Merchandise Trends for Gift Stores in the Southeast

What a difference a year makes. Last summer, River Fair Trade did a strong business in housewares for Americans trapped at home by the pandemic. “I cannot even tell you how many wind chimes we sold last summer,” said Shannon Dowling, owner of the Morgantown, West Virginia boutique. “But we couldn’t sell a dress to save our lives.”

This year, wind chimes are trending down, and sales of clothing and accessories are up. Americans, many newly vaccinated, are heading out to dinner and on vacation for the first time in a year — and buying new purses, earrings and outfits for the occasion. Dowling is among the many Southeastern retailers who report booming sales of apparel and accessories for newly liberated shoppers.

“We’ve got pants and wrap shirts made from recycled silk safaris that are flying out the door because they’re comfy, but also dressy enough to wear to a festival,” the retailer said. “We’re seeing an uptick in jewelry — nothing fancy, nothing expensive, just colorful, lightweight items for going out again. Headbands are a huge hit; we sell a ton of them. And bags and purses are starting to move again, while last year, we couldn’t sell even one.”

Summer is usually slower in Morgantown, which gets most of its traffic from West Virginia University. But as the school year ended in May, Dowling saw a huge influx of tourists — “a really pleasant surprise,” she noted. To attract weekenders and locals participating in Morgantown’s downtown arts walk, Dowling filled her 525-square-foot storefront with colorful window displays. Inside, shoppers are greeted by coordinating jewelry, hat and clothing displays along walls and on floor fixtures. River Fair Trade will relocate this fall to an adjacent space with triple the square footage.

It’s an optimistic move — and symbolic of how American retail, after a pandemic slump, is joyfully rebounding. “Last year we had ordered comfier, organic clothes like overalls for staying home,” Dowling reflected. This year, she thinks summer’s hot item will be sun hats for people finally headed on vacation.

And while dress sales are still slow, she expects orders to pick up in the fall, when faculty returns and events resume on campus.

At Uptown Gifts on Main in Columbia, South Carolina, customers favor personal items like purses, bags, reading glasses and slippers. “Now that they’re going back to work, people are looking for things they haven’t been out to touch and feel in person in a long time,” observed Owner Michelle Cormier. She expects this summer’s beachgoers to snap up tote bags and towels, as well as the ever-popular Corkcicles insulated tumblers.

Cormier bought the 13-year-old shop last August from a retailer who had decided to close during the pandemic. This spring, downtown Columbia filled up again with businesspeople and tourists, and sales are up at the 2,274-square-foot shop. “The holiday season was definitely better than I anticipated,” the retailer reflected. “And now that the weather is getting warmer, I’m seeing a lot more people.”

Summer weather has also brought more visitors to Franklin, Tennessee. “That’s when we typically sell more souvenirs than anything else, and I think that will be the case this year as well,” said Sarah Pounders , Owner of Made in TN, a boutique featuring local wares. “We always get lots of locals, and tourism is definitely picking up.”

Coffee mugs, coasters, and postcards are the perennial best-sellers at Pounders’ boutique, which features exclusively products crafted by Tennessee artisans. Circular displays with one-way traffic throughout the store not only highlights unusual items, but also encourage social distancing. “People do appreciate that,” Pounders said.

In Ocean Springs, Mississippi, Gayle Jones has been greeting a steady influx of patrons at Poppy’s, her 3,000-square-foot boutique. “They’re going out to shop, and shop local,” the retailer reported. Housewares of all kinds have been hot this spring — drinking glasses, garden items, flags, door hanger décor. “We sell a lot of that kind of stuff,” explained Jones, adding that aside from a small jewelry selection, her shop specializes mostly in home decor. “Even my Tyler laundry soap, I can’t keep in stock.”

With newly vaccinated Americans finally ready to entertain again, Jones is betting big on partyware this summer. “The dip trays, the charcuterie boards — now that people are getting out and getting together, I see a lot of that,” she noted.

Jones is constantly rearranging displays at Poppy’s, which she opened in 2007. After a year of pandemic isolation, she envisions the store as a retail oasis. “It’s a happy place where people can come to relax, have a little shopping therapy, and hopefully fall in love with something for themselves or a friend,” Jones said. “I want to make this an inviting space, with a mix that’s always fresh.”

One pandemic change, however, is permanent. “We removed a lot of our displays to make the store more open, more comfortable for people to browse,” Cormier explained. “And we’re going to keep it that way, because people like the extra space.”

It’s a busy season so far at Country Barn Gift Shop in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Children’s toys are always a favorite category, said Owner Patricia Marks , and this year is no exception. Popular items include stretchy little animals and bubble toys that pop with the fingers — a contemporary twist on last year’s fidget spinners. “There are things that give kids a little release, calm them down,” explained Marks.

Naturally, in the heart of Tennessee’s tourist belt, Country Barn does a brisk business in destination Tshirts and sweatshirts. Marks’ family has owned the 4,000-square-foot emporium since 1985, and those bonds matter more than ever. With the tight labor market, “we literally couldn’t get through this year without the family helping out,” Mark’s reflected. “It’s going to be a big summer.” ❖