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. ❖