Quotable

The industry is made up of a rich tapestry of individuals striving to make it a better place to do business. In March, we lost souvenir and gift industry veteran Al Bass. Bass and I attended the same college, Babson in Wellesley, Mass. He was a friend and colleague to many, and will be greatly missed. See the “In Remembrance” item in this issue for an article about him.

Other special features in this edition include a look at Black-owned stores in Massachusetts, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and California, and our Annual Trends Report.

The issue’s regular sections are also full of new ideas and thoughts on doing business. In the Apparel and Accessories section, we feature stories on T-shirt trends at zoos and aquariums, licensed gifts for sports fans, jewelry, handbags, footwear and socks at boutiques, apparel at public lands partner stores, and summer apparel and accessories at resort stores.

Jewelry is a leading category for many stores in our coverage universe. In this edition, we offer a story on selling jewelry at cave and cavern stores. Home décor is a merchandise category that can be easily woven into the merchandise mix. In this issue, we cover home décor merchandise at college, discount, variety and floral stores.

We also offer a bonus Maritime Museum and Coastal Store Report that includes stories on nautical merchandise at maritime museums, and bestselling coastal gifts.

Each issue we offer toy coverage, and in this edition’s Games, Puzzles and Plush section, we cover games and puzzles at pharmacies, hardware and toy stores, plus trends in plush, dolls and action figures.

In the Party Store section, we cover best-sellers in the party supply and decorations categories, and in the Christmas store section, we offer the story “Trends and Best-Selling Merchandise at Year-Round Christmas Stores.”

I hope you enjoy the issue. Please contact me with questions and suggestions by emailing editorsgnmag@kanec.com and I will be happy to respond.

Scott C. Borowsky President and Executive Editor Souvenirs, Gifts & Novelties magazine 610-645-6940

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For your customers…

Greeting

NY NOW and Gift For Life Partner To Raise Funds for World Central Kitchen

NY NOW and Gift for Life planned to partner to raise funds for World Central Kitchen through the market’s “Floor to Store” exclusive installation at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Center during the February show.

“NY NOW is a long-standing Gift for Life partner and we appreciate their willingness to innovate to develop creative new ways to engage their audience with our efforts,” said Cole Daugherty, chair of the Gift for Life board. “NY NOW’s Floor to Store donation program is a fantastic way to launch into our 2022 fundraising efforts for World Central Kitchen.”

Modeled after a brick-and-mortar storefront, “Floor to Store” was to showcase 50 top gift and stationery brands. Buyers and sellers who donated a minimum of $10 were to qualify to win a gift box of display curator Amy Loewenberg’s favorite products from the installation.

“I have had a cherished connection to Gift for Life for nearly a decade and am a proud supporter and advocate of their charitable efforts,” said Amy Loewenberg,

A&F Souvenir Expands Operations

NY NOW Senior Relations Manager and Floor to Store curator. “The Floor to Store Exclusive is a representation of any Main Street store. We peek through the shop windows, and we’re intrigued. We’re compelled to enter, where our senses are immediately tickled through an abundance of colors, textures, sounds, and smells that all speak our language. We know it will draw in buyers who want to discover, explore and be inspired by leading stationery and gift brands. And we hope the opportunity to win a collection of featured products will compel many donations.”

Gift for Life, the industry’s sole charitable organization, raised more than $100,000 in 2021 between market week fundraisers and special events. The bulk of donations were directed to World Central Kitchen’s Restaurants for the People program, which meets critical needs on two fronts: buying meals directly from restaurants and delivering them to Americans who need help – in 400 cities across 35 states.

Opens New United States-Based Production and Warehouse Facility

A&F Souvenir (A&F) is expanding their operations and opening a new United States-based production and warehouse facility in West Chester Township, Ohio, located in the greater Cincinnati, Ohio, area. This new facility will allow A&F to produce custom products with more flexibility, low minimums, and quicker lead times for customers.

“We are very excited to expand our physical operations to the United States,” said A&F Souvenir President Michael Atkinson. “This operation will make A&F the only company in the souvenir industry with facilities in Canada and the United States. This will be an advantage for customers in both countries and provide them with the best delivery and pricing.”

The new facility will include warehousing as well as hard and soft good production. Not only will this new facility provide customers with more flexibility around high-quality, custom products but it will also allow A&F to continue focusing on sustainable business practices and eco-friendly products all while keeping prices low. A&F Souvenir was purchased by 1M Group, LLC in January of 2020. Their strategy is to become the top supplier in the industry and the most eco-friendly, quality souvenir company in the marketplace.

“For us it isn't just about the product composition,” said Kip Zsupnik, CEO of 1M Group, LLC, “becoming the most eco-friendly company in the market means that we consider the environment for each item we sell. So even if the product isn't currently made from an eco-friendly material, we can still make an impact. For example, reducing or removing single-use plastic in the packaging of the product and reducing our carbon footprint with shorter shipping distances.”

The new facility is scheduled to open in late spring 2022 with Cody Eldredge, previously director of sales at A&F, taking the helm as vice president of Operations for the new facility.

A&F Souvenir Names New Vice President of Sales

A&F Souvenir has announced that Marc St. Pierre has been appointed Vice President of Sales.

“Marc has been in the souvenir industry for over 24 years and brings a wealth of experience, integrity and knowledge to our organization,” said President Michael Atkinson. “We are excited to have him join our growing team. Marc completed an incredible chapter in his previous positions with Cool Jewels and we look forward to his energy, focus and new sales strategies.”

A&F Souvenir has been a custom manufacturer, decorator and importer of souvenirs for the past 60 years. The company has operations in both the United States and Canada.

IMC Announces New Hire to Enhance Open Year Round Experience

International Market Centers (IMC) has announced the hiring of Caroline Russell, who as the new Design Services Manager will focus on driving Open Daily and at-market attendance of designers and home retailers to AmericasMart and providing on-site customer service once they arrive.