,000plus showrooms throughout Buildings 1 and 2 that further hones product categories plus physical updates to the campus. “Refinements to the overall buying experience in Atlanta are on track, even with delays caused by the COVID-19 crisis,” added Scott Eckman, IMC chief revenue officer. “We have made significant progress on the project and are excited to be one step closer to completion.”

New Digital Platforms and Tools

Winter 2021 marks the launch of new, integrated digital tools for Atlanta Market. A new dedicated Atlanta Market website is set to launch before the Winter market with enhanced planning tools. It will feature a highly improved brand and product search that is integrated with IMC’s interim B2B ecommerce tool, ShopZio. At market, the AmericasMart App will continue to offer exhibitor directory access as well as wayfinding and market planning tools.

In addition to the new website, Atlanta Market will continue to utilize the digital tools it launched this summer. The Atlanta Remote page is a hub for information about the market with links to webinars and planning tools including

the Atlanta Market Magazine, Catalog Connexion database of searchable catalogs, the Market Snapshot product showcase and the Portman + Peachtree blog.

Atlanta Market’s signature educational programming is presented virtually for Winter 2021. Webinars on a range of topics including trends, business education, market preparation and the current retail and design climate will be presented before the market. At-market, attendees can

expect activations like share-worthy installations, entertainment and other market moments.

For the Winter 2021, Atlanta Market showrooms are open Tuesday, January 12 – Tuesday, January 19, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. and temporaries are open Wednesday, January 13 – Sunday, January 17, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Market-goers can book flights, reserve hotel rooms and parking at AmericasMart.com/travel.

The Winter 2021 Atlanta Market will follow IMC’s Together Safely protocols. Before market, buyers must register online for one of two buying sessions at AmericasMart. com/Registration. On-campus safety procedures include the required use of PPE, temporal checks, capacity limits and social distancing measures. ❖

The Winter 2021 Atlanta Market will follow IMC’s Together Safely protocols.

Atlanta Market Adapts Winter 2021 Temporary Presentation

Atlanta Market announced recently updates to its temporary trade show presentation for the Winter 2021 market. The relocations of 15 product categories create new synergies and dynamic new merchandise groupings as International Market Centers (IMC) refines the market experience in Atlanta. Additionally, the moves allow IMC to continue to implement its Together Safely protocols related to social distancing and traffic management.

“The realignment of the Atlanta Market temporaries this winter reflects how modern retailers are buying in 2021: across category and with safety in mind,” said Scott Eckman, IMC chief revenue officer. “As we reinstate the temporary exhibits at Atlanta Market, we are taking this opportunity to fine tune the categories and collection locations to safely maximize the product discovery and exploration for retailers.”

In January 2021, Atlanta Market presents the industry’s largest collection of gift and home décor temporary exhibits. Thousands of exhibitors are showcased in 31 categories on eight floors across AmericasMart’s three buildings.

IMC will present the temporary exhibits in line with its Together Safely protocols that outline procedures for safer markets during the COVID-19 pandemic. On the trade show floor, safety measures including wider, 12-foot aisles and capacity limits for all booths will allow for traffic management and social distancing.

For Winter 2021, Atlanta Market’s 1,000-plus temporaries are presented Wednesday, January 13 – Saturday, January 16, 2021 from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. and Sunday, January 17, 2021 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Pre-registration, which is required for the Winter 2021 market, can be completed at AmericasMart.com/attend/registration. ❖

IMC Expands Marketing and Customer Outreach Teams to Prioritize Omnichannel Business Needs

International Market Centers (IMC) recently announced a significant expansion of its customer outreach, marketing and brand strategy teams to support the company’s rapid development of omnichannel solutions for the gift, home and apparel industries. The company-wide and customercentric strategy includes the expansion of its buyer services and customer success teams as well as the creation of a new brand strategy team dedicated to supporting the launch of its Juniper suite of digital solutions, powered by IMC_di (IMC’s Digital Innovations division).

“As IMC’s business transforms to include all channels of commerce – from physical markets to digital solutions – these organizational investments will help us engage more personally and effectively with our customers so we can better understand and meet their evolving business needs,” said Dorothy Belshaw, chief customer and marketing officer for IMC. “We are doubling down on IMC’s core mission – connecting buyers and sellers – by offering

year-round opportunities for recovery and growth at both physical and digital markets.”

Commitment to All Customers – Buyers and Sellers

As a keystone of this effort, long-time retailer Mary S. Moore joins IMC as senior vice president omnichannel buyer engagement, reporting to Belshaw, with responsibility for strategic oversight of IMC’s buyer outreach across its physical and digital channels. IMC’s existing team of buyer services specialists, led by gift industry veteran Cindy Henry, will report to Moore and will double in size to support one-to-one buyer outreach on a broad scale, with continued focus on long-standing relationships with more than 75 national buying groups and thousands of key retail accounts in the gift, home furnishings, housewares and apparel industries.

Continued on page 22

To accelerate and communicate this industry-first omnichannel offering and develop a cohesive strategy across physical and digital, IMC will add a dedicated Juniper digital brand team aligned with IMC’s existing brand strategy teams. All four of IMC’s brand strategy teams will report to IMC’s senior vice president, Karen Olson, leveraging her 25 years of brand marketing experience and ensuring strategic alignment and integration with IMC’s physical markets.

Additionally, IMC_di (IMC’s Digital Innovations division) will expand its customer success team to ease vendor adoption of JuniperMarket as well as the full Juniperbranded suite of solutions for sales and marketing automation, data and customer management and B2B ecommerce websites. Headed by senior director Marisa Garcia, the team’s current responsibilities for account manage-

JuniperWeb Launches First B2B Site for Gift & Home Industry

JuniperWeb, an ecommerce website development tool powered by IMC_di (International Market Center’s digital innovations division), has launched www.bethanylowe.com – its first proprietary B2B site for the gift and home industry.

“JuniperWeb is off and running!” said Eric Dean, IMC_di President. “JuniperWeb is our first next-generation product in the Juniper Suite and it’s exciting to see it live and delivering results for a great brand like Bethany Lowe.”

Launched in August 2020, JuniperWeb builds proprietary ecommerce websites for wholesale vendors and sales representatives, enabling online product sales through an individually-branded B2B website. It is cost effective, easy to maintain and integrates with the full suite of Juniper digital solutions – JuniperMarket (B2B digital marketplace), JuniperWeb (ecommerce websites), JuniperData (data hub – upload data once and share anywhere), JuniperSales (sales applications) and JuniperCRM (inside sales tools and CRM applications).

According to Dean, there are dozens of new B2B ecommerce websites progressing through JuniperWeb’s development and delivery pipeline. For information, visit www.JuniperCommerce.com. ❖

ment, customer onboarding and customer support, extend to include integration services, to its overall customer success efforts.

IMC_di’s product and design team also expands to support development of newly upgraded IMC market websites as well as Juniper products. Tripp Regan, a long-time member of IMC’s digital marketing team will assume the new role of vice president of product and design. Regan and Garcia both report to senior vice president Brandon Ward who has spearheaded digital innovation at IMC since joining the company in 2017.

Teddy Pekalski, will assume the role of senior director and head of Juniper Sales. In line with accelerated demand and launch timelines, the sales department will be expanded by 30%.

JuniperMarket “Preview Pods” Facilitate Buyer Registration For New E-Commerce Platform at IMC’s Physical Markets

Buyers Registering Before and During Market Qualify to Win iPads

In preparation for the 2021 launch of JuniperMarket, a new B2B e-commerce marketplace for the gift, home and apparel industries, IMC_di (International Market Centers’ Digital Innovations division) will host a series of activities for buyers at IMC’s upcoming markets in Atlanta and Las Vegas. As an added benefit, buyers who signup for JuniperMarket at Atlanta Market (January 12-19 at AmericasMart Atlanta) or Las Vegas Market (April 11-15 at World Market Center Las Vegas) will qualify to win iPads and other prizes.

“These at-market activations, which are just the first of many opportunities for the industry to join JuniperMarket, are also the easiest because buyers can leverage their market badges to register easily and without additional forms or credentialing,” said Eric Dean, IMC_di President. “Onsite visibility at the Atlanta and Las Vegas markets gives the industry a sneak peek at JuniperMarket and also allows us to demonstrate the ways JuniperMarket bridges IMC’s physical and digital markets, allowing buyers to source and shop anytime and everywhere.”

Open daily during Market hours, the JuniperMarket “Preview Pods” will provide a dynamic visual overview of the new B2B ecommerce marketplace. Graphics, signage and live demonstrations will provide prospective buyers with a preview of the new purchasing platform, its functionality and its connectivity to IMC’s physical markets.

For more information, visit www.AtlantaMarket.com and www. LasVegasMarket.com. ❖

IMC Expands Marketing (From page 21)

Atlanta Next Inspires Atlanta Market Gift Updates

Thirty New, Expanded and Relocated Showrooms Set to Open in Winter 2021

ATLANTA

Atlanta Market continues to refine and remerchandise its gift collection in the lead up to its Winter 2021 staging with three new showrooms and 27 expanded and relocated showrooms opening since its last winter event. Complementing these updates is nearly 100 showrooms which have recommitted to the market with lease extensions. Together these brands will present a vibrant and intuitive marketplace January 12-19, 2021.

“Gift brands are committed to At-

lanta Market,” noted Scott Eckman, International Market Centers chief revenue officer. “They know that this market is the place to reach East Coast retailers, so they are opening new showrooms, expanding and

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February

reimagining their spaces, bringing in new lines and committing to be a part of this comprehensive marketplace both now and in the future.” The full list of showrooms is searchable at AtlantaMarket.com. ❖

International Market Centers to Present 22 Buying Events In 2021

International Market Centers (IMC) recently confirmed it will produce 22 buying opportunities for the home furnishings, gift and apparel industries in 2021. The wholesale events will take place in Atlanta, High Point, N.C and Las Vegas.

“We are optimistically planning for a return to a more normal buying season in 2021,” said Bob Maricich, IMC CEO. “The teams across our campuses are vigilantly preparing to present a year of markets that will expertly bring brands and buyers together again.”

In addition to the markets, the open daily collections at AmericasMart, the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center (ADAC) and the Las Vegas Design Center at World Market Center Las Vegas host events for buyers throughout the year. IMC also hosts a number of off-market events connected with relevant tradeshows staged in Las Vegas during the year. ❖

A showroom at Atlanta Market. Gift brands are committed to Atlanta Market, according to an IMC official.

For 25 years, the Philadelphia Gift Show, has been the shopping destination of choice for the region’s retailers to find the latest products and hottest trends. It’s THE place to get a first-hand look at best-selling products and up-and-coming designs.

Returning to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, March 28 - March 31, 2021, you’ll find everything you need for your busy season all under one roof, including:

•Holiday/Seasonal

•Handmade/Craft

•Decorative Accessories

•Jewelry

•Made in USA

•Apparel/Clothing

•Fashion Accessories

•Design, Decor, Furnishings

•Games/Puzzles/Toys

•Souvenirs/Novelty/Trend

•Outdoor Living/Garden

•Candy/Fudge/Confections

•Home Furnishings

•Plush

•Children's/Baby Items

•Americana

•Gourmet: Food, Beverages & Wine

•Personal Care

•Environmentally Friendly/Natural/Recycled Products

•Custom Design/Private Label

•Gift Wrap & Accessories

•Beach Merchandise

•Stationery

•Nautical Gifts

•Retail Services & Supplies

•Licensed Products

•Books/Publications/Periodicals/Media

•Footwear & Accessories

•Native American Merchandise

•Swimwear

IMC Retailer Q&A

Corporate Director of Merchandising Yvonne Miles

San Diego Zoo Global, San Diego, Calif.

IMC: How are you making decisions about whether, or not, to attend winter markets? What factors are important in your decision-making process?

Yvonne Miles: Many factors are considered in the decision to attend any of the winter trade shows. Due to COVID-19 concerns and travel restrictions, we have no plans to attend any shows through the remainder of this year and into the first quarter of 2021. We are, however, planning to participate in virtual trade shows being offered.

IMC: What do you anticipate will be different about your preparation for markets this year?

Miles: We will not be traveling for the remainder of this year (2020).

IMC: How are you determining your spending by category, as well as your open-to-buy?

Miles: Our open to buy is based on quarterly planning, each segment (kids, adults and home) has division budgeting targets. The top-100 best-sellers within each category are planned out and ordered. It is the 80/20 rule, those orders are placed for the quarter and 2-4 weeks of supply is carried in our warehouse. The balance is considered “direct” orders based on need.

IMC: What are some of the best-sellers you’ll want to reorder? And, in which categories are you going to be looking for something new?

