Have Supply Chain Problems Affected Merchandise Delivery?

At seaside and resort locations, boutique stores discussed for this article whether current supply chain issues have caused any disruptions in merchandise delivery.

At Fowlers Boutique in Encinitas, Calif., Owner Chris Fowler said the answer is both “Yes and no. I have 70 brands, so anything was delayed, I was able to skip to a different brand. We could work around any hold ups. So, if people planned for this, and had their merchandise in, then I went to them first. The delivery situation didn’t affect me in terms of having the merchandise, but it did in terms of choosing which supplier.”

In Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, Leilani Matsumoto, manager of Pueo Boutique noted “Prices have gone up, but that’s the state of the world right now. Getting the merchandise itself has not really been affected. During the pandemic, one of our supply companies for shopping bags closed. They were local, and we’ve had some issues with ordering bags online, but it can’t be helped that we cannot support a Hawaii-based supplier because of that closure.”

At Shop Mahina, in Lahaina, Hawaii, Manager Sophie Foulkes-Taylor said for the Maui boutique, “Surprisingly we have had less supply chain problems than previously. I don’t know why exactly, but most of our buyers are very mindful of possible issues and so they have stocked up when we feel that there could be a busy season. I think we stock up earlier than we used to as well, so all that proactive action means we haven’t really had many problems.”

At Blush Boutique in Anchorage, Alaska, Owner Haley Lindow explained that “90% of our goods are made in the U.S., so we haven’t really had an issue, we have been fortunate in that.” ❖ local community, and “people from all over the U.S. and Canada, including flight attendants,” she said that the shop’s “lovely mix” of shoppers shifted somewhat over the pandemic “because we had no cruise ships visiting then.” Now visitors have returned along with her regular local resident shoppers.

Appealing to both locals and guests is the always-fresh variety of merchandise offered at the

1,200-square-foot store. “We get a shipment once a week, and we get one item in each size. That keeps the look of each item unique to you. You won’t find multiples of the same item on each rack, and we have new items in every week.” As to display, she termed her staff as “great at merchandising. They move the store around every week; we have mannequins, tables

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T-shirts Product News Brief NB

Latitude 38 Designs Launches Coloring Advent T-Shirts

Latitude 38 Designs has introduced a fun line of Advent T-shirts to help customers count down to and get ready for Christmas while decorating a Tshirt they can wear up to and on the holiday.

“Advent calendars are a popular way for both kids and adults to generate some excitement for the Christmas holiday while having a visual reminder of how many days away it is,” said Lisa A. DeNiro, president of Latitude 38 Designs. “Rather than just opening up doors and getting token treats, we came up with a creative Advent activity that kids can do every day, and get a cute, custom-colored T-shirt to wear in the process.”

The Advent T-shirts are titled “Countdown to Christmas” and are printed with 25 black-andwhite Christmas images for coloring, which are numbered and laid out in a grid much like a calendar. Each shirt comes with six fabric markers for coloring, and additional markers are sold separately for those wanting extra color choices. There are two designs available so customers can choose a shirt with either religious or secular Christmas images. The shirts are made of 100% pre-shrunk comfortable cotton in unisex sizing from youth medium to adult XL. Children should start coloring one image each day on December 1, and by the 25th, will have the shirt completely colored.

“Kids – and parents – will have fun coloring in the Christmas images each day leading up until Christmas and wearing this customized Christmas garment,” said DeNiro. “Kids of all ages love to color, and this is something they can color and wear to show off their handiwork.”

Advent T-shirts are the perfect addition to the product mix at specialty retail outlets such as card and gift shops, arts-and-crafts retailers, toy stores and educational product stores. Retail pricing starts at $24.95; dealer and distributor pricing is available starting at 12 units.

Latitude 38 Designs donates a portion of the proceeds from the sale of all Advent T-shirts to Toys for Tots to aid the charity in its mission to bring hope to less fortunate children during the holidays.

Latitude 38 Designs is the maker of unique and fun T-shirt designs for a variety of interests.

(For more information, visit the company’s website at www.latitude38designs.com or circle 55 on the reader service card.)

Looks for Vacations (From page 55) with folded items, a beautiful wall that can be changed out between shelves and hanging bars to provide a new look. Keeping things looking fresh and different is important in display, and we take pride in that,” Lindow explained.

While several stores note an interest in denim for shoppers, overall, there is no one trend in apparel at stores located near the sea or vacation destinations. Spring weather also leads to renewed interest in dresses and Tshirts, but the main trend overall appears to be simple: both visitors and local shoppers are going into stores at these locations with the decision to buy new fashion.