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