Miles: The San Diego Zoo and Safari Park are very fortunate to have been open since mid-June, when so many other family experiences are still unable to accommodate guests. We have our own website (www. shopzoo.com) that saw a huge increase in sales during the Zoo and Park closure due to COVID-19, and our website sales are still doing very well after reopening. Currently, custom facial masks dominate our sales. We have an assortment of animal face masks, including custom holiday masks, and will continue to have these for sale through the remainder of this year and into next year. In addition to masks, other top-selling items include plush, toys and kids’ apparel. The trend seems to indicate that parents are looking for opportunities to provide something fun for their children to contrast the challenges we are facing due to the pandemic. As a not-for-profit organization, merchandise purchased in our gift shops or online helps support our mission of saving wildlife around the world.

Continued on page 30

Individuals wearing custom San Diego Zoo masks. The zoo’s retail arm is participating in virtual trade shows.

Elephant gifts at a San Diego Zoo retail location. Merchandise purchased in the attraction’s gift shops help support the organization’s conservation mission.

IMC: How have you used digital tools - market websites, B2B ecommerce platforms, etc. - for sourcing and shopping during the pandemic? How do you anticipate that these tools will augment your at-market purchasing this winter?

Miles: Serving our San Diego Zoo and Safari Park supporters is our priority, and we want to provide them the best merchandise possible. We use all the above tools when sourcing and shopping. We follow and view all market websites, sourcing for products and follow some of the big store chains to see how they’re positioning their sales. We will participate in any virtual market and source new products with our current vendors. If we are looking for a specific item, we’ll research via the internet and market web sites.

IMC: How do you anticipate adapting to the “new normal” as it comes to attending markets that look and feel differently from ever before?

Miles: When the time comes and it is safe to travel, we will consider attending an actual trade show. Until then, the “new normal” is to work remotely with occasional office visits, when needed.

Panda merchandise at a San Diego Zoo retail location. The zoo retail website saw a huge increase in sales during the shutdown of the attraction, which reopened in mid-June 2020.

San Diego Zoo butterfly merchandise. The organization strives to offer its customers the best gifts possible.

IMC Retailer (From page 28)

Director of Retail Operations Dan Ayers-Price

Key West Art & Historical Association, Key West, Fla.

IMC: How are you making decisions about whether, or not, to attend winter markets? What factors are important in your decision-making process?

Dan Ayers-Price: With market changes I am having to rethink strategies for getting back to some normalcy with my market schedule. I am, as a lot of us are, at the mercy of my budget. Our new fiscal year has just begun but I haven’t seen a copy of my budget just yet. For a lot of us smaller museum store buyers, I have a feeling that our market attendance may be curtailed by our institutions or that we will be forced to pay out-of-pocket to attend. To me, there is nothing that will replace the in-person market system, even though some will argue that it is slowly going away. Creative folks always want the in-person experience and I do believe that adjustments can be implemented, even after a viable vaccine, to ensure everyone’s safety while still allowing for a productive in-person market.

IMC: What do you anticipate will be different about your preparation for markets this year? How are you determining your spending by category, as well as your open-to-buy? What are some of the best-sellers you’ll want to reorder? And, in which categories are you going to be looking for something new?

Ayers-Price: I do know that my spending will be based on how well our income is doing as we progress into our budget year. Regardless of what I am budgeted

for, my Board will make ongoing adjustments as they monitor our comeback. I think markets will continue to serve as a showcase of new products along with wonderful new ideas on everything from display/design to the continuing trend of more Made-in-America items. I will be spending most of my money on nautical related items as my historic lighthouse museum store is outpacing my other museum stores by double. I’m constantly on the lookout for new items that will work in

Continued on page 32

Dan Ayers-Price, director of retail operations, Key West Art & Historical Association. Ayers-Price said he will be spending most of his budget on nautical items.

A full merchandise display at the Key West Art & Historical Association. The director of retail operations said creative people will always want the in-person market experience.

Individuals looking at a merchandise display at the Key West Art & Historical Association. Gifts and housewares sell best for the attraction.

Retailer (From page 31)

that setting and for folk art items for another of my museum stores. Category wise, gifts and housewares are the best for me, followed by literature (books, etc.) and children’s educational gifts/toys. My focus will be on small quantity options (for budget reasons), a certain amount of custom and as much Made-inAmerica as I can.

IMC: How have you used digital toolsmarket websites, B2B ecommerce platforms, etc. - for sourcing and shopping during the pandemic? How do you anticipate that these tools will augment your at-market purchasing this winter?

Ayers-Price: My pre-market research typically starts about a month prior to market. I want to be able to map a plan so that I can maximize my time without accidentally missing a vendor that I might otherwise have overlooked. I have, in the past, visited literally every vendor’s website to quickly see if they would be someone who caught my attention. Obviously there are some that I can easily eliminate as my museum store niche wouldn’t necessarily utilize certain vendors. By doing this, last year as an example, I added 67 new potential vendors to my list simply because of their online presence. Online has become such a valuable tool in planning that I cannot imagine living without it now. The Museum Store Association has launched Marketplace as an online platform for MSA buyers to be able to easily and quickly buy from MSA Vendors and this will be a won-

derful tool for those buyers to be able to utilize even after in-person markets are a thing again.

IMC: How do you anticipate adapting to the “new normal” as it comes to attending markets that look and feel differently from ever before?

Ayers-Price: I will always be in favor of an inperson market and I think we will all adapt to the inevitable changes if for no other reason than lack of choice. Markets are more than just simply finding new items and seeing new trends but also a chance to meet colleagues and to continue with professional relationships, in person, that oftentimes get relegated to emails or phone calls. If my budget wouldn’t allow for a market, then I would not hesitate to pay out-ofpocket to attend.

Museum Store Manager and Buyer Melody Caban Amon Carter Museum of Art Fort Worth, Texas

IMC: How are you making decisions about whether, or not, to attend winter markets? What factors are important in your decision-making process?

Melody Caban: Safety is my number one consideration. I’ve kept an eye on CDC reporting and unfortunately, like many things today, my plans to go to market change each day. I really appreciate the markets that are offering online options for “attending” and am most likely to attend those events.

Individuals looking at bags at the Key West Art & Historical Association. The retail operations director focuses on small quantity goods, as well as custom and USA-made merchandise.

Melody Caban, museum store manager and buyer, the Amon Carter Museum of Art in Fort Worth, Texas. Safety is Caban’s number one consideration.

IMC

IMC: What do you anticipate will be different about your preparation for markets this year? How are you determining your spending by category, as well as your open-to-buy? What are some of the best-sellers you’ll want to reorder? And, in which categories are you going to be looking for something new?

Caban: We all try to read the sales and trend tea leaves in hopes of getting it right on the money at market. For the winter markets, the unknowns have grown, and I will be analyzing sales even more as well as reaching out to colleagues across the nation who are in all stages of reopening to see what they’ve encountered.

Being in non-profit retail, our museum store is always dedicated to mission-based items. Some best-sellers I will be getting are books on creativity and wellness, along with a range of hands-on craft kits

With the latest accessory being the face mask, I will be taking a new look at our jewelry selection to find items that can be easily worn with or enhance masks.

IMC: How have you used digital tools - market websites, B2B e-commerce platforms, etc. - for sourcing and shopping during the pandemic? How do you

anticipate that these tools will augment your at-market purchasing this winter?

Caban: The new host of digital tools added and enhanced during COVID-19 have made all the difference in following trends, finding new products, and getting the latest information from vendors. This allowed me to strategically buy for our own reopening without putting myself at risk.

Being able to use these tools paired with live and online markets, I will be able to better research products ahead of time and target the items I’m interested in. Plus, there will be fewer of those hard to read hand-written POs to try and decipher!

IMC: How do you anticipate adapting to the “new normal” as it comes to attending markets that look and feel differently from ever before?

Caban: I’m looking forward to attending markets again, however, they might look! Our industry is built on change, and I know the “new normal” will bring innovation. One thing that won’t change is the joy of seeing familiar faces and the amazing lightbulb moments you have in casual conversation.

The Amon Carter Museum of Art museum shop entrance. The store’s manager and buyer said she will analyze sales and reach out to colleagues across the nation to assess their experiences as they reopen.

A display of books at the Amon Carter Museum of Art. The store’s manager and buyer will be taking a new look at the jewelry selection to find items that can be easily worn with or that will enhance masks.

Looking Around While Hunkering Down

How Shoppers Are Seeing Ways to Improve Living Spaces with Home Décor Gift Boutique Buys

Home décor is a hot-selling item for giving and receiving these days, according to gift boutique owners and staff. All across the United States, with so many people staying home to work and play due to the pandemic, it’s no wonder; top buying choices vary but the interest in reshaping and revamping home environments is clear.

At PopCycle in Tucson, Ariz., Store Manager Libby Tobey related that among the store’s top home décor sellers are some that are made in-house. “The founders of the store make these incredible vintage Tucson postcard-style images on old, reclaimed cabinet doors. They’re made right here, and they are one of our most popular items. We carry a total of over 95 local artists here in all, and we have all kinds of wonderful décor things. People are buying a lot of prints, coat racks, key racks, things like that. There’s also a real emphasis on finding locally made or hand-crafted items for the home,” she said.

She observed certain changes in how people are beautifying their homes and why. “What we’re seeing is that people are actively seeking more locally sourced home gifts, and that is especially true of things that are creature comforts. We are also seeing a lot more people buying gifts for others in that same vein. There has been a lot of interest in nesting and improving the look of your nest. It started when COVID-19 first happened, and it’s continued on.” She added, “People were finally buying that interesting lampshade to replace the old shade that they never really liked but hadn’t thought that much about until they had to see

it every day. They’ve been finishing up their homes, adding small gallery touches like the handmade key racks. That is a big purchase these days.” She stressed that everything people buy is home-related in one way another, whether it is one of the prints the shop has available for hanging from over 10 local artists, or a little in-home spa kit.

“What we’re seeing is that people are actively seeking more locally sourced home gifts, and that is especially true of things that are creature comforts. We are also seeing a lot more people buying gifts for others in that same vein. There has been a lot of interest in nesting and improving the look of your nest. It started when COVID-19 first happened, and it’s continued on.”

Heading north to Once in a Blue Moose, in Anchorage, Alaska, company President Vernon Cates said the shop’s topselling home décor items are wall hangings of all kinds, from original works to art prints. “We have vendors who make beautiful prints, but a lot of our items are locally-made, which has a lot of appeal to buyers. Many of the art works are made from metal.”

He sees a locally oriented shift in terms of home beautification, he stated. “We’ve noticed that people have really increased their purchasing of Alaskan-made items.”

According to Cates, “I think a lot of what drives that interest is the fact that we are seeing more local shoppers than those from out of town, and they want to support the community. The kinds of items they buy are about the same, but where they’ve been made is what’s different.” Cates presides over nine different shops, which range in size from 600 square feet

- Libby Tobey, PopCycle, Tucson, Ariz.

Special Gifts and Home Décor Section

up to 2,500 square feet.

At The Old Flamingo in Salt Lake City, Utah, Sharleigh Conti is one of nine vendors at a cooperative space filled with eclectic goods. Each vendor rents out an approximately 100 to 200-square-foot area within the store. While dressers, desks, and other large furniture items, particularly vintage items repainted and refinished by artisans, do well throughout the shop, Conti herself is doing very well with 17 different art pieces created by a local artist. “For me, personally, I carry a lot of different wall hangings. What I have right now are some spiritual pieces, some very cool images of bugs, a buffalo, things like that. I’m always carrying a lot of local artwork that people will purchase to decorate their homes.”

She said there is no question at all that people are focused more on home improvement these days. “More and more people are buying items to improve their personal space. I think that people are also gravitating to small businesses to buy those items, certainly they’ve been really great about supporting us here.” She stressed, “When people are home all day, they see their walls and they want to look at something on those walls that’s a little different, something cool and

interesting. We have a very different vibe coming into our spaces here, and we have always had a more artinterested crowd than in other parts of town.”

To draw this crowd, the vendors in the store, herself included, have increased use of social media, particularly for larger items. This is an enhancement she led. “We really all had to turn to this when things shut down, to use Instagram, to use Venmo, to offer curbside pick-up. It was something I really helped the others here with doing. And, we keep our price points quite reasonable as well.”

For Jason Shelby , owner and buyer for the 2,000-square-foot Now or Never in downtown Phoenix, Ariz., the top sellers in home décor are ceramics and candles. “We focus on uniqueness in the items we carry from all over the world. These do well for us because we try to offer special items that are just not found elsewhere.” Like other gift shop owners and staff members, Shelby also sees changes in the ways in which people are buying for their homes. “They’re more interested in home décor overall, of course. We weren’t doing as well with those kinds of items - in fact we had toned down what we carried in home décor before the pandemic. But afterwards, we saw sales go

Continued on page 36

Special Gifts and Home Décor Section

Looking Around (From page 35)

up in everything from textiles to kitchenware, on any good quality practical item as well as beautiful, special items for the home. Home fragrance is something else that has a lot of appeal to our customers now, and it’s big for us – Japanese incense, palo santo, scented candles.”

