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Back to Business (From page 110) a transformation prior to the pandemic. Here, guests find a selection of gifts like jewelry, clothing, book and nature-inspired decor.

According to Michelle Draper , manager of Visitor Services, Adkins Arboretum logo T-shirts and hats, stuffed Audubon birds and wildlife finger puppets, beeswax wrap and books are the most popular items in the shop.

Reopening the Gift Shop

What’s New at the Arboretum Foundation

Guests are returning to the Arboretum Foundation’s 230 acres of urban green space after being closed during the pandemic. Matt Schropp-Lance, Bookkeeper and Gift Shop Coordinator, has been working hard getting the popular Seattle destination retail-ready, and shares some of his secrets.

Tourist Attractions & Parks (TAP): When did the gift shop officially reopen?

Matt Schropp-Lance: Our gift shop was closed for about a year, and we were just able to reopen on a limited basis in April.

TAP: What merchandise is most popular now?

M.S.L.: Since reopening our most popular items have been whimsical and nature-related greeting cards, and plants grown by our volunteer-run Pat Calvert Greenhouse and Plant Donations Nursery. We are well known in the neighborhood for having one of the best card selections around, and are a popular resource for the Puget Sound area gardening and horticultural community.

TAP: What makes these items

“They provide a sense of fun and an opportunity to remember their day at the Arboretum,” she explained. “Often, our visitors are grandparents shopping for their grandchildren.”

Each season, the shop refreshes its book collection, which is endorsed by the Arboretum Book Club, a group that helps promote the mission through a monthly book discussion related to conservation issues. The shop also has a growing so popular?

M.S.L.: Snail mail is coming back into style! For our card lines we focus on pieces that represent local flora or fauna, are visually stunning, have a great feel to them, or vendors that have a unique or important story to tell. Our plants have always been popular, and we believe gained in popularity after this last year where more and more people were home and getting into gardening. It’s such a fulfilling activity, and it’s easy to be patient with plants when you have a little extra time on your hands.

TAP: Are you introducing new inventory this season?

M.S.L.: We haven’t introduced a lot of new items into our store, because we have just reopened after a 13 months closure. With so many people getting in touch with their puzzling-side during COVID, we’ve brought in the eeBoo line of puzzles. A womanowned company with colorful artwork and a high quality feel, these puzzles have been flying off the shelves and are popular with staff, volunteers and customers alike.

Something new that we did try for the first time in the winter was creating an online store and doing curbside sales. The online store has been successful around winter and spring holidays; and with this inspiration, we figured out how to incorporate an online store presence for our volunteer-run Greenhouse and Nursery. This allows customers to pick up plants and scan a QR code to make their purchase online.

This plant website has been very successful and continues to run even while we’re open—we’re finding that nearly 50 percent of our plant sales are now being made online rather than in person.

TAP: How are you navigating COVID safety going forward?

M.S.L.: Our physical store operates in a building owned and managed by two different government entities, so we have had to be very methodical and forwardlooking in regards to COVID policy. We continue to enforce mask-wearing, social distancing and sanitization routines, and likely will for another few months while Seattle continues to recover from Covid-19. We do plan to continue our online plant sale option into the future, given that it’s been such a success. ❖ list of recommended books for gardeners that has become a popular feature for both green thumbs and fledgling botanical enthusiasts.

“We’ve also begun to sell Arboretum bucket hats; they’re popular with teens and tweens,” said Draper, who is always looking for new ways to reach a wider demographic.

Since COVID, other changes are afoot at the venue. For starters, Draper said, “We’ve opened up our floor space to allow for more social distancing and improved air flow.” The restrooms were also recently updated with better ventilation and touchless fixtures.

“As much as possible,” she said, “we continue to hold programs outdoors and limit class size. Complimentary masks and hand sanitizer are also available at the front desk.”