Maritime Museum and Coastal Store Report

Jennifer Kulikosky , owner of The Blue Coast in Hamburg, Pa., knows her store is quite a distance from the ocean, but that’s part of its appeal. Kulikosky said she wanted to bring “coastal gifts to people who are not near the coast—people who are ocean lovers but don’t get to the ocean. They enjoy seeing these things [coastal gifts] year-round.” Bestsellers in her 600-square-foot store include “the Para Vida line of jewelry—it ranges from $5 to $30. We also have a candle line called Surf’s Up out of Bellmawr, N.J., and the biggest one is about $22. The Four Oceans bracelet always does well. Most of what I sell are small things—small tabletop décor, small wall hangings. I don’t sell a ton of large pieces. It’s easier for someone to walk in and buy a $22 candle rather than a $300 wall hanging.”

One of the best ways to carry merchandise

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Bringing to Mind (From page 69) unique to a store, not just a tourist-heavy area, is to seek out items by local artisans, crafters, and vendors. Supporting other local businesses is a great way to market local talent and ensure your inventory is truly unique. “I work with local artisans and vendors as much as I possibly can,” Meeks said. “I think it’s important. And people like to know the story behind the products. They appreciate that little bit of information. I like to be able to say, ‘This woman makes this.’ I know many of the [vendors] personally.”

Sorenson said Beachy Keen has been trying to work with more local companies, and said they are looking forward to adding more local products to their merchandise mix. Sessoms said, “People want to come in and buy from local folks,” adding they carry Philadelphia, Pa.-based Asher chocolates and a few items hand-painted by local artists.

Retailers utilize different techniques to encourage sales. Being a pushy or aggressive salesperson is not preferable; retailers interviewed for this article said they try to be helpful and visible, but largely stay in the background while customers browse. “I encourage

How Stores Use Color for Sales Success

Color has a tremendous impact on our outlook. Bright colors inspire happiness and energy; soothing pastels inspire calm, tranquility, and a more relaxed attitude. In retail stores, color palettes are chosen thoughtfully, with the intention of making customers feel relaxed and comfortable. Coastal gift stores are no exception.

At Beachy Keen in Sea Isle City, N.J., aqua is the color of note, clearly as a nod to the surf and sky. “It makes for a relaxing shopping environment,” Owner Chris Sorenson explained.

Likewise, Owner Jennifer Kulikosky of The Blue Coast in Hamburg, Pa., said she has chosen “all shades of blue. I’ve found that most customers gravitate towards blues—they’re relaxing and calming. Most merchandise comes in shades of blue…except flamingos,” she joked.

Joanne Meeks, owner of Whimsical Wishes in Plymouth,

Mass., said she leans toward earth tones, particularly shades of blue and green “because they are the colors of the ocean, plus very relaxing,” she explained. ❖ people to buy what they want and really need,” Kulikosky said. “I’ll tell them to think about it and come back. And they’ll do that—they know I’m not just pushing something on them to make a sale. I’m not a pushy salesperson—if I think something is right for them, I’ll tell them why I think they should buy it. I give them my honest opinion. It’s helped my business—my customers will tell others about the nice shop with the nice salesperson. I’ll encourage add-ons, but I’m not super pushy.” Because of their long history in the business community, Sessoms said they see many of the same customers year after year. “We have good quality merchandise. We don’t push anything. People come back year after year because we have good quality and good prices. We’re not pushy at all. We’ll just ask customers, ‘Is there anything you need?’ I like to let customers look through the store. Someone can come into our shop several times and never see it all. There’s just so much stuff in our store,” she said.

When it comes to merchandising, retailers often must be creative and make the most of their space. “I like products