In Fairbanks, Alaska, Angelika Krinner-Croteau , owner of the Arctic Travelers Gift Shop, said that while she may not carry a large number of home décor items in her shop, the pieces she does stock in the 3,000-squre-foot store are doing well. “Primarily I have decorative wooden boxes, candles, picture frames, and a lot of art and craft items, such as carvings, made by local native people. I also have pictures of the Northern Lights, since we are the land known for that.” The reason her customers are interested in these types of items is their distinctive nature, she said. These are not, she said, pieces that can be purchased anywhere else. “I do see that more people want to improve the look of their homes. In part, that is because I have a lot more local shoppers this year, compared to other years when I would say most of our business came from

those traveling. Now, local people want to support mom and pop stores like me, so they come and shop here. That has helped me to recover from the summer months, when I had no tourists at all. But because they are local, they have less interest in souvenir-type items, and are more interested in buying things they can keep in their homes.”

From Alaska to Phoenix, the trend is the same: home décor items are growing in popularity at boutique gift shops, and while the most popular pieces may vary, the desire to improve the look and feel of a home is universal. ❖

Top Tips to Display Home Décor Items

Asked for their top tips on displaying home décor items, gift store owners and staff members offered a variety of replies.

At PopCycle in Tucson, Ariz., Store Manager Libby Tobey related that the shop keeps a lot of like-items together and also does color theme displays, both of which are very attention-getting for the shop. “We often keep the individual artist or artisan’s work together as much as possible, and we focus on making the pieces look the most appealing,” she said, from spacing to lighting.

Heading north to Once in a Blue Moose, in Anchorage, Alaska, company President Vernon Cates said, “We believe location is the most important thing when it comes to display. If

an item is visible from a good spot in the store, then people are going to be drawn to it. We hang a lot of things on the walls in this home décor category.

In Fairbanks, Alaska, Angelika Krinner-Croteau, owner of the Arctic Travelers Gift Shop, said her tip is to cross merchandise most décor items. “Others, however, we have to keep in a display case under lock and key, because they are quite valuable. Things such as locally carved ivory are in that category.”

At The Old Flamingo in Salt Lake City, Utah, Vendor Sharleigh Conti said “We arrange things, group things, within one little area for photos. When items are displayed in that way it’s probably the way that customers who come into the store, as well as

viewing items online, can best see them. Since we are made up of different vendors, we are probably not as cohesive as a regular store with one owner, so that is the technique that works best.”

Jason Shelby, owner and buyer for Now or Never in Phoenix, Ariz., described his well-organized display style. “We have our store set up into three areas, fashion with clothing, shoes, and accessories; furniture; and our marketplace which has a 20-foot wall of shelves and large marble cubes for display. Each shelf or cube has a different brand on each. There’s a combination of items within those areas, some are divided by theme or brands, with the biggest selling brands getting their own display and section.” ❖

See our other ad on page 85

Art Museum Shops Tout Stationery and Handcrafted Items

By Karen Appold

Stationery remains a staple at many art museum shops. In fact, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Mass., has a unique connection to stationery. Its founder, Isabella Stewart Gardner, lived in the Victorian era—the golden age of letter writing. The museum’s archive contains hundreds of documents and correspondence from her circle of friends which were some of the greatest artists, writers, and thinkers of the time, said Sherry Haber , museum store general manager.

The shop’s stationery assortment celebrates the art of penmanship with vintage papers and sealing waxes like those of Gardner’s time, notebooks boasting covers from classic works of literature found in her personal book collection, and stationery sets inspired by the lush florals of the museum’s courtyard, Haber said. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the shop garnered $1.2 million in annual sales.

The Phoenix Art Museum shop in Arizona sells fine quality stationery items and items that relate to an artist or theme represented in its collection. The spectrum is wide, from handmade fine letterpress greeting

“Because these artists can continue working in their genre, they’re better able to carry on cultural traditions and pass on their art forms to future generations, building a rich continuum of tradition and culture.”

- Bruce McGee, Heard Museum, Phoenix, Ariz.

cards to a journal featuring an obscure Van Gogh image of a skeleton smoking a cigarette. Although its collection doesn’t include an actual Van Gogh painting, it does have a healthy representation of European and Impressionist art so it fits in and is actually a best seller, said Jennifer Barnella , retail sales manager.

The Aldrich in Ridgefield, Conn., carries handbound journals by Stationed by Hand, a bookbinder

based in Norwalk, Conn. “These journals are stunning objects made with a variety of fabric covers and beautiful quality paper,” said Emily Devoe , director of marketing and communications. They come in three sizes.

Joy Shalla Glenn , operations assistant at the International Quilt Museum in Lincoln, Neb., said the shop carries custom designed items by artists, as well as logoed and quilt-themed stationery. Each category sells well because of the museum’s variety of visitors, she said.

Drawing Attention to Stationery

Stationery sells well for Haber, as patrons find ways to connect with loved ones from afar. Stationery is highlighted in multiple spaces throughout the 700-square-foot store. Its boxed note card assortment lines glass shelves on its wall space, while smaller stationery sets, notebooks, and pens are artfully displayed on an adjacent standalone fixture. The shop carries a line of sealing waxes and stamps that enamor guests. A stationery product with a backstory or history is a special touch.

Barnella aims to have one examination copy on display for every product. “You want people to hold, touch, and fall in love with things so hopefully they can’t live without it, which can then lead to a purchase,” she said.

Continued on page 40

We are heartened that greeting cards are so meaningful today, helping family and friends connect and support one another. From an encouraging message to a get-well wish or cheerful hello, cards can lift a spirit and bring a smile.

When offering cards in your store, leave uncertainty behind. Retailers have rated our line as the #1 best-seller for 15 years in a row.

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Special Gifts and Home Décor Section

Handcrafted Items

Handcrafted items are a strong category at art museum shops. The 7,000-square-foot shop at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Ariz., promotes Native culture and art by providing American Indian artists a venue in which to sell their art and enhance their careers,” said Bruce McGee , director of retail sales. “Because

The museum also collaborated with St. Nicolas to make a number of ornaments featuring Isabella Stewart Gardner and others inspired by the collection and figures in her circle.

Barnella said the 2,200-square-foot museum shop features a variety of handcrafted items from jewelry to ceramic dinnerware to plush for kids. Most items are from countries represented in its collection, but there is an emphasis on Arizona artisans. “Part of the museum’s mission is to be a community partner and representative,” she said. “This initiative helps to reinforce that goal and supports the local arts community.”

In order to keep its selection fresh, the shop tries to add a least a few new local artisans every year and plans to continue with that goal, Barnella said. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the shop sold just under $1 million in gross sales annually.

these artists can continue working in their genre, they’re better able to carry on cultural traditions and pass on their art forms to future generations, building a rich continuum of tradition and culture.” A sampling of items includes authentic jewelry, textiles, rugs, fetishes, katsinas, and baskets.

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum carries handmade ornaments from India featuring traditional zardozi embroidery. The ornaments, sold by Londonbased St. Nicolas, are among its best-sellers. They feature gold thread details, which is the zardozi technique. The store recently ran a promotion on them and sold more than 600 in one day.

The American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, Md., is the national museum for visionary or untrained artists. For that reason, it strives to include original handcrafted items that are visually exciting and made by local and international artists, said Ted Frankel , owner. The shop carries original paintings, drawings, toys, and crafts.

Frankel said the shop constantly looks for new artists to include in the store’s inventory from across the globe. “As a small shop, it’s important to be unique. We never forget to pass on the story of each item,” he said.

Continued on page 42

Crafts From Around the World

When choosing which handcrafted items to sell at an art museum’s shop, they need to either relate to an exhibit or be made locally.

For example, the Heard Museum Shop in Phoenix, Ariz., specifically concentrates on merchandise made in North America. The museum promotes Native American Indian culture and art.

Sherry Haber, museum store general manager at The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Mass., works with local artisans to support small businesses,

with an emphasis on those owned and operated by underprivileged groups. Many custom museum products are the result of a collaboration with local vendors, including high-end leather goods, fine jewelry, and handmade small batch chocolates.

Any country represented in the museum’s collection or exhibitions is fair game, said Jennifer Barnella, retail sales manager at the Phoenix Art Museum in Arizona. As long as it’s of the quality that customers have come to expect, the shop will consider it.

Latin American countries are sourced most often, Barnella said, due to the museum’s strong Latin American holdings and its proximity to the Mexican border.

Among Barnella’s favorites are Twoolies wool animals from Mexico and Muichic jewelry from Colombia. The shop also carries many items that reflect its European holdings, including Alexandra Tsoukala jewelry from Greece and an Ooh La La fruit bowl from Germany. ❖

Art Museum Shops (From page 38)

“As a small shop, it’s important to be unique. We never forget to pass on the story of each item.”

- Ted Frankel, American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore, Md.

Special Gifts and Home Décor Section

Art Museum Shops (From page 40)

Getting Handcrafted Items Noticed

Highlighting that a product is handmade is always a good selling point. “Using signage to describe artisan vendors lets patrons know that their purchase supports a small business,” Haber said.

Signage emphasizing that any purchase of locally made items not only supports the local arts commu-

Devoe also shares the stories of local makers on signage. “It’s important to encourage visitors to learn about the individuals who handcraft our items and the process they use to make them,” she said.

Showcasing Items Online

Selling items online became more important during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Heard Museum Shop has an extensive selection of items on its website, organized by category. An email featuring the item of the week is sent to museum members, McGee said.

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum shop has a section on its website called “Meet the Makers” that is dedicated to highlighting the work of the talented artisans it partners with. Each page includes a short bio and description of their work.

nity but the museum as well is key in promoting sales at her shop, Barnella said.

Shalla Glenn uses story boards featuring like items or items that complement an exhibit. Signage notes the artists and fair trade organizations.

The Phoenix Art Museum asks its artisans to supply high-resolution photos of their wares for its website. “This lessens the workload on staff and the photos they provide are usually much better than anything the museum could produce,” Barnella said. ❖

“You want people to hold, touch, and fall in love with things so hopefully they can’t live without it, which can then lead to a purchase.”

- Jennifer Barnella, Phoenix Art Museum, Arizona

Country Charm with All the Fixins Country Giftware and Edible Gifts at Country Stores

By Carimé Lane

From soup to nuts, country stores have customers covered. For this article, we spoke with five store owners about their best-sellers and sales strategies to keep their country-themed and edible merchandise selling.

Elsah General Store can be found in historic Elsah, Ill. The village, a historic stop for riverboats on the Mississippi River, is a tourist destination and home to 100 residents. The village has preserved its historic character. In fact, said Blair Smith , the store’s owner, the countertops and flooring of the store are original to 1877.

Hadley Pottery, featuring Mary Alice Hadley’s distinctive blue primary color and country scenes of pigs, cows and houses are best-sellers for Smith. He sells Hadley Pottery with Christmas designs as well, but said that “by far,” his best-sellers are the dishware depicting the livestock.

Smith stocks some of his edible selection with merchandise not easily procured in the area. Some very popular products come from Cherry Republic in Glen Abor, Mich. “Their cherry salsa, jams, and chocolate-covered cherries make excellent gifts,” Smith said.

Local edible gifts are also strong sellers.

These include specialty foods and treats from nearby St. Louis. For instance, Smith carries gooey butter cake from McArthur’s Bakery or Ann & Allen Bakers of St. Louis. The cake, indigenous to the area, was created accidently when a baker reversed the proportions of flour and sugar in the recipe.

Another local favorite is Ella & Ollie Popcorn. “It’s an heirloom variety (never been hybridized), grown on land that has been farmed by the same family for seven generations, pops up to a large, fluffy, white popcorn, and is sold in glass jars or burlap gift bags,” Smith said.

It’s important to curate an attractive display to sell more merchandise, Smith said. Smith also pointed out that each item on display has a story–“a unique reason why it’s on the shelves of an old general store.”

Boxcar General Store Co-Owner Eric Landrum photographed with an edible gifts display. Bread and other food mixes packaged in drawstring bags reminiscent of flour sacks are popular for the business.

“Being willing to engage customers in conversation, and share some interesting information about each item, adds value and makes the purchase and the whole shopping experience feel a little more special,” Smith said.

Top of Texas Country Store, is located in Texline, Texas, a town roughly 500 residents strong. Megan Nightingale , owner of the approximately 1,100-square-foot store (with 300-square-feet of bakery/kitchen), said travelers from several hours away often pop by to shop as well.

Best-selling country themed items at the shop include larger items like windchimes and musical clocks and smaller items like punched tin wax warmers, nightlights, and Milkhouse Candle Co., which carries candles in old-fashioned cream and butter jars (and melts, too). Purses and tote bags fashioned from cowhide leather and recycled canvas sell very well, too. In the five years the shop has been open, the trending colors

Continued on page 46

A view of the sales floor at Elsah General Store. The flooring and countertops at the establishment are original to 1877.

