The Pandemic’s Mixed Effects on Home Décor Sales

SGN asked art museum shop staff if COVID-19 impacted sales of home décor. Here’s what they had to say.

Julie Steiner, senior director of admissions and retail operations at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia Pa.: Definitely, and I do think it will continue for a while. The pandemic has reframed our relationships with our homes, and encouraged us to turn inward, so we’re all reconsidering our home spaces and how we use them. I think the virus has increased our expectation of being comfortable and creatively fulfilled, without leaving our houses.

Chacho Herman, associate director of earned income, The San Diego Museum of Art at Balboa Park in California: I haven’t noticed a huge uptick in home décor sales. When we reopened on March 19, higherticket décor items were selling. Before the pandemic, we would sell an $18 vase regularly. Those sales are dropping off and we are now consistently selling $145 clocks.

Cheryl Tuttle, director of finance and operations at the Des Moines Art Center in Iowa: I haven’t seen an increase in home décor items during the pandemic. Our highestselling items throughout the past year have been things to do such as puzzles, crossstitch, art kits, and so forth with personal gratification items such as jewelry coming in close behind. ❖

Increasing Jewelry (From page 34) good sellers, Dunn said.

Homefire Rugs are another constant best-seller. “Customers love the bright colored prints and patterns, and the fact that they’re washable,” Dunn said.

Two’s Company’s home items also sell well. “With so many new and different products coming in, it’s hard to say what works best for us,” Dunn said.

Pillows are all the rage for Steiner. “We’ve seen a great increase in a wide variety of styles because people are spending more time at home and refreshing and revamping their home décor,” she said. “Pillows are cozy and comfortable and provide an easy way to update your look and bring in a bit of color and art.”

Among Tuttle’s best-sellers are Gurgle Pots—which are unique, colorful, fish-shaped water pots that produce a delightful gurgling sound. Guests frequently purchase them to use as a pitcher or vase. The 2,000-square-foot shop garners around $250,000 annually.

Discovering Interesting Jewelry

Finding new jewelry is not always easy. “Price is a big factor as well as style,” Dunn said. “We like finding jewelry designers at the Marts, Trendz shows, and by asking other stores and museums what they stock. That way you can see and feel the jewelry and ensure the quality of products before making an investment.”

Steiner looks for jewelry makers with an interesting story or a local or mission-related connection to her museum. She also looks for novel designs.

Herman is always on the lookout for new jewelry. He asks jewelers whom he respects if they have any recommendations and he gets ideas from Instagram. He also finds new jewelers at gift shows. Due to current travel restrictions, he has to depend on word-of-mouth and social media for now.

The Des Moines Art Museum’s buyer frequently attends gift markets and finds items on Faire, especially during the pandemic. One newer method that has worked well for her has been to contact a vendor individually if she sees something interesting in her travels and asking if they would be willing to sell wholesale, Tuttle said.

Choosing New Home D Cor

It’s always challenging to find items that you think customers might purchase, especially when you have a small store and many of your customers are members, said Dunn, who tends to reach out to industry groups like the Museum Store Association (MSA) or other museum store managers for new ideas.

Dunn advised constantly refreshing shelves with new items, but also offering things at multiple price points. “As a museum store, we find items relating to the current exhibition or collection sell well such as exhibition catalogues, art books, and items showcasing the main artworks on view,” she said.

Buyers for the Barnes Museum’s 1,100-square-foot gift shop have done a variety of virtual trade shows and virtual showroom appointments; however it’s quite difficult to see the quality and style of products through a screen, said Steiner, who looks forward to buying inperson again soon.

The best way for Herman to find home décor for his 1,100-square-foot shop is by attending trade shows. Due to current travel restrictions, he is taking advantage of online shows and visiting the new MSA marketplace, which offers many new and unique products. ❖

Silver Streak

By Mike Mallon

Silver Streak was founded by Mike and Betty Mallon in 1978 in Scottsdale, Ariz. Silver Streak has built a reputation for providing the best professional and friendly customer service in the gift industry. Their impressive printed catalog, with over a 1,000 different items to choose from, has made them a leading wholesale distributor for natural minerals, gemstone gifts, souvenirs, and crystal jewelry.

In 1994, Silver Streak changed the Tumbled Stone business with a new display and an incredible new way to sell tumbled stone: The Ore Car Attraction. It is perfectly themed to the gem and mineral retail business. Retail sales of Tumbled Stone went mainstream when Silver Streak introduced selling it by the bag, giving customers an interactive educational choice of more than 50 different Semi-Precious Gemstones to start their own collection. It has now been 27 years; there are more than 1,500 Ore Car Displays in Theme Parks, National Parks, Truck Stops, Airport Stores, Bookstores and every type of Gift Store you can imagine. These locations have generated sales of more than 30 million pounds of Tumbled Stone and are showing no signs of slowing down.

Success didn’t stop there; the next great selling line is the Crystal Jewelry Collection. Displaying this beautiful jewelry on a Natural Manzanita tree has had impressive results. Customers with the Manzanita Tree Display are experiencing sales of 600 to 900 Crystal Necklaces per season, all with a three-time markup.

With fast turnaround, and a Satisfaction Guarantee, you’ll know why Silver Streak has set the pace in the industry.

(Order anytime on our easy-to-use website, www. SilverStreakS.com.

We look forward to helping you place an order; call 800-526-9990. For additional information, circle 38 on the reader service card.)