Gifts

Country and Variety (From page 62) noted. When considering new items, “I see what’s moving, and if it does well, I’ll order more like it.”

To find new items that tickle the fancy of his shoppers, Hartland Clubb pages through Souvenirs, Gifts & Novelties magazine. “That is how we find a lot of interesting things,” said Clubb, the owner of Clubb’s Variety Store in Delta, Colo. He’s also a fan of Variety Distributors Inc., a cooperative supplier based in Harlan, Iowa.

And the customers at Clubb’s 14,000-square-foot store, which he’s owned since 1968, love anything from the River’s Edge line of country themed products. Club’s best-selling gifts are tin signs featuring gun and redneck humor, often mordant in nature, with slogans like “10 reasons men prefer guns over women,” or “Prayer is the Best Way to Meet the Lord. Trespassing is Faster.”

“They are very popular,” Clubb noted. The brand’s animal themed wine bottle holders — featuring Western species like horses, moose, bears and coyotes — are another favorite gift.

Western style home accents and outdoor themed gear are the store’s calling card, and Clubb said gifts sell best between $20-$30. “People like River’s Edge items because they’re relatively inexpensive, and they fit with our décor and lifestyle,” the retailer noted.

Country and variety stores also suit the lifestyle of shoppers who prefer to browse in person, but don’t feel comfortable navigating a giant Wal-Mart, especially during the pandemic. “We still have a lot of people who prefer to shop in a smaller store,” Clubb observed. “It gives …people a level of comfort that they just don’t get in a big box retailer.” ❖