Special Gifts and Home Décor Section

Country Charm (From page 45)

in country giftware have migrated from maroon and navy to creams, burlap, and buffalo plaid.

Around Christmastime, Nightingale fields multiple requests for the fresh candies she carries (including peach rings, or chocolate covered coffee beans, which she stocks in milk and dark chocolate, and a mix of milk, dark and white chocolate). Customers want them for stocking stuffers, and as gifts for all ages. Nightingale’s strategy to getting fresher candies in store? She buys them in bulk (ie. not individually packaged) so that there is less processing involved, and the candies are still fresh when they arrive.

To boost sales, Nightingale likes to display items so customers can visualize the merchandise in their homes. She changes her displays roughly once a month, placing new items in the center of the display. And when a customer purchases an item, she fills that empty spot.

“People don’t like empty places,” said Nightingale. “The more things you have, the more likely they are to pick up something.”

The Flying Pig Mercantile is based in the nearby city of Dalhart, Texas. Owner Lacynda Hunter started the shop in her barndominium and then moved it into downtown Dalhart (where the store portion is approx-

imately 5,600 square feet). Soon after, they purchased the coffee shop next door as well. They live in a small town (about 8,000 people live in the town, and 14,000 in the area) with other gift and general/country stores in the area. So, her strategy has been to purchase merchandise to complement–and not compete–with her competitors’ merchandise.

Their sales figures have been growing since 2018. At the end of 2018, the figure was $75,000, at the end of 2019, it grew to $150,000. This year, they’ve already sold $150,000. The coffee shop has brought in a phenomenal amount of travelers to the store, Hunter said.

Hunter said some of her most successful country-themed products include cutting boards and glasses, etched with pictures of pigs, cows, and pewter serving pieces decorated with deer heads.

When it comes to edible merchandise, Hammond’s candies are great sellers, as are The Great San Saba River-branded products, including their popcorn, jellies and pecan pie in a jar. Locally grown tortilla chips have also been strong sellers. The chips come in three flavors–blue, multigrain and chili lime. Offering taste tests–while remaining COVID-conscious–works like a charm to sell edible gifts.

Edible Gifts Product News Brief NB

McCutcheon’s Offers Fine Fruit Products with Private Labeling Available

As a family owned and operated business, McCutcheon’s has been making fine fruit products in Historic Frederick, Md., since 1938. By the mid 1970s McCutcheon’s was supplying farmers markets, roadside stands, and country stores from Maine to Florida. Today, McCutcheon’s products are sold across the country. The reasonable cost, delicious taste, and homemade look make McCutcheon’s a perfect fit for your growing business. McCutcheon’s also offers private labeling options.

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Danielle Landrum, owner and founder, Boxcar General Store, Chattanooga, Tenn. Items featuring Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, and Willie Nelson sell well for the store.

“Once people touch it, taste it, feel it, smell it, they’re sold,” Hunter said.

Hunter has found social media to be a valuable tool sales tool. For instance, Hunter’s daughter posted a video of herself making the pecan pie in a jar on Instagram. She demonstrated the steps needed to make it, and how it turned out. This was a very successful promotion, Hunter said.

In Cumberland, R.I., Pine Swamp Place Owner Arlene Laboissonniere has been in the business for 25 years. Twenty-five years ago, country giftware was huge, said Laboissonniere. Then, there was a slump in popularity. It picked up again at around the time Chip and Joanna Gaines started their Magnolia brand, Laboissonniere said. This comeback introduced more of a farmhouse style for a new generation– a little cleaner looking than earlier country styles. This trend brought back home décor items, rustic and warm styles, wreathes and repurposed and distressed items. The red truck is currently a very trendy motif. It’s on everything right now, Laboissonniere said.

In Laboissonniere’s 1,400-square-foot shop, dips such as: artichoke and spinach, cranberry and walnut

Continued

Blair Smith, owner of Elsah General Store in Elsah, Ill. Smith stocks edible gifts that are not easily purchased in the area.

Special Gifts and Home Décor Section

Country Charm (From page 47)

dip and Vidalia onion relish are hot sellers all year.

At Christmastime, they sell sweet and savory items in baskets, like snickerdoodles, popcorn, chocolate covered pretzels, and so on. These baskets are merchandised with different price points so customers can walk in and select a basket based on price point.

Danielle Landrum , owner at Boxcar General Store in Chattanooga, Tenn., said their best-sellers are Southern-inspired. That includes items from stickers to tea towels to apparel featuring Southern sayings. “Items featuring Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson always do well for us,” Landrum said.

They’ve also noted that products in vintage inspired packaging are trending. “[Customers] like to see a new twist on a classic favorite,” explained Landrum. Bread and other food mixes packaged in drawstring bags reminiscent of an old-fashioned flour bag are popular picks at Boxcar. Pie-in-jar products are also a favorite, Landrum said.

Landrum is always very mindful of keeping an eye

out for great packaging while buying for the store. She recommended selling beautifully arranged gift sets of edibles.

“It’s a great way to increase your ticket average and customers love to purchase them,” Landrum said. ❖

An exterior view of Elsah General Store. The owner said it is important to curate attractive displays, and that each item in the store has a story.

Selling a Wave of Gift Choices

Beach and Resort Personal Care, Candles, and Coastal Gifts

At coastal stores and resort-area shops, gifts, personal care, and pampering products such as candles are all bright sellers this winter.

At The Wharf Shop in Sag Harbor, N.Y., Co-Owner Gwen Waddington said hand-crafted and locally made items are among her best-sellers. “We have a lot of local giftware such as Sag Harbor personal handbags, handcrafted ornaments, tableware, and other home goods. We have a line of candles from South Africa that are hand-painted there. They benefit the community in that country, and they are beautiful, too.” Both that beneficial aspect and their attractiveness draw shoppers, she noted.

Selling more of all these items is based on not only their uniqueness and hand-made qualities but is in part due to customers supporting this family-owned business. “People come to us to be a part of the community. They like shopping on a real main street, and they want to support us. They also get personal service, free gift wrapping, and we have excellent seasonal displays as well as cross- merchandising items,” Waddington explained. “All of those things contribute to sales.”

In Watch Hill, R.I., Erika Anderson , owner of Westerly Gifts, also said local does best when it comes to gift items. “Our retro Rhode Island line of garments are extremely popular. They are not only unique, we only offer limited batches, which makes them even more special. Some are themed to iconic area images, but they all have that retro look and are super soft. They use original art.” She added, “In the personal care area I sell mostly lip balms, and they do very well; I also offer some bath and body products, but the balms stand out.” Candles are the second-best seller in her 700-square-foot, she attested. To sell more of any item, she put an emphasis on creating easy-to-access online sales, reaching out to repeat customers, and offering a good price point on merchandise, including on her appealing limited-batch clothing. “In-store displays are not the most important thing for us these days,” Anderson related.

In the resort town of Scottsdale, Ariz., not far from the popular boating location of Saguaro Lake, Gift-ology Owner Parag Shah described his best-sellers.

Continued on page 52

Whale-themed gifts on display at The Wharf Shop in Sag Harbor, N.Y. Hand-crafted and locally made items are bestsellers for the store.

Special Gifts and Home Décor Section

“Anything to do with face masks is extremely popular at the moment, and hand sanitizers are also purchased as gifts. My top-sellers are charcuterie boards and cheese knives, any sort of spreader and serving tray, really. Also, any sort of self-care item, and that includes both candles and bath bombs, they do very well for us, too.”

However, if he had to pick one category that is really driving gift sales in his 2,500-square-foot shop right now, he voted for “home entertainment items. People are getting very creative about what they can do for their own little safe social bubbles.”

When it comes to candles, he said well-known brands such as Volcano and Rewine, which uses upcycled wine bottles, do best. Bath bombs such as Da Bomb, which come with a small surprise inside, are

Arranging for Great Sales

Top Display Tips for Gifts

For this article, boutique shop officials described their top display tips.

At The Wharf Shop in Sag Harbor, N.Y., Co-Owner Gwen Waddington said, “We do color themes, and we change things out frequently. We also often theme our display merchandise. Overall,

sought out in the shop, too. To sell more of any of these items, he noted changes in his own approach. “The personal touch customer service part of it has had to change somewhat, because of the pandemic. We are not as close to the customer and don’t engage as much as we used to, I don’t think. So, display and social media are big. Any independent boutique has had to do more with social media than they already were,” he attested. “Getting that online word out there is important. Display-wise you need to feature items more prominently in the store; and with customer service, you have to be able to explain products quickly. It’s counterintuitive, but you just can’t have that five-minute conversation with customers anymore. We still have to engage and educate, but briefly, and from a distance.”

Mo Meehan , owner and manager of Lantana’s

we like to tell a story with merchandise from compatible companies and use visually compatible merchandise.”

In Watch Hill, R.I., Erika Anderson, owner of Westerly Gifts reported, “I have a lot of items from local artists, and the main display tip I recommend is keeping those kinds of items together and displaying like-items by category.”

Located in Scottsdale, Ariz., Gift-ology Owner Parag Shah described his display technique as based in attractive positioning, both throughout the store and on a specific display space. “We don’t do color themes, but I will crossmerchandise when I can. Mostly it’s

about placing everything in one place, for example face masks, or candles, and making the items look attractive in that spot.”

Mo Meehan, owner and manager of Lantana’s Gallery in coastal Southport, N.C., also voted for grouping like-items together. “We do color themes and seasonal displays, too. We’re a tourist-based town, so we try to display a good mix and cross-section of gifts to fit everyone’s budget, from local shoppers to visitors that just want to see some new fun seasonal items. That mix is the most important part of display.”

And in Cambria, Calif., at The Garden Shed, speaking for Owner Ashley Gracey, the shop’s cashier, Katherine, said, “We tend to keep like-items together. For example, all our soaps are in one area, and within that area, each product has its own display, such as goat’s milk soaps and lotions and caramels all in one area.” ❖

The Hamptons gift merchandise is available at The Wharf Shop in Sag Harbor, N.Y. Using color themes and switching up displays frequently are strategies the management uses to get gifts noticed.

Gallery in coastal Southport, N.C., said she has wonderful gift options in her 1,000-square-foot shop. “We carry Paddywack candles, and they are one of our biggest sellers, both for year-round and holiday scents. We also carry Northern Lights and Illume candles, Cat Studios dish towels and art prints, Illume lotions and body washes, which are all great gift products for us.” She lists a few other top sellers for her shop: “We also carry Blinko Glass from West Virginia. That’s a company that’s been hand-blowing glass since the 1800s, and people will come to us exclusively for those pieces. And we’re an authorized retailer of Mackenzie Childs gifts. We have a large following of those customers, with housewares and gifts.” She said all of these items do well for the store because “We try to make sure we have items both unique to Southport itself, and items that are simply not available anywhere else in town.”

Striving to find these special items is one important aspect of elevating

Continued on page 54

Co-Owner Gwen Waddington of The Wharf Shop, photographed with baby apparel on display behind her. Customers want to support this family owned store, which is located on a real Main Street. Waddington’s mother, Nada Barry, who started the business in 1968, is the other co-owner.

Special Gifts and Home Décor Section

Sellinga a Wave (From page 53)

her sales, but display is also still “very important” for Meehan. “We have a good social media and online presence, but it’s still the in-shop experience that we provide which people love. We get a lot of repeat customers for that reason and for the products we carry themselves.” She caters to a diverse mix of local and traveling shoppers, and looks for a wide range of products to appeal to both.

She said, “We do have customers who come every summer annually to shop here, and they see the new things and have a fun experience as well as looking for the tried and true pieces that they love. We are a gallery as a well as a gift shop, so we also carry a lot of artisan goods from pottery and paintings to cards from local and regional artists. Having that kind of product mix is very important.”

And in Cambria, Calif., at The Garden Shed, speaking for Owner Ashley Gracey , the shop’s cashier, Katherine described another eclectic product mix. She said best-sellers include food items, plants, pottery, hummingbird feeders, and more.

“Probably our French milled soaps are the very top gift items, they are long-lasting and a beautiful prod-

uct. But seriously, everything from pesto mix to potted violets does well. Having unusual items is key, such as our locally-made lavender honey and handcrafted iron bats for the garden, with ball-bearing eyes.”

In the category of personal care and candles, she cited Savannah Bee body lotion, heel bombs, the aforementioned French soaps, and a goat’s milk soap, as well as “A soap wrapped in wool. The wool is like a soft exfoliant. It’s made in Northern California, and after that soap is gone, you can use the wool as a holder for another soap if you’d like.” The makers send photos of the sheep they sheer to make the product. “It’s fun to keep an eye on the sheep as they grow,” she said.

