Special Gifts Section

‘Tis the Season (From page 111)

commerce may have recent statistics. If they show an uptick on Mondays and you’re closed, for example, you may want to adjust your days accordingly.” The shop garners between $700,000 to $1 million in sales annually.

When looking for new vendors, Anderson checks on Faire.com. “The global shipping issue has opened up the door for many smaller local makers who may not be dependent on supplies from overseas,” she noted.

Dod will move an item up to three times. “This is a tried-and-true method that inevitably will sell merchandise,” she said. The shop boasts 992 square feet and garners approximately $50,000 in annual sales.

Creating Displays

Making attractive displays is another way to get gifts noticed and sold. Dod uses props such as fake food to create eye-pleasing displays and clear verbiage regarding merchandise. She also incorporates the seasons with displays. Anderson, who creates displays at her shop, said, “Store visuals expand the stories of exhibits. Effective displays are often a marketing tool rather than an expression of artistic talent, because we want people to visualize items in their own spaces, with how they might use colors or themes to express themselves.”

Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association shops are staffed by rotating volunteers on a weekly basis, some of whom help create displays. Bendele modifies displays based on appeal, inventory, and sales. The association has four gift shops, one at each of its lighthouses, and a popup booth in a boutique downtown. Sizes range from 200 to 1,000 square feet. Annual sales are around $500,000. ❖