Getting Nautical Home Décor Sales to Soar at Maritime Museum Shops

By Karen Appold

Nautical décor is defined by natural colors associated with the ocean—the neutral tones of stones, sand, and driftwood, and the brighter shades inspired by the sea and crafts used to navigate it. Red, white, and blue are always staples in nautical décor. “Increasingly, customers are looking for unique or handmade items that are well made and seem valuable,” said Liz Cowee , museum store manager and buyer at Chesapeake Bay Maritime in St. Michaels, Md.

Shana Jaques , store manager and buyer at Maine Maritime Museum in Bath, Maine, said, “We sell everything from original art prints to tide clocks, items inspired by exhibits and in our collection, as well as nautical charts of Maine’s coast. One of our favorites are handmade stained-glass sailboats from a studio just down the road. Visitors love knowing that they are made right here in Bath and that each one is unique.”

At the Los Angeles Maritime Museum in San Pedro, Calif., Museum Director Marifrances Trivelli said customers prefer nautical-themed items that are timeless and custom made. These include reproduction spyglasses, magnifying glasses, and bottle openers with nautical motifs such as mermaids, ships wheels, and anchors—a perennial favorite. “Interestingly enough, popular wooden signs or beachy items don’t do well here in the harbor,” she said.

Heather Rice , buyer and gift shop manager at the Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum in Savannah, Ga., said that some of the museum’s

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