As to selling more products, she said the store relies on display, personal customer service, and striking visual images on the owners’ Instagram.

All in all, it’s a varied mix of top sellers and display techniques at boutique shops in coastal and resort communities nationwide. ❖

Presents to Celebrate Parents

Drug Store and Gift Store Quality Gifts for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day

When Mother’s Day rolls around, retailer Sara Villari stocks up on scented candles, soaps and other pamper items for Occasionette, her boutique with locations in Collingswood, N.J., and South Philadelphia., Pa. “We completely remerchandise the shops for Mother’s Day to put those gifts out front and center,” said Villari. “Then we follow up by posting on social media and letting our email list know all the different items we have.”

Villari takes the same approach for Father’s Day, when the bestselling gifts highlight dad’s gourmet side. “We sell a lot of cookbooks and cocktail gear for Father’s Day,” said the retailer. For both occasions, she added: “We sell a lot of cards. Cards will always be a big part of what we do.”

Coffee mugs are tops for both Mother’s and Father’s Day at Open House Store in Philadelphia. “For Mother’s Day, we also do really well with succulent plants,” noted Manager Sonia Skooglund . The store’s owners scour trade shows and survey trusted vendors to determine which gifts are most appealing, she added. “We really cater to a lot of different people. You’re able to come in here and find things for just about anyone.”

Mother’s Day “is just huge for us,” affirmed Dallas Mille r, retail manager and buyer at Hudson Drug Store in Paxton, Ill. The sprawling emporium dedicates about 75 percent of its sales floor to retail, and the spring occasions are always busy. Picture frames, blankets, candles, vases, apparel and mugs that say “Best Mom Ever” are among the top sellers. “Basically, things where Mom might look and say, ‘I’d like it, but I could use that money somewhere else,’” Miller

said. “The kids will come in and say, ‘I know Mom’s been looking at these candles or that vase.’”

For Father’s Day, anything with a sports or beer theme sells well. Miller maximizes revenue for both holidays through a combination of social media outreach and old-fashioned customer service. “We do

Continued on page 56

Left to right, Co-Owners Tiffica Benza, Jennifer Provost, and Ashley Peel, of Philadelphia Independents, Philadelphia, Pa. “Our staff is always on hand for a specialized shopping experience,” Peel said.

Special Gifts and Home Décor Section

Presents To Celebrate (From page 55)

pretty big displays for all of those occasions, and then we’ll do a live tour of the store on Facebook,” the buyer explained. “A lot of people come in because they know we have a great selection. They’ll say, ‘I have no idea what to get my wife,’ so we help them pick something out.”

Philly-themed gifts are a hit for Philadelphia Independents, a boutique featuring handcrafts from that city’s local makers. “The most popular gifts for dads on Father’s Day are Philly T-shirts, pint glasses, and bottle openers,” said Co-Owner Ashley Peel . For Mother’s Day, the store’s best-sellers are tea towels, candles, and soaps. “Our staff is always on hand for a

Continued on page 58

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SGN Asked: What merchandise do you have that would appeal as Nurse’s Day gifts?

Nurse’s Day is historically less observed than the other spring occasions. But the pandemic has spotlighted the vital role of medical workers — and retailers expect a surge in giftbuying this spring. “We’ll stock more appreciation gifts, like lotions, candles, soaps and candies for Nurse’s Day this year,” said Sara Villari, owner and Creative Director at Occasionette, which has stores in Collingswood, N.J., and South Philadelphia, Pa.

A nurse-themed pencil set is a perennial bestseller for Nurse’s Day at Open House Store in Philadelphia, Pa. “We’ve also got a selection of wine and shot glasses for nurses,” said Manager Sonya Skooglund.

Mugs, wine glasses and other drinkware with the slogan “Best Nurse Ever” are favorites at Hudson Drug Store in Paxton, Ill., along with magnetic sticky notes for the refrigerator, according to Retail Manager and Buyer Dallas Miller

At Appointments, a stationery store in Cincinnati, Owner Doug Kennedy used to sell a lot of high-end fountain pens for nurses “before pharmaceuticals got into the pen business,” as he puts it. Free drug-branded pens probably did less to cut into business than the demise of paper charting in favor of digital medical records, Kennedy acknowledged. For today’s nurses, he might recommend business card holders: “They still sell well.”

Special Gifts and Home Décor Section

Presents To Celebrate (From page 56)

specialized shopping experience,” Peel added.

Boutiques with more unique or idiosyncratic selections have their own particular twists on the spring occasions. Toko Baru, a Cincinnati shop with a spiritual bent, sells a variety of crystals for both Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. “They’re more specific to the person than to the occasion,” explained Manager Aygul Page . Sage and tarot cards are also popular if the recipient is metaphysically inclined, Page noted.

For anyone else, the 550-square- foot Toko Baru has a line of novelty socks with whimsical slogans and graphics. “Grumpy Old Men,” “Master Griller” and “I left the seat up for you” are naturals for Father’s Day, while “Proud Plant Mom” and “Plants Get Me” sell well to moms who garden. “We also have an array

SGN Asked: What merchandise do you have that would appeal as graduation gifts?

“For graduations, people really love giving things for the next step of life — things for a new apartment, or books that inspire,” said Sara Villari, owner and creative director at Occasionette, which has stores in Collingswood, N.J., and South Philadelphia, Pa.

Inspirational books are a popular graduates’ gift at Open House Store in Philadelphia, Pa. Store Manager Sonya Skooglund said the shop also sells a lot of desk plaques with cheeky, funny slogans like “Trust Me, I’m A Lawyer” or “Every Day I’m Hustling.”

School logo pillows are top gifts at Philadelphia Independents in that city, where a large percentage of residents are university students and alumni. “We sell quite a few of our college pillows —Temple, Penn, and Drexel — and

we offer custom school pride pillows too,” Owner Ashley Peel said.

Graduate gifts skew practical at Hudson Drug Store in Paxton, Ill., which boasts a huge gift selection. Best-sellers for high school grads include shower caddies and laundry bags that students use to haul their duds back and forth to their parents’ house on weekends — “essentials that are going to help them out,” explained Retail Manager and Buyer Dallas Miller. “We also sell a lot of gift cards they can use to buy pizza; that’ll get any kid through college.”

In Cincinnati, Doug Kennedy said some shoppers at Appointments, his stationery store, still purchase keepsakes like engraved fountain pens or leather briefcases. Such gifts have declined in popularity as more graduates

request practical technology like laptops and smartphones. But a computer, Kennedy pointed out, is no heirloom. After awhile, “it essentially becomes a big paperweight,” said the self-described “old school” retailer. “A teen doesn’t need a $450 pen, but he’ll keep it far longer.” ❖

A view of displays at Philadelphia Independents in Philadelphia, Pa., Philadelphia-themed gifts are popular for both Mother’s Day and Father’s Day at the store.

of mugs that are always good for gifts,” Page said.

Also in Cincinnati, Doug Kennedy has sold fountain pens, leather goods and other business-oriented gifts since 1993 at his 1,200-square-foot store, Appointments. But while there is still a market for high-end writing implements and desk accessories, technology has eaten away at the business. “Things have changed dramatically since I went into business 43 years ago,” Kennedy said.

One thing that hasn’t changed, observed Kennedy, is the tendency to spend much more for Mother’s Day than for Father’s Day. Appointments’ merchandise appeals more to men, Kennedy said, and he sells more pens — still his number one item — as well as briefcases on the latter holiday. “Especially for men, I’ll often recommend a travel valet,” said Kennedy of another popular gift. The foldable organizers, which start at just $14, organize wallet, keys, change and other essentials that might otherwise get lost on a hotel nighttable. ❖

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Dressing for Home Apparel Best-Sellers at Resort and Beach Shops

The pandemic has radically altered many Americans lifestyles, but they still want cute new things to wear — especially if they’re shopping on a weekend getaway. “This year, we’ve not sold any of our beautiful occasion dresses,” noted Kerry LaJoie , owner of Hazel Boutique in the coastal resort of Portsmouth, N.H. “But we’ve sold tons of loungewear, like knit culottes you can wear as pajamas, or with a beautiful sweater out. People want something new — and to be able to wear it right now, even just around the house.”

The light cotton pants and flowy dresses of summer gave way to cozy, oversized flannels for winter, as customers sought to update their look with pieces that fit the new stay-at-home lifestyle. Neutrals and earth tones like heather gray and mink have sold well, along with navy, which LaJoie said is always popular in New England.

During the pandemic, shoppers favor easy accessories they can purchase without having to go into an enclosed dressing room, potentially exposing themselves by having to remove their masks. LaJoie regularly steams items between try-ons at the 1,100-squarefoot store, but patrons remain wary of any contact, she

also the recipe for success at Sundance Clothing, a 30-year-old boutique in Chatham, Mass. “Because everyone spending so much more time at home, they’re buying more robes, joggers, other comfy clothing,” explained Owner April Cabral . Camouflage, a trendy pattern, has been a hit with shoppers who no longer have to go into the office. But the runaway best-seller has been a pair of $15 high-waisted leggings. Fleece lined for the Cape Cod winter, they come in a variety of colors and a single size that fits just about everybody. “We’ve sold hundreds of them,” Cabral reported. Another top item is a knit cap with a USBrechargeable light — ideal for winter adventures. “We’ve sold a lot of them for gifts,” said Cabral. As the holidays approached, her efforts to enhance the store’s website have paid off with customers shopping from home. “We’re doing better than a lot of people,” Cabral reflected.

observed. “We’ve sold a lot of really fun knit hats with fluffy pom poms which are great because you don’t have to try them on. They make a good gift, and obviously it’s cold right now,” LaJoie said. “We’ve sold tons of boots and booties this year. People want to spruce up their outfits with cool new shoes.”

Loungewear, accessories and online outreach are

In Portsmouth, N.H., LIT Boutique Owner Michele Fonteyne said she had also upped her focus on social media. “We have people buying directly from Instagram,” she said. Fonteyne opened multiple accounts and has found that videos are more effective than photos. She’s lucky to oversee one of the largest storefronts in downtown Portsmouth, which —unlike many resort boutiques — caters to a wide demographic, from high school and college women to young professionals and their mothers.

“We had to make some changes to accommodate shifting lifestyles and consumer trends,” noted

“Our customer is looking for value in unique details. They want interesting lines, fabrics and buttons, elevated fabric or seaming.”

- Amanda Sparks, Siren Boutique, Eastsound, Wash.

Dressing for Home (From page 60)

Fonteyne. In addition to social media outreach, those changes include finding new brands to entice customers, like the Los Angeles label Boys Lie. “It just blew up,” marveled Fonteyne. “Every time we get it, it all sells out instantly.” Commando, a longtime customer favorite, is another line that continues to do well.

This season, LIT customers favor a neutral palette of earth tones, mustards, and the ubiquitous dusty mauve. “There are always some customers who want bright

colors, but in general it’s more muted,” Fonteyne observed. Casual and athleisure styles have surged since the pandemic began, but as some shoppers go back to work, Siren has sold more upscale jeans and dressycasual tops.

Faux leather, a trend for several years, is a hit with style conscious young women: “You can throw any type over the pants and look good,” noted Fonteyne. Sweaters, jackets and masks are all categories that have sold

Selling Tips for Sunglasses and Hats

Practical, unisex sunglasses and hats are what sells at Sundance Clothing in Chatham, Mass. “We’re a women’s store, but our hats appeal to all ages and to men, women, and children alike,” said Manager Chelsea Forgeron. She’s had men walk by with their dogs, glance at her night scout hats in the window, and pop in to buy one.

Especially in colder climes, beanie-style knit caps are a consistent favorite during winter months. But sunglasses aren’t the staple they once were at independent boutiques. That’s largely because retail space is valuable and the sunglass scene is relatively saturated, with stylish, inexpensive frames on sale at chain retailers. Sundance only carries one line, which resonates because the specs are both unisex and locally made, Forgeron said.

COVID-era hygiene concerns have prompted Kerry LaJoie to remove all glasses from Hazel Boutique, which she owns in Portsmouth, N.H. But hats are another story. On the Atlantic waterfront, patrons buy fedoras and sun hats in summer, cash-

mere or felted wool styles in winter. “Where we are, hats are a seasonal thing, offering protection from the sun or cold,” LaJoie explained. It also helps to have a stylish window display; LaJoie arranges the season’s toppers

people are working from home on screens, Fonteyne noted. In one of Portsmouth’s largest downtown retail storefronts, LIT displays hats and sunglasses prominently up front.

There’s little sun to ward off in coastal Washington State. At Cotton Cotton Cotton, a boutique in the resort town of Friday Harbor, “we did try readers, but they didn’t work out,” observed Owner Gail Schnee. To ward off the misty chill, patrons favor stocking-style hats from Nepal as well as classic pom-pom hats. Schnee highlights the hats in store windows alongside mittens and scarves.

on storefront mannequins.

