Games, Playthings and Plush

Toy Best-Sellers (From page 159)

name-dropped hoodie and comes with a certificate signed by the museum paleontologist, “so you can adopt bring home your own T-Rex,” Johnson said.

Fidget poppers, dinosaur figurines, slime and science kits round out the top toy sellers at the Explorer Store, which earned $185,000 in sales between January and May of this year. Rock and fossil specimens are a perennial favorite with children, who especially favor shark teeth and carved animals. “We will often see children with both rocks and toys at the register,” Johnson noted.

At KidsQuest Children’s Museum in Bellevue, Wash., the top sellers are a mix of pretend play and so-called STEAM items — an acronym that stands for science, technology, engineering, art and math. Educational toys from the Fat Brain brand, along with any wheeled vehicle, “are super popular,” affirmed Miranda Sage ,

What Is Your Top Staff Training Tip To Teach Customer Service?

“Have conversations with guests on things that they find interesting, whether or not they have to do with the museum. Building connections between visitors and staff makes the experience more enjoyable for everyone and allows for deeper interactions to happen.”

— Miranda Sage, Museum Floor and Store Manager, KidsQuest Children’s Museum, Bellevue, Wash.

“Personalize interactions — be natural and in the moment, and share your own product knowledge. Remember that customer service is key in the retail space, because it is the last place people visit before they head home — so make sure they have a great experience.” — Kate Johnson, Manager of Retail Sales & Strategy, Explore Store - Science Museum of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minn.

“Be engaged with your customer. At the counter initially, find out where they’re from, have they visited before. Cape Cod has a lot to do, so we thank them for taking the time to find us.” — Heather Palmer, Community Outreach Director, Cape Cod Children’s Museum, Mashpee, Mass.

“Two words: positive attitude. Each employee has a unique personality, and they all bring their own product and park information and experiences to share.”

— Amber Meek, Retail Manager

Arizona Natural History Association, Sedona, Ariz. ❖ museum floor and store manager.

Sage uses the gift shop’s strategic location to watch how patrons interact with museum exhibits. “We base a lot of our items that we sell off that,” she noted. “Stocking unique items that visitors can’t find elsewhere is a great way to draw people in.”

At the Red Rock Ranger Station in Sedona, Ariz., souvenir shoppers want plush mementos of javelinas, ring-tailed cats, and the like. “All our plush are animals found here in Coconino National Forest, so they go with what guests have learned in the park,”

“You have to include items that children can pay for with their own allowance or money. Small grab-and-go items by the counter have been very successful for us this year.” explained Amber Meek, retail manager for the Arizona Natural History Association, the park’s partner organization.

- Kate Johnson, Science Museum of Minnesota, St Paul, Minn.

Stuffed animals are the top selling category at the 200-square-foot retail outlet. Other kids’ favorites include books, puzzles, playing cards, and activity and coloring books. “If customers request something, we’ll go on a hunt for that item,” Meek explained. But given the ongoing supply chain problems, she’ll overlap old and new vendors to make sure the shop has enough inventory.

Twelve-inch stuffed mermaids with reversible sequined tails are the hot item at the Cape Cod Children’s Museum in South Mashpee, Mass. “We can’t

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