Trends at Museum Stores

of the Siouxland Heritage Museums. She carries books and historic toys, but her emphasis is on local and regional products. She said she also carries “lots of puzzles.” Perhaps their popularity is a result of the South Dakota winter climate.

The Yankee Air Museum in Belleville, Mich., is another site noticing that people are starting to come back. They have a unique take on Covid safety: you make your own face mask when you arrive. Sarah Lewkowicz , long-time volunteer and, for the past four years, visitor experience and retail director, set up a kiosk at Christmas at local malls and they will do pop-up shops at events.

Cory Potter , museum shop manager at the Flint Institute of Art in Michigan, said sales have held up for his brick and mortar store and online store, and calls out socks, glass art, novelty mugs, and funny candles as his top sellers. He is another believer is changing displays regularly so everything looks new again. He generally attends the trade shows in Las Vegas, Atlanta and in New York for NY NOW.

Back in South Carolina at the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon in Charleston, Suzanne Houser , the gift shop supervisor, said she tries to sell “the unique and different.” They do well with books about Charleston and children’s Revolutionary War products such as colonial toys and dolls. They also offer a

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