Nearby in Portsmouth, sunglasses “sell themselves” at LIT Boutique, said Manager Michele Fonteyne. Lenses featuring migraine-preventing blue light protection have been popular during the recession, since many

“We make the accessories a part of the story we’re telling in our boutique,” affirmed Amanda Sparks, owner of Siren Boutique in Eastsound, Wash. She said her thoughtful displays inspire shoppers to accessorize with just the right hat. “Does it stay on your head? Does it cover your face?” reflected Sparks of the thought process behind hat purchases. “Socially, is it appropriate for our area — is it gaudy, or does it fit in?” ❖

Continued on page 66

Apparel Section

Dressing for Home (From page 64)

well this season.

At Siren Boutique in Eastsound, Wash., “our customer is looking for value in unique details,” said Owner Amanda Sparks . “They want interesting lines, fabrics and buttons, elevated fabric or seaming.” Siren’s primary demographic is women aged 45 and up, a mix of locals and vacationers who return year after year. With three coastal locations but no e-commerce business, “for us, what’s important is the relationships we build with our customers,” Sparks noted. “They know that if we help them buy something they love, they’ll wear it a hundred times.”

Sparks’s customers are old enough to know what they want, and to invest in pieces that won’t go out of style. “Interesting tops are where it’s at,” observed the retailer. “Women all have their favorite pair of pants, and they’re

very brand loyal for bottoms, but tops are different. That’s where you can really have fun and express your personality.”

It’s also where women can update their look with this season’s color palette, driving sales of tops priced $75-125. Black is always popular, while salmon is this year’s hot hue, and robin’s egg blue is the top overall color. “I’ve heard that if you get the right shade, blue sells to everybody,” Sparks noted.

Of course, in order to have sales, you need customers. The pandemic travel restrictions

have disproportionately affected tourist towns that require non-car travel, like Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, Washington. When local officials shut down visitor lodgings last spring, few visitors were willing to splurge for the pricey car ferry if they couldn’t stay the night.

As a result, said Gail Schnee , sales are down by about 50 percent at Cotton Cotton Cotton, the boutique she owns with

“This year, we’ve not sold any of our beautiful occasion dresses. But we’ve sold tons of loungewear, like knit culottes you can wear as pajamas, or with a beautiful sweater out. People want something new — and to be able to wear it right now, even just around the house.”

- Kerry LaJoie, Hazel Boutique, Portsmouth, N.H.

her husband, Randy. “We’re a small island, and we rely on tourism,” said Schnee, who recently moved the 11-year-old store into a new, 800-square-foot location.

The Schnees have found that fair trade products and made-in-U.S.A. items appeal to the socially conscious clientele. Socks made from recycled T-shirts have sold well, along with novelty socks featuring Bigfoot, the folkloric creature said to inhabit local

woods. “Anything blue or green always sells well in the coastal Northwest,” Schnee said.

But until pandemic restrictions ease, the retailer said she expects her biggest category to be masks. “A lot of our regular scarf, hat and shirt vendors are manufacturing masks, and I have a local friend who’s made some as well,” Schnee said. ❖

Where Beautiful Locales Meet Stylish Adornments

Jewelry at Resort and Beach Stores

Ideally, time slows down while visiting a resort or beach town. People have a chance to unwind, catch their breath, perhaps even find an opportunity to dream. Should they decide to go shopping, their pace is leisurely, and they’re open to suggestion. Could there be a better frame of mind in which to purchase jewelry? For this article, two retailers in vacation spots each gave their perspectives.

Nestled in the Hudson Valley, only 90 miles north of Manhattan, Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, N.Y., is an iconic destination. This Victorian castle resort boasts an over 150-year history and has been designated a National Historic Landmark. While shopping in the Mohonk Gift Shop, guests frequently look for a special piece of jewelry to remind them of their visit. “Bringing a piece of Mohonk home with them will always remind them of the memories they created here,” said Gift Shop Manager Candy Martin . By way of example, she identified a local artist who crafts charms in the likeness of the resort’s logo – the Summerhouse – as well as other iconic scenes throughout the property such as its Sky Top tower and the rocking chairs on its porches. Perched lakeside and surrounded by 40,000 acres of forest, the great outdoors is an integral part of Mohonk’s appeal. “The nature surrounding the Mountain House is often of special significance to many of our guests, so we also carry several lines of jewelry that embody the natural world such as Silver Seasons, and lines that incorporate natural stones.”

Locally crafted jewelry is such a key part of Mohonk Gift Shop’s merchandise line-up that the 1,800-square-foot space includes a special local artisan room which features local artists of all kinds. “As well as the local artist who designs

Continued on page 70

Buyer Katie Crist, left, with Manager Candy Martin, Mohonk Mountain House, New Paltz, N.Y. Guests frequently pick a special piece of jewelry when shopping at the Mohonk Gift Shop, according to Martin.

Where Beautiful Locales (From page 68)

our logo charms, our best-selling local jewelry artists work with natural stones, Swarovski crystals in vintage settings, and dichroic glass,” said Martin. Lately, she is discovering a lot of guests are especially intrigued by the healing properties of stones. The Gift Shop carries a couple of mass-produced lines featuring such popular items as sterling silver earrings with natural stones as well as earrings made of colorful niobium metal. “But we’d rather support small businesses than mass-produced merchandise, and most of the jewelry we carry is from small businesses.”

When it comes to selling jewelry, Martin had several customer service tips to impart. Her first directive is to be intuitive as to what your customer wants. “Ask questions like ‘Are you looking for something for everyday wear or for a special event?’’’ Secondly, she suggested always trying to upsell. “If they buy a necklace, ask if they’re interested in the earrings or bracelet to match. If they don’t find exactly what they’re looking for in one line, point them in the direction of another line that may also be of interest to them.” Her final bit of advice is to know when to stop. “There’s a fine line

Mohonk Gift Shop Salesperson Connor Weiss photographed with a display of local jewelry. Locally crafted jewelry is a key part of the store’s merchandise line-up.

Shown is the work of Michael Michaud, a designer whose jewelry is offered at the Mohonk Gift Shop. The gift store manager advised upselling jewelry items to customers.

between pointing someone to another line and being pushy!” she concluded.

Southport is a popular seaside town in North Carolina, with miles of beaches just a shell’s throw away. Little wonder then, that Cape Fear Jewelers situated in Southport features a great deal of nautically themed jewelry. “We have a lot of local interest jewelry focused on anything from the lighthouses in North Carolina to the local islands,” said Owner Lee Thompson . His 1,100-square-foot establishment is also the exclusive dealer of a wrist adornment known as the Southport bracelet. The design hooks a letter “S” which appears to resemble nautical rope with a letter “P” which is crafted to be reminiscent of a lighthouse on nearby Oak Island. It’s a tribute in precious metals to the area, and in particular to Southport, a town rich in Maritime history.

While Cape Fear Jewelry creates a good amount of custom jewelry onsite, some of the more popular

Continued on page 72

The work of local jewelry designer Felix Z at the Mohonk Gift Shop. The shop manager said a lot of guests lately are especially intrigued by the healing properties of stones.

Where Beautiful Locales (From page 71)

pieces are mass-produced. “We may craft the initial design locally, but we then have to have them mass-produced at a large facility elsewhere. It’s more cost-effective,” said Thompson. Still, it’s not uncommon for vacationers to come in with special requests in which case Cape Fear Jewelers will design and craft something right on the premises. It goes back to the idea of vacationing folk having more time on their hands to dream and to act on that vision.

“We can copy things from a picture, for example, if someone presents a photo of something they like,” he explained. It could be an engagement ring or any other piece of jewelry. They might want to incorporate a nautical element, or not – but Southport has that effect on people. By way of dispensing customer service advice, Thompson extolled service after the sale and the guarantee of good quality workmanship. “If they want to exchange something or if they have a problem with something, we’re here to take care of it,” he concluded. ❖

Ulyana Mazur of the Mohonk Gift Shop photographed with displays of both local and non-local jewelry. One local artist crafts charms in the likeness of the resort’s logo and other iconic scenes throughout the property.

A display of some of the more popular jewelry at the Mohonk Gift Shop. The store’s manager recommended asking questions to ascertain how a jewelry purchase will be used.

Conservation Jewelry Line Helps Tackle a

Global Problem

1 Tree Mission® Plants One Tree For Every Bracelet Purchased

Sandy and Art Phillips launched 1 Tree Mission® (www.cooljewels.com/collections/1tree-mission) in late 2019 to help reforest the earth after witnessing the impact of deforestation on global warming and wildlife habitats. They are funding the effort through sales of distinctive, semi-precious stone bead bracelets. The design of each of the 10 current bracelet styles, which retail for $19.99, is inspired by a different tree. Every bracelet sold results in one tree being planted.

Trees are planted throughout United States forests and local communities, sub-Sahara Africa, Australia, Borneo and the Amazon rainforest. The husband and wife team, animal lovers who own Cool Jewels® by Phillips International, a jewelry design and distribution company serving the tourism industry for over 44 years, are about 2,000 plantings shy of their first year goal of 125,000 trees. They aim to plant many more in the ensuing years.

The bracelets are available to the trade exclusively through Cool Jewels®. Strong support from industry and consumers has encouraged the company to add many new styles to the line for an early 2021 launch.

Various merchandising options include both POP and floor displays.

Global warming occurs when carbon dioxide, other air pollutants and greenhouse gases gather in the atmosphere, where they absorb sunlight and solar radiation that have bounced off the earth’s surface. Trees remove carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases from the air while releasing oxygen, thus serving as a natural solution to global warming. During its lifetime, a single tree can remove up to one ton of carbon.

“In over 44 years of designing jewelry, I have never spent as much time creating a line as I did with 1 Tree Mission®. It’s a labor of love. Each bracelet is handmade using both recycled cord and packaging, while every stone was carefully selected to represent a unique element of nature,” said Art Phillips. “We are grateful to the many zoos, aquariums, gift shops, other retailers and consumers who have embraced our mission. All of us have a responsibility not only to wildlife, but to each other and future generations. Planting trees is something each of us can do to help address the vital and concerning issues of global warming and preserving wildlife habitats,” Sandy Phillips added. ❖

Cool Jewels® is combating deforestation efforts through the sale of distinctive, semi-precious stone bead 1Tree Mission® bracelets.

1 Tree Mission® bracelets are available to the trade exclusively through Cool Jewels®.

Reusable Stainless Steel Camp Mug

Stainless Steel Camp Mugs, Water Bottles and Pint Glasses are available from Mountain Graphics. Choose from many eye-catching designs or add one of your own. Reusable, dishwasher safe and BPA-free. Many designs for the outdoor retail market. Name-drops are free. Low Minimums!

(For more information call 1-888-764-6450, visit www.mtgraphics. com, or circle 30 on the reader service card.)

Outdoor Stickers

Eye-catching, outdoor-weather-resistant stickers and magnets are available from Mountain Graphics. Many stock designs to choose from. Name-drops are free. Made in the USA.

(For more information, call1-888-764-6450, visit www. mtgraphics.com, or circle 30 on the reader service card.)

Sure-Selling Souvenirs

How Two Facilities are Faring During the Pandemic

Depending on the area, a good number of zoos and aquariums have re-opened with safety protocols in place. Just as patrons are happy to have the opportunity to visit, facilities are just as happy to welcome customers back. The resident creatures are pretty jazzed about it too! Of course, any such outing would hardly be complete without a stroll through the onsite gift shop. For this article, one zoo and one aquarium in distinctly different locales described what the retail scene currently looks like for them.

Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, Tenn., championed the turtle in 2020 and proclaimed it the Year of the Turtle. In March, they even opened a new turtle exhibit to mark the occasion. As a result, plush turtles have sold very well inside the facility’s gift stores. The aquarium is split between two separate buildings –River Journey and Ocean Journey and each features its own gift shop, measuring 2,800 square feet and 1,800 square feet respectively. There is a third retail outlet inside the Aquarium’s IMAX Center, although that remains closed at this time.

River otters are yet another popular attraction at Tennessee Aquarium and therefore plush items depicting them are also good sellers. “All the kids coming though these days are buying plush as a memento while the adults are buying T-shirts,” said Gift Shop Manager Micheal T. Floyd . He didn’t think adults reach for T-shirts out of a pandemic-driven desire for comfortable attire, however. “From what we’ve seen as a result of the pandemic, it doesn’t seem to matter what you have out on the sales floor – it’s probably going to sell! People are just so excited to have an in-person shopping experience when they come visit. For most people, this is one of the first places where they feel comfortable coming because of our mask mandates. And we have everything in place for social distancing so it’s the first time they’re getting a memorable shopping experience that isn’t a grocery store.”

