Trends in Name Program and NameDropped Souvenirs at Zoo Gift Shops

At zoos and animal attractions nationwide, namedropped souvenirs are more popular than ever. For this article, retail staff members discussed what items do best for them in this category and why.

At the Buffalo Zoo in Buffalo, N.Y., Nicole Wurstner, director of retail operations, said her name-dropped items focus on apparel and drinkware. “We have name-dropped and logo drinkware, reusable eco-friendly straws, water bottles, growlers, and tumblers. We also have hats and other apparel; and lots of little souvenir-type items such as ornaments. We also have custom postcard programs with our logos, and photos taken here of our animals.”

While each of these items are popular, among the many name-dropped items offered, Wurstner said that “Drinkware is big. People like having tumblers and bottles and growlers that have our logo and name-drop on them. They are a trendy item; they’re practical and make good gifts or souvenirs.”

It adds to the appeal of these products that “We have a very nice logo at our zoo, which people really like. We use it on all our key souvenir pieces, apparel, and of course, the drinkware.” When it comes to apparel, the store offers groupings of items, such as shirts or hats, in a collection of colors with name-drop, according to Wurstner. As to current sales, she explained, “Coming out of the pandemic, all of our sales are definitely trending up, and sales of name-dropped items are definitely doing well. I think people are very interested in getting out right now and going places. They are also interested in supporting institutions like zoos.” She added, “They want to show that support by having something name-dropped or with a logo on it to commemorate their visit and show that support.”

“T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, drinkware from shot glasses to wine glasses, postcards, stickers, magnets, shopping bags, bottle openers, and ornaments. We carry anything that customers have told us that they want in terms of name-dropped items; we’ve learned what they buy from 28-years of experience.” firmly rooted in successful merchandising. “We pride ourselves on that. We make sure we have a good, full display of products with like-items placed together to create a story. We want to put together a collection of pieces that will move the guest’s eye from left to right, so that they see everything available for a particular product story.” Additionally, she said that in the Buffalo Zoo’s 3,000-squarefoot store, “We keep merchandise in a spot that makes sense for any specific type of product within the store. We also will feature name-dropped items at a table where a guest will see them along a pathway through the store.”

- Dave Bannister, Safari West, Santa Rosa, Calif.

Dave Bannister , gift store manager at Safari West preserve in Santa Rosa, Calif., also features an array of name-dropped products at his conservation-focused location. The 2,000-square-foot store’s name-dropped selection is varied, including “Tshirts, sweatshirts, hats, drinkware from shot glasses to wine glasses, postcards, stickers, magnets, shopping bags, bottle openers, and ornaments. We carry anything that customers have told us that they want

For Wurstner, selling more name-dropped items is

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