Resort Report

Quality Gifts (From page 76) things that are locally made. Guests ask for them year after year. Vendors come to me via referral. We had one jewelry artisan who was staying at the hotel. She walked into the store, handed me her card, and said, ‘I’d love for you to carry my work here.’ [The local artisans] are a tight-knit community—they often refer each other. I’ll look to them to see if items will fit with our store. I also look to see if they can put our logo on the items—that’s also very important. People love logoed items.”

Johnson added that glassware is another big seller: “I have a stemless wine glass with our logo on it— two Adirondack chairs—it’s one of our top sellers. It’s a fun gift to bring home.” Edward Delgado , director of retail for Aramark Destinations, the retail something that will reflect their experience on the lake.” Their small but meaningful selection of Native American and artisan jewelry is another way customers can bring home a unique souvenir representative of the area. vendor for Lake Quinault Lodge at Olympic National Park in Quinault, Wash., said they sell stemware and beer steins engraved with the Lake Quinault logo in the store, and customers who order beverages at the on-site restaurant can purchase their glass as a souvenir. According to Delgado, the quality gifts in the 1,200-square-foot shop at Lake Quinault “are usually going to be your local gifts—either made on the Olympic Peninsula or West Coast of Washington. We sell pillows, lotions, lavender products from Sequim [a town in Washington]. Another top seller are Pendleton products. They’re an Oregon-based company, but a national brand known for their high-quality blankets. We sell quite a few of them.” He added, “I try to find things the customers will love and will remind them of their experience in Lake Quinault. They want

Artisan jewelry, particularly custom pieces, are usually among resorts’ biggest sellers. Braaten said they carry it at Topnotch and it does well. “We are currently carrying a great jewelry line that is made by a local artist in Stowe and she also makes custom pieces on request. Artisan jewelry is unique and special, and it gives the feeling of something more personalized. Guests love buying something they cannot buy in most stores. Most of the time the artisan jewelry made in small quantities adds a layer of exclusivity people enjoy and adds value to the product.” Braaten added it’s important to support local vendors: “Nowadays you can purchase pretty much everything online, so to offer items which are locally made makes guests more interested in them. Local artisan products do well in Vermont and a town like Stowe. Guests want to feel connected to the place when they visit, and they can do that through the local products. Also, a locally made item works as a souvenir that reminds them of the experience and adds a sense of place. Local items can be ‘trendy’ in the sense that they are popular for a certain area before spreading on a wider scale. For example, the CBD craze started in Vermont a few years ago, earlier than other states. Offering CBD products in our Spa Boutique when it wasn’t available elsewhere made it a very sought-after product, as well as a great gift for guests to bring home with them.”

Locke explained, “We carry a small selection of sterling silver and natural stone jewelry, as well as some handmade craft jewelry in the General Store. We do quite a bit of business in both categories, but the lower priced pieces sell better to young people.” She added, “Because we are a General Store and also supply groceries, beer and wine, we sell quite a bit of glassware and mugs. They are very popular branded items for us. Our customers like to take home a small item that reminds them of their adventures at our resort and at Yosemite National Park.” The General Store measures approximately 1,200 square feet.

Although merchandising is essential for all items, retailers say for the quality gifts, sometimes unique positioning is necessary. “A lot of thought and consideration goes into the displays around the higher priced items,” Locke continued. “Maintaining a clean, bright and focal location while making sure to refresh the merchandising regularly is an important part of our business.” Carrying products by local vendors is an important part of Rush Creek’s retail mission, as well. “We have a small amount of local artisan jewelry and personal care products. We try to focus on bringing in pieces which are unique and representative of our area. They are a little soft as far volume drivers but add a personal touch that is irreplaceable,” Locke said.

Delgado said, “Displays should be clean and not cluttered. Keep them simple. I might add a prop or a plant, maybe some signage, but the focus remains on the product. The customer should really be able to see the item, especially if it’s something