Tennessee Aquarium retail is operated by Event Network which does all the buying and visual merchandising for its gift stores. However, there is one display technique that Floyd always tries to follow, especially in the River Journey gift shop. “If we’re putting a fixture together, we

Guest Services Lead Trisha Gleich with a nesting box display at ZooMontana. Plush is always a best-seller for the attraction.

Zoo and Aquarium Retail

want to make sure that it’s shoppable from all sides,” he said. The River Journey gift shop is designed to simulate a flowing river, an effect accomplished courtesy of ceiling lights and patterned carpeting. Patron traffic goes with the flow, so to speak. “Some people will go around one side of the fixture, and some people will go around the other. It’s a really good idea say, if you have a table, to make sure there is a display all the way around that people can shop from,” he concluded.

When ZooMontana reopened in May, the number of people who came to visit was practically overwhelming. “I think we were one of the only places in town that was primarily an outdoor attraction. All those families who had been cooped up for months finally had a place to go,” said Kathy Barton , the Guest Services manager. The gift shop didn’t reopen for another month, but the patrons soon flowed just as steadily through it as well. “I’ve looked at the numbers and people aren’t spending any more than they normally do but there are just more people and therefore a lot more sales.” Across the board, plush is always the best-seller inside the 1,350-squarefoot retail space. Plush versions of a red panda, a river otter and a tiger represent the top three favorites. Another item that competes handily with plush are bookmarks which ZooMontana makes inhouse. Staff members photograph the animals and size the images

ZooMontana Guest Services Associate Erin Jenkins with bookmarks that the facility makes in-house. The attraction was overwhelmed with visitors when it reopened in May, 2020.

Zoo and Aquarium Retail

Sure-Selling Souvenirs (From page 77)

so they will fit on a bookmark. They then mount them on colorful paper, put the animal’s name and species on the back, decorate it a little, laminate, and then finally tie a ribbon to the top. “Those are extremely popular. I think it’s because it’s a unique item, something you’ll only find here. And it’s like taking a piece of that animal home with you.”

Barton has had much success working with local vendors while scouting for new souvenir merchandise to stock the gift shop. “We’ve got this wonderful Made in Montana fair and I can go there and find local vendors. It’s great because we’re a smaller gift shop that wants fun, custom ornaments or key chains or pottery or whatever, but we also don’t want to buy 4,000 of them to get a decent price!”

Barton finds she can work with local vendors and get some really unique items, tailor-made in smaller quantities. Her customers feel good about supporting local artisans as well. In terms of display, ZooMontana’s retail space is very compact, so staff has to be very creative and utilize every square inch to the best of its ability. Case in point would be a chicken nesting box that once hung from the store’s ceiling which they pulled down and incorporated into their plush display. Whereas once it was inaccessible and a waste of space, now it’s packed with plush birds and people shop right out of it. “Plus, it’s magnetic so we stick some of our souvenir magnets on it too. We sell more magnets off of that nesting box that we do off of our actual magnet display!” Barton concluded. ❖

What Are Kids’ Favorite Souvenirs?

Plush is leading right now at Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, Tenn., primarily the facility’s main creatures which are turtles, otters, sharks, and penguins. “We’ve been able to keep a pretty large quantity of plush on hand, but toys have been a little harder to get because of the pandemic. They’re delayed months out sometimes, but fortunately we have great relationships with our vendors who have helped mitigate that impact by suggesting alternatives so we still have a great selection available for our guests,” said Micheal T. Floyd, the gift shop manager.

Although plush is always a winner at ZooMontana in Billings, Mont., the gift shop also sells thousands of Good Luck Minis – a line of miniature animal figurines by Safari, Ltd. “We sell them for just 75 cents apiece. We try to carry as many animals as we can, so kids start to collect them. Every visit, they get others to add to their collection,” said Guest Services Manager Kathy Barton ❖

Guest Services Manager Kathy Barton with a peacock. Barton has found success finding new souvenir merchandise from local vendors.

Plush displays at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, Tenn. Great relationships with vendors who can suggest alternate merchandise has kept the attraction stocked despite delays in the availability of some goods.

Stormy Stevens, lead cashier, with an apparel and gift display at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, Tenn. It was the year of the turtle in 2020 at the attraction.

What’s Trending in Toys

Best-Sellers at Baby, Hardware, and Toy Stores

Puzzles were the runaway hit of last spring’s pandemic lockdown, flying off shelves from coast to coast as families sought indoor diversion. But as the 2020 holiday season got into swing, children’s and hardware stores reported that shoppers toy preferences varied widely by retailer and demographic.

Board games and puzzles have remained the topselling category at Center Hardware and Supply in San Francisco, Calif. John Paulson , manager at the 16,000-square-foot store, observed that games have continued to sell far better than they did before the spring lockdown. “We have a lot of families who shop here, and they’re all looking for things for the kids to do while they’re at home that don’t involve screens,” he noted.

At Ace Hardware in Las Vegas, Nev., kids gravitate toward pint size versions of the items their parents bought — from miniature tool kits and toy barbecues to scaled down lawn mowers and the like. “We notice the kids like miniature versions of the things that the grown-ups are doing,” observed Store Manager Jeffrey Kajiwara . Like many hardware stores, Ace in Las Vegas sets aside a relatively small area for children-specific merchandise — a display roughly four feet wide.

Pahrump Rentals and Hardware, in the Nevada town of the same name, is located in a retirement community, with a mostly adult clientele. “For those children who do come in we keep a supply of whirligig toys that they like,” said Manager Meghan Thomas . Professional quality art supplies, geared to all ages, also sell well for children, Thomas noted — especially when families are home during the pandemic.

It’s a largely adult scene at Mapamundi Kids in San Francisco, Calif., as well. Store Manager

Aldea Baby and Home Owner Johanna Bialkin, photographed with an ornament display. The store is selling more scooters, wagons and other diversions that are perfect for a backyard or a park.

Games, Playthings and Plush

Sean Santos said the boutique is geared for sophisticated professionals shopping for the children in their lives — with quirky visual appeal and Instagram-ready wares to match.

“We have a very curated product line; we’re a very unique store,” said Santos, who moonlights as the drag queen Yves Saint Croissant and, in full costume, hosts readings for kids in the store. The socially conscious clientele “really responds to products that are made locally and items that are made in the U.S.A., not in China,” explained Santos. “They’re looking for inclusive books and dolls that reflect a variety of ethnicities. Many grown-ups grew up with dolls of a single color, and they want more for their own children.” Among the current best-sellers are the Holdie Folk figurines from Olli and Ella, and voice recorders from the Texas-based Brand

Continued on page 82

Toys Product News

Paper Puzzles

dodoland is a New Zealand based company with big plans. Their EUGY paper puzzles are a worldwide success story and are distributed in the USA from their Los Angeles, Calif., warehouse.

(Contact Sales Director Kevin Topham at sales@ eugy.com for more information. For additional information, circle 16 on the reader service card.)

Baby toys on display at Aldea Baby and Home in San Francisco, Calif. “Parents are looking for things to engage their young ones,” the store’s owner said.

Games, Playthings and Plush

Are Puzzles Still a Piece of the Profits Picture?

When much of America was locked down last spring, puzzles were suddenly the must-have item for families trapped at home with the kids — and according to many retailers, table and floor games are still a hit. “We sell puzzles every day. They’re our top seller,” said Johanna Bialkin, owner at Aldea Home and Baby in San Francisco, Calif.

“We have a good selection of puzzles, and they continue to be a really strong item,” agreed Sean Santos, store manager at Mapamundi Kids, also in San Francisco.

Board games and puzzles were always popular with customers at Center Hardware and Supply in San Francisco. But sales really picked up in March and April, said Store Manager John Paulson, “and they’re still flying out of here,” he said in December, 2020. ❖

New Noise.

Most children have been at home since March in California, so it’s no surprise that San Francisco, Calif.-based Aldea Baby and Home has done a brisk business in pastimes that foster children’s development — arts and crafts kits, musical instruments, puzzles and sensory stimulating toys. “Parents are looking for things to engage their young ones,” said Owner Johanna Bialkin . From dog toys to dress up costumes to toilet paper ornaments, many of the top sellers are items the whole family can enjoy.

Local children love collecting figurines from the Maileg Mice — a line that started by encouraging gentle play around bedtime ritual, and has lately expanded to include more kitchen items, reflecting the time children are spending at home. Aldea recently started carrying silicone playthings from the Montessori-inspired Fat Brain Toys line, and it has been a hit. “These are toys that babies can chew, lick, play within the bath or even at the beach,” noted Bialkin. Speaking of the beach: Bialkin has observed rising demand for items that are easy to transport or use anywhere; with school and jobs largely remote, families have been moving around.

So-called “flat” pianos, which teach kids keyboard basics, and pint-size guitars from the Loog brand are

What’s Trending in Toys (From page 81)

Johanna Bialkin, owner, Aldea Baby and Home in San Francisco, Calif., photographed with merchandise. Late last year, puzzles were still a top seller for the store.

favorites among a clientele that has always favored musical instruments. And with more families enjoying recreation outdoors, Aldea is selling more scooters, wagons and other diversions geared for the backyard or the park.

To compensate for reduced foot traffic at the 7,000-square-foot, three-story emporium, Bialkin recently launched a corporate service, Aldea for Business. “We needed to

Toys Product News Brief

Wikki Stix Helps Kids Construct Fun

Now that the excitement of the new Christmas stuff has worn off, what to do? Families are back to bored kids, and they always need something new.

Wikki Stix provide that, because everything you make is NEW! It’s a new toy every time you pull it out. Because Wikki Stix provide creative fun, kids can use their imaginations, and that means Mom often hears “Look what I made!”

That sense of pride and accomplishment is important for personal growth and self-esteem. So Wikki Stix are not only fun and affordable, but constructive in more ways than one! (For more information, call 602-870-9937, email kclark@wikkistix.com, or circle 51 on the reader service card.)

pivot,” the retailer explained, adding that with 900 brands to draw from across baby, children’s and home products, the store is a natural for corporate gifting.

There’s no question this has been a hard year — but Bialkin has been heartened by the loyalty and support of neighborhood patrons and the San Francisco retail community. “We are all really there for each other,” she said.

Craft kits on display at Aldea Baby and Home. The store is doing a brisk business in pastimes that foster children’s development.

Fun and affordable, Wikki Stix are the perfect postholiday-season toy.

Fanning Fan Fever Selling Licensed Merchandise to Serious Sports Followers

By Sara Karnish

Sports fans’ loyalty remains strong through the most trying times. Fan store retailers say although their sales have declined overall in 2020, fans’ devotion to their favorite teams has not wavered. Some customers’ buying habits have changed, but tried-andtrue merchandise like jerseys, caps, and T-shirts remain strong sellers.

David Sklarlka , co-owner of Bleacher Bums, a family-owned franchise of five sports stores in Central Pennsylvania with its flagship store in Camp Hill, Pa., said, “The NFL is 70 percent of our business. We have a whole section that is just NFL sweatshirts and jerseys. Every year, the NFL does a ‘Salute to Service’ series of sweatshirts, hats, and jackets that the players wear on Veterans’ Day. It’s our best-seller every year.”

Although devoted sports fans rarely waver from “their” team, Luke Pesha , owner of Chicago Sports & Novelty, with three brick-and-mortar stores and one Guaranteed Rate Field kiosk location in Chicago, Ill., said sometimes sales are driven by how a team is do-

“The NFL is 70 percent of our business. We have a whole section that is just NFL sweatshirts and jerseys. Every year, the NFL does a ‘Salute to Service’ series of sweatshirts, hats, and jackets that the players wear on Veterans’ Day. It’s our best-seller every year.”

David

ing. He names adjustable caps as their biggest seller, followed by men’s shirts and knitwear.

Josh Ganal , owner/buyer, Grandstand Ltd., in Chicago, Ill., said the same. “It ranges depending on the teams. Consistently jerseys are always a popular item as well as headwear. Headwear is a huge market right now because of [mask and gaiter] trends.”

Amanda Duenas , owner of Sports Collection in Boston, Mass., said headwear is also one of their biggest sellers. “For 2021 we’ll have regular T-shirts with different designs. Every year we try to get in some new designs.”

As for what’s new in licensed merchandise for 2021, some retailers say their 2020 products never reached their full selling potential due to mandatory shutdowns and an overall decrease in consumer spending. “Next year will be interesting because most of our manufacturers didn’t get to execute their lines,” Pesha said. “Every year the MLB will do special edition caps for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and other holidays, but they didn’t get to do them in 2020. So our new items for 2021 will be what we didn’t get to put out in 2020.”

Next year, Ganal said he will continue to carry the items sports fans see players wearing on TV. “Items that are team issued and worn while in play or during interviews are always the most sought after because fans recognize it as being ‘authentic’ and will want to wear exactly what their favorite team/ player wears,” he explained.

