Souvenirs, Gifts & Novelties - October 2022

In Every Issue

Bonus Features

mostly to organizations that benefit abused women and children. Hess is holding the Stella candle, a gardenia forward floral blend named for Hess’ mother, who loved gardenias. See the Question and Answer feature covering Jewelry Best-Sellers for an interview with Hess.

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Articles Resort Section

28 Offering High-End Gifts at Getaways - Quality Mementoes at Resorts

Contributor Hilary Larson interviewed retail officials at four United States resorts to find out which higher-end gifts are selling.

32 Bonus Sidebar: What Are Your Top Selling Name-Dropped Gifts, and Why Do They Sell So Well?

34 Setting a Stage for Sales - Selling Coastal Gifts at Coastal Stores

For this article, Contributor Genie Davis asked store owners and staff to describe the décor in their shops, their shop’s overall environment, and how both affect their sales.

38 Bonus Sidebar: Customer Service Tips

46 Sunny Souvenir Sales - Resort and Beach Store Souvenirs

Post-pandemic, tourists–and locals–are still grabbing souvenirs up at resort and beach stores across the country.

54 A Question and Answer Feature: Waterpark and Theme Park Apparel Plus Sunglasses

56 Going Wild for Mementoes – Wildlife Souvenirs at Zoos

Trends in souvenirs at zoos and wildlife parks in Mighigan, Pennsylvania and Illinois.

68 Where the Selling Is Child’s Play - Nostalgic Toys and Candy

Merchandise at Country and General Stores

How country and general stores bring out the best in nostalgic merchandise.

74 Merchandise Journeyers Don’t Pass Up As They Pass By –Best-Sellers at Truck Stops and Travel Centers

What travelers are buying at truck stops and travel centers in West Virginia, Washington and Oregon.

82 Customer Service Tips for Top Sales - Catering to Shoppers at Jewelry Stores

A look at jewelry store owners’ strategies to provide the best customer service.

92 Where Fashion Finds Are Part of the Fun - Apparel Sales at Museums

92

This story covers how three museum stores manage their apparel sections.

94 Bonus Sidebar: Do You Sell Caps and Hats? Why or Why Not?

102 Great Goods for Giving - Gifts at Variety, Discount and General Stores

For this article, Contributor Sara Karnish interviewed variety, discount and general store officials to hear about their progress in selling gifts.

106 Bonus Sidebar: Working With Supply Chain Shortages

Apparel

112 Apparel and Fashion Accessories Best-Sellers at Apparel Stores

For this article, Contributor Hilary Larsen interviewed store officials in Florida, California, Pennsylvania and Alaska to take the pulse of apparel and accessories sales.

114 Bonus Sidebar: What Apparel and Accessory Trends Are Coming In 2023? Why?

116 Oh Baby! – A Look at Current Trends and Top Marketing Tips for Selling Baby Apparel

How baby stores are tapping into a huge market demand for the apparel they sell.

119 A Home Run for Sales – Sports Fan Store Apparel BestSellers

This story covers top sports-themed apparel sellers from fan stores in Iowa, California, Washington and Alaska.

116

106 126

Jewelry Section

121 Selling to Shoppers Who Care – Jewelry Best-Sellers at Hospital Shops

How many hospital shops are the retailers of choice for the communities that they serve, offering jewelry and much more.

125 A Question and Answer Feature – Jewelry Best-Sellers at Gift Shops and Boutiques

Las Vegas Market Feature

126 Bringing the Garden Home - Trends in Home Decor Merchandise at Botanical Gardens Stores

How home decor gifts fit in with the merchandise selection at botanical garden stores.

128 Bonus Sidebar: What Are the Favorite Botanical Designs on Home Decor Items?

Contents TABLE OF

Valentine’s Day Merchandise

131 How Cupid’s Day Rates – Valentine’s Day Candy Best-Sellers at Candy Stores

For this article, Contributor Hilary Larson interviewed store owners in Montana, Maryland and Missouri to discuss Valentine’s Day candy sales.

135 Getting to the Heart of Sales Trends - Valentine's Day at Party Stores

131 158

For this article, shop owners and staff provided a look at what keeps their stores’ Valentine’s Day hearts beating.

136 Bonus Sidebar: Taking the Pulse of a Holiday - Is Valentine’s Day Still Popular?

Atlanta Market Feature

138 Still a Spot for Great Gifts - Merchandise Trends at Hallmark Stores

Hallmark stores continue to be vital retailers in their communities.

