The Industry Loses Ed Slater

The souvenir industry lost one of its fixtures on September 28 with the death of Ed Slater. Ed was an independent sales rep travelling the Jersey Coast to Miami for many years.

Ruth and Steve Segal, Seagull International, Inc. commented, “For more than 15 years, we were fortunate to have Ed as our dear friend and sales representative. He was truly a kind and generous person, and, of course, a great salesman. For many years, Ed traveled his favorite routes along the Virginia and Carolina coasts with his truck full of products (that Ed would refer to as ‘great deals’), usually with his beloved dog, Roscoe, in tow. What made Ed such a good salesman had nothing to do with the products he was selling but had everything to do with the joy he had in meeting people along the route, sharing stories with old friends and making new friends along the way, and enjoying a more than occasional meal at a favorite restaurant. Doing business with Ed was never about the actual sale, but about the personal connection and enjoyment he felt being with each person with whom he interacted.

Ed had an amazing ability to make you smile. His friends in the resort industry all became family to him. Celebrating his birthday in Myrtle Beach during the Grand Strand Show was a special time we looked forward to every year. All of us have been touched by Ed’s good nature and good humor. Ed was a really special guy who we will all miss dearly. Remembering Ed and all the good times shared together will always bring a smile to our faces – because Ed would want us to keep smiling.”

Smiling is a consistent theme as friends remember Ed. Marni Blonski of Forum Novelties shared, “Ed made everyone feel like family. When Ed was around you were sure to laugh. As funny as he was, he was just as hard working. He was a road warrior. We will all miss our ‘Uncle Ed.’”

Heidi McGowan of Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation in Williamsburg, Va., agreed. “Ed was always so full of life and always there to help in any way he could, just to make your life a little easier. It was such a pleasure to work with Ed and just to chat with him on the phone about everyday things. I know we will all feel a great void now that he is gone.”

And, from Christina Bell, Group Show Director at Clarion Events, “The Clarion Events, formerly Urban Expositions, team would like to offer our sincere condolences to the family, friends, and customers of Ed Slater. To know Ed was to love Ed, and his smile and infectious laughter warmed the aisle of many of our shows. He will forever be known as an industry legend who wanted the best for everyone he encountered.”

Ed is survived by his sons Jeffrey and Richard, two grandchildren, and his friend and former wife Lauren. Donations in his memory may be made to Isle of Wight County Humane Society, P.O. Box 273, Smithfield, VA 23431. ❖

The Industry Loses Ed Brownstein

Edward “Ed” Brownstein, a 50-year salesman for Beachcombers International and a towering figure in the souvenirs and gifts industry, died recently in St. Petersburg, Fla., where he lived. He was among the first salespeople Harry Chenin hired at Beachcombers International, the Fort Myers wholesale supplier of nautical novelties that Chenin’s father founded in 1946. (Chenin died in 2018; Beachcombers was sold in 2015 and is now known as Beachcombers Coastal Life.)

“Ed really put Beachcombers on the map,” said his longtime customer Michelle Plyler, who together with husband Buzz owns The Gay Dolphin Gift Cove in Myrtle Beach. Plyler meant it literally: Brownstein started on the Gulf Coast, then expanded Beachcombers’ sales territory across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. Along the way, through innate talent and a legendary sense of humor, he cultivated the kind of relationships that set great sales people apart — and build iconic brands. Souvenirs are often a

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