IGES Section

Logo and Name-Dropped (From page 116)

was only so-so. A T-shirt design which combined the cave’s logo with a popular nearby biking trail never really caught fire. Conversely, other products exceeded all expectations. “Some have surprised us and flown off the shelf. Time is also a factor. Some items sell really well for two or three years and then they start slowing down so you need to change out the style.”

In terms of name-dropped items, clothing is Niagara Cave’s consistent best-seller. However, the gift shop also carries logoed magnets, mugs, shot glasses, and collector bells, among other things. “We used to carry thimbles but not anymore. Bells, thimbles and spoons have slowed down in recent years. It’s a different generation of shoppers, a different generation of collectors now. And people tend to buy more practical things they can use – like mugs,” Bishop explained. There is also a corner devoted to food items bearing the cave’s name – jams and jellies, bread and soup mixes, maple syrup, wild rice – all made and prepared in Minnesota.

“The consumable things – the foods and the clothing – do better than the collector things people would simply put on a shelf,” he concluded.

Craighead Caverns is an extensive cave system in Sweetwater, Tenn., best known for containing America’s largest underground lake. More commonly referred to as The Lost Sea Adventure, the attraction conducts tours year-round. Visitors stopping by the 800-square-foot gift shop are fond of purchasing agate slices imprinted with the Lost Sea logo as a memento. Smooth, shiny and affordably priced, the gift shop acquires the approximately two-inch wide slices from wholesale distributor Squire Boone Village. “People just love to collect rocks and minerals,” said Buyer Brandon Freeman , by way of explanation. Mugs imprinted with a series of photos of The Lost Sea are also quite popular.

“We tend to stay away from trends because inevitably they die out,” said Freeman, who attends trade shows to get new merchandise ideas. The Lost Sea Gift Shop did flirt with Silly Bandz for a time. Popular in 2010, these silicone rubber wrist bands formed shapes including animals, objects, numbers and letters when wearers took them off. “We didn’t customize them with our logo because then we would have had to buy a larger quantity. The bands sold well for a while but it was a trend that didn’t last. Luckily, we weren’t left with great quantities of them,” he said. In other words, it’s best to be cautious and forego customizing items that might be here today and gone tomorrow! ❖