Pesha said neon is trending once again, as well as “long sleeves. We were going to dabble in leopard- and animal-print. We’re also seeing the bulkier outerwear going out and customers going more for the T-shirts and sweatshirts. The licensed items are usually an under layer; the team logos on the bulkier items are very small.”

Sklarlka said he is excited to feature Riddell’s new collection of helmets for 2021. “We’ll see the new helmets shipping for March. They do all the NFL teams and a limited number of colleges. The Salute to Service merchandise comes out in the fall of ’21—that’s always extremely good for us. They are the items we know we’re getting for next year.” Some carryover items at Bleacher Bums include a series of framed pictures of Super Bowl teams and hockey teams. “They came out in the fourth quarter of 2020. The pictures come with replicated rings to hang with the framed

Continued on page 86

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Sklarlka, Bleacher Bums, Camp Hill, Pa.

See our other ad on page 37

Fanning Fan Fever (From page 84)

piece. The rings are exact replicas of the rings the players get. They will be extremely big for us in 2021. We also carry hover helmets, which is a mini replica of a team helmet. It has a magnet on the top and comes with a stand. The helmet actually floats in midair.”

Sklarlka said they have shifted their marketing and sales focus slightly. “Our online presence is up tremendously [due to current circumstances] but we focus on our brick-and-mortar locations. In the world of sports marketing, Fanatics is a very big player online, so it’s hard for us to do much SEO and compete with them. We are online and market online—we have Facebook—but we’re in the malls and looking to get the traffic flow from the mall business.”

It is difficult to predict trends for 2021, but some of the retailers expect the demand for headwear to continue. Duenas said, “masks and gaiters with licensed sports logos” will continue trending in her 3,000-square-foot flagship store. Ganal said headwear is a big trend for them right now—“specifically New Era headwear in the fitted 59Fifty style. Everything from multiple logos, different color ways, colors in general, small logos and big logos,” he explained.

Sports fans tend to be multi-generational, with plenty of good-natured competition occurring between relatives who support different teams. Retailers see a wide range of customers from all walks of life, but said they do have a core demographic. “Since we’re mainly a gift business, people are in our store shopping for gifts. I would say it’s females aged 35-60. When you look at a household, it’s mainly Mom doing the shopping for the holidays. They’re not the end user but they’re doing the buying. They’re who we’re looking to market to,” Sklarlka explained. Duenas said her customers are “Mostly men who like sports—I would say men aged 20-40 years old. Or women if they want to buy a gift.” Pesha explained his stores are currently closed, as they are in areas of the city with heavy tourist populations and have been unable to reopen due to the pandemic-related decline in foot traffic. However, he said, “On a regular day, our typical customer would be a downtown business employee who was maybe shopping on their lunch break. So we’d get a lot of men, and a lot of visitors. And of course, a lot of families during the holidays.” Ganal said their store sees a wide-ranging clientele. “Because of our location we get clients that are definitely fans of the pro teams in the city and we will also see clientele that are heavily into lifestyle/streetwear fashion,” he said. “When there is a shoe release that is heavily sought after we almost always will have something that will match. At times streetwear can determine the strength of certain items that we carry so that is why we have such a diverse clientele. There aren’t many places where you can pick up an outfit for a newborn while your biggest sneaker collector can also pick out something to match his new shoes.”

Merchandising has always been a top driver for

When the Customers Are Kids, What Is Selling?

Sports fan stores’ inventory often extends to the younger generation. Retailers carry an assortment of merchandise that appeals to kids’ and teens’ desire for style and shows their loyalty to a favorite team.

“We sell almost the same in kids as what we sell for adults,” said Owner/Buyer Josh Ganal of Grandstand Ltd.’s kids’ section. “If there is a direct takedown from

the adult line, we try to carry it. We carry sizes from newborn all the way up to big youth.” Co-Owner David Sklarlka said Bleacher Bums carries items for the smallest fans on up. “We have everything from onesies in 0-3 months to bibs, pacifiers, T-shirts, jerseys. We go up to 18-20 (Youth XL). We sell a good bit of kids’ clothing—it’s about 1/10 of our store.” Sports fans can find similar

items at Chicago Sport and Novelty. “We sell T-shirts, jerseys, two-piece sets, onesies, and hats for children from newborn to youth XL (18-20),” said Owner Luke Pesha. Sports Collection carries some items for kids. “We have a basic T-shirt and cap set. Kids’ winter hats. Hooded sweatshirts. And logoed PJ bottoms, which are a great gift,” Owner Amanda Duenas said. ❖

sales, but many owners have had to recreate their in-store displays online due to the increase in digital commerce. Because customers are limiting their time in stores due to health and safety concerns, store layout and merchandising is more critical than ever. Customers are spending less time browsing and more time picking up exactly what they need, so they must be able to find what they’re looking for.

“Merchandising is the whole ball game. If you have a clean store, organized shelves, and tidy displays you will do better than if your assortment is all over,” Pesha said. “We have found that if the customer does not have to struggle to get an item down, or the rack is not over-filled [that tends] to lead to a purchase. Nothing turns off a customer more than a dirty store or not being able to browse a rack because it is over-filled.”

Ganal said it’s important to listen to customer feedback and pay attention to their shopping patterns when they come into a store. “We all have this vision for our business and how it should be presented, but the truth of the matter is sometimes all it takes to properly merchandise

is something as simple as moving a specific product from one end of a display to the other. If you really want to merchandise, personally I like to watch what my clients do as they walk through the store. What is it that their eyes get drawn to? I then take that and try to walk the store through their eyes and take in their perspective. I find that the answers are there—we just have to listen.”

Duenas said the independent sport fan store industry is facing more competition from the big box stores. “It’s really hard to compete in the sports business. There are so many stores jumping on board because they realize the sports business is huge, especially in New England. Even the larger chains have big sports sections. I try to pick merchandise that’s different from the larger chains. I work with a lot of people who will do different designs. It’s very creative around here.” ❖

Springing into Sales

St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, and Spring Merchandise at Party Stores

By June Allan Corrigan

Spring was not kind to party goods retailers this past year. The pandemic-induced quarantine arrived just in time to effectively squelch sales of St. Patrick’s Day, Easter and springtime merchandise at most of these stores. For this article, four retailers described what the scenario looked like in their part of the country and shared some of their coping strategies.

Hats and green-colored beads are usually good sellers around St. Patrick’s Day at Party Carousel in Tucson, Ariz. “People like to wear things because they’re more apt to go to a party or to go to a bar than to decorate their house for this holiday,” said Danita Miller, who has owned the business for 43 years. Easter is typically very quiet inside the approximately 1,500-square-foot store, although Miller does sell a variety of small toys that are suitable to tuck inside plastic Easter eggs. They’re popular items as people gear up for the usual Easter egg hunts. She has sold the plastic eggs in the past as well. This year, a lot of Party Carousel’s springtime business dried up. “The pandemic lessened all my sales. I work with businesses that had to close. I work with schools. I lost a lot of graduation sales as those events were canceled.”

To cope with the pandemic’s fallout, Miller has put a sign in her window telling customers to call her if they arrive and the store is closed. “They can get me 24 hours. My business phone goes automatically to my cell phone. And I live close enough by that I could come meet them at the store.” And people do call – in the spring she supplied shoppers with items to deck out their vehicles for car parades. Fortunately, she sells balloons and helium. In fact, pandemic times or not, she usually has appropriately hued balloons waving outside to attract custom-

ers. “I decorate outside with balloons and pinatas. I sell a lot of pinatas so whatever the occasion – St. Patricks’ Day or Easter or another time of year, I’ve got the pinatas to match!” Miller also posts regularly on Facebook.

Happen by The Original Party Shop Warehouse in Hartford, Conn., around St. Patrick’s Day and you’ll see shoppers snapping up shamrock-adorned boppers and top hats. “They love to wear them to the St. Patrick’s Day Parade held in town,” said Store Manager Susan Clark As for best-selling Easter and springtime gear, paper plates and napkins top the list. “We’ll make a display of our springtime partyware in the front of the store – both solid colored and flower-patterns. The tulip pattern is one of our biggest sellers every year.” The large store also carries accessories like flower cut-outs, tissue or foam flowers and butterflies. All serve as perfect décor items for any spring-themed affair.

Speaking of spring, it wasn’t all doom and gloom at The Original Party Shop Warehouse this year, although the pandemic forced them to shut their doors for a time. “We closed for three weeks. Then we opened up for curbside for a month. Now we let five customers in the store at a time. I want to say when we opened the store back up, we did very well. The store hasn’t done that well in a couple of years!” said Clark. She attributed the surprising burst of

Party and Discount Store Report

business to all the supplies people bought to decorate cars for parades, not to mention lawns, as they celebrated graduations and other spring and summer occasions in inventive ways while practicing social distancing. She did note, however, that business had slowed down tremendously during the week leading up to Halloween.

Party Favors in Brookline, Mass., has a ton of St. Patrick’s Day merchandise left over this year. Since Boston is home to a signature parade, the holiday is typically a busy one for the 30-year-old party goods business and it stocked up with all the usual supplies. “Light-up pins, light-up necklaces, hats, boppers, anything they can wear of course sells great for St. Patty’s Day,” said Owner John Pergantis. However, the pandemic arrived just in time for the party as an uninvited guest. Now all those unsold goods lie waiting in a storage unit until next year. “At this point, we just want to keep our head above water.” Fortunately, Party Favors has an ace up its sleeve. For not only is it a party supplies store, it is also a full-service bakery. “People are still ordering cakes and we’re bringing them out curbside,” Pergantis said, although he does rue the loss of foot shopping and incidental purchases.

When Eastertime rolls around, Party Favors usually does a brisk business in chocolate Easter bunnies that they make themselves. “We use the same molds we’ve had for 30 years,” said Pergantis. The bunnies were prepared during February this year and unfortunately, they too became a quarantine casualty. As for party goods, Easter bunny ears and boppers featuring spring-time paraphernalia such as ladybugs and

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Showcase Product News

Got Kids? Get This!

Magnetic Hematite Zingers make a “zzzing” noise as they attract and repel each other. These 25mm spheres are sold by the pound in 11-pound bags and 44-pound boxes, and there are approximately six pairs per pound. Get a free display with first purchase of 44 pounds of Zingers, includes FREE FREIGHT.

(See all Magnetic Hematite at www.SilverStreakS.com. For more information, call 800-526-9990, or circle 42 on the reader service card.)

Party and Discount Store Report

Springing into Sales (From page 89)

butterflies typically fly out the door. One of, if not the best thing Party Favors did to cope with its business slowdown this year, is put together a website. Nicole Pergantis got it up and running. “My daughter put it together over Easter and honestly, I think we made $40,000 in just two months in online sales alone. We had no idea what we were doing, and we just did it. It’s been great.” Nicole continues to work on increasing Party Favors’ social media presence.

Not surprisingly, balloons constitute 92% of business at Balloony Tunes in Cathedral City, Calif. Darlene Jaycocks has owned and operated the Palm Springs-area business for close to 40 years. She started it in her garage. These days, big letters and number balloons are all the rage as people opt for intimate home parties to celebrate landmark birthday parties and they eschew large gatherings. There aren’t any to attend anyway. Jaycocks laments the effect the pandemic has had on her business. “All the usual big events I handle – parades aren’t happening and races, they’re all virtual now. Even the country clubs aren’t really opening this season, so that’s gone,” she said, by way of example. St. Patrick’s Day hasn’t loomed large for her in years. “It seems people just go

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Vibrant Agate Night Lights!

The gift for any season! Agate Night Lights from Silver Streak are made using 3-inch Agate Slices that are mounted on UL approved night light assemblies with a built-in On/Off switch and a 4 watt bulb. Sold in packs of 12 assorted colors, including blue, pink, natural, purple, red, and tea. FREE Display with your first purchase of 72-plus Agate Night Lights!

(See all Agate Gifts at www.SilverStreakS.com. For more information, call 800-526-9990 or circle 42 on the reader service card.)

out to a bar rather than host parties that require balloon décor.” Easter and springtime events, on the other hand, have always kept her busy during what is considered prime season in the California desert – or at least they have during non-pandemic years. Nowadays, her orders seem to top out between $65 and $100. With more free time on her hands, Jaycocks has been concentrating on her craft.

“I’ve been getting really creative and thinking, hey, what can I do differently? Everybody is always looking for something different.” She has been working on sashing for the big balloons as well as adding streamers. “I’ve kind of been putting out a little more and not really adding it to the price right now,” she said. “I feel like you almost have to give a little bit more in order to bring customers back into your store once the pandemic is over.” Meanwhile, she does what she can, meeting customers at her store, even sanitizing the door handle so they don’t have to touch anything. Whereas once she had two employees, currently she runs the business and makes all the deliveries herself. “People have been so wonderful and understanding,” she said, as everyone patiently awaits a day when things get back to normal. ❖