Where Great Gifts Are In Demand Gifts and Stationery at Beach Gift Stores

By Sara Karnish

Items that best capture a moment or place are among the most in-demand gifts at beach gift stores. Whether it is a name-dropped picture frame or unique piece of art by a local crafter, visitors to beach gift shops gravitate toward the items they know they won’t find anywhere else.

Carol Lee Kelliher , owner of Carol Lee’s Cottage in Rockport, Mass., prides herself on carrying the beachand Rockport-themed merchandise customers love, but won’t find in other local retailers. Among the bestsellers in her 300-square-foot shop are etched drinking and wine glasses featuring the recognizable Rockport key logo, sea glass, and a Rockport bag, custom-made in Bangladesh for her shop using fair trade practices. “I only sell things in the store that I would personally buy,” Kelliher explained. “There is a certain level of quality and taste that I like, and I think that’s reflected in the pieces I sell.”

Likewise, Jayne Briard , manager of Four Winds Gifts in Nantucket, Mass., said Nantucket-inspired gifts are strong sellers with her customers. Briard said Four Winds has a bit of an advantage—the store is housed in a former blacksmith shop, so history and architecture buffs are drawn to the building itself, and shoppers love to browse the shop’s merchandise. “Our biggest gifts are smaller things like mugs, Nantucket-themed towels, ornaments, wineglasses, and food like jams and jellies—we have our own line. Really, the items that pack easily,” Briard said. “We’ve partnered with a company called Rustic Marlin. They make Nantucket-specific signs and painted blocks with maps on them. They’ve done really well.”

Smaller gifts which fit easily into a suitcase or backpack are big sellers at

Abracadabra in Port Townsend, Wash., according to Owner Marion Lodwick . “Puzzles and games—things families can do together [are top selling gifts],” she explained. “And stickers, surprisingly, are a top seller. They are affordable, and fun, and with all our choices, it’s hard to pick just one [design].”