Self-Care Section

144 Giving Shoppers What They Love – Soap and Candle Sales for the Fun of It

Stores in Indiana, Missouri and New Jersey were interviewed for this story about trends in soap and candle merchandise.

Licensed Merchandise

150 Sports Store Top Sellers - Licensed Merchandise at College, Sports and Gaming Stores

For this article, Contributor Carimé Lane interviewed a game, sports and college store about how they are catering to their clientele.

Games, Playthings and Plush

154 Creating Entertaining Experiences – Toy Stores’ Stories of Making Shopping Fun

In this story, toy store owners in Minnesota and Illinois discussed creating a fun store environment for a great customer experience.

156 Bonus Sidebar: Supply Chain Challenges for Toy Stores

158 Toys at Public Lands Partner Stores: Supply Chain Issues

Commentary

Taking Charge in a New Era A

s you run your business in a new era, keep your eyes and ears open to find positives in all of the challenges. The basics of great customer service and stocking merchandise that pleases your audience are steadying constants you can always fall back on. Don't underestimate yourself as you run your business, your experiences and skills are solid foundations to build on as you navigate these times.

Scott C. Borowsky

Quotable

For some shoppers, your store is an escape from the everyday. The shop can also be a chance to focus on the self with flattering apparel, well-crafted jewelry and soothing personal care items such as handmade soaps and lotions. A great store is a real asset to a community and can generate a following of customer friends.

In each issue of Souvenirs, Gifts & Novelties (SGN) magazine, we feature original stories by our talented team of contributors that include interviews with retailers around the country. For our readers, it is an opportunity to read about the experiences of their colleagues in different regions. For advertisers, it means that your advertising message is seen by a variety of retailers each issue.

This is our annual resort show edition, and it is distributed at the Smoky Mountain and IGES shows. To commemorate the events, we offer a special Resort Section. The section offers stories on resorts, coastal and beach stores, zoos, country and general shops, truck stops and travel centers, variety and discount stores, and museum and jewelry shops.

We also offer an Apparel section that covers apparel at baby stores, and a jewelry section that features interviews with hospital store officials. Our Las Vegas Market Feature includes an article on botanical garden stores, and an Atlanta Market Feature has a story on Hallmark store gifts. Additionally, we look at Valentine’s Day sales from the perspective of candy and party stores.

I hope you enjoy the issue’s other stories too, and its product and industry news. Please email me at editorsgnmag@Kanec.com with your comments, questions and suggestions.

Scott C. Borowsky President and Executive Editor Souvenirs, Gifts & Novelties magazine

“I’d rather regret the risks that didn’t work out than the chances I didn’t take at all.”

- Simone Biles

Beth Stoneroad, gift shop employee, Lake Tobias Wildlife Park in Halifax, Pa. See the Resort Section for an interview about wildlife souvenirs with the store’s manager Karen Kierstead.

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The National Candle Association Issues a Safety Message Regarding Candles with Flammable Materials

The National Candle Association (NCA) has issued a safety message regarding a growing number of candles on the market that contain flammable materials including dried flowers, leaves, herbs and wood embedded in the wax near the flame (this concern does not include non-flammable items like metal and stone). Unlike the long-standing style of candle that has elements embedded around the outside in wax that safely remains solid throughout the life of the candle thus shielding the embedded elements from the flame and heat, these candles do not, according to a news release from The National Candle Association.

This new style of embellished candle allows decorative elements to become part of the liquid wax pool when the candle is burned. This exposes these flammable materials to both the candle’s heat and flame throughout the candle’s use while also coating them in wax, allowing the materials to sustain flame themselves, the news release said.

NCA purchased several candles and had them tested according to the ASTM Candle Fire Safety Procedures at an independent third-party safety testing laboratory. The results were dramatic with safety failures in every case, and the candles exhibiting multiple and large flames. The heat and large flame exhibited has the potential to ignite a home fire.

“Any one of these test candle’s exposed flames could have easily ignited surrounding materials, such as drapery, décor or furniture, if burned in a residential setting,” said Kathy LaVanier, board vice president and media spokesperson for NCA, said in the news release. Based on the testing results, NCA urges consumers not

to light these products. If you own one and wish to enjoy it aesthetically, NCA suggests you cut the wick off at wax level so it cannot be lit.

According to NCA, many of these botanical add-in candles are sold by individual online marketplace crafters and artisans. Typically, most online marketplaces do not make warranties about the quality or safety of any products sold on their sites.

United States candle manufacturers stand by the quality and safety of the products they produce and sell by adhering to ASTM candle standards and practices. NCA collaborates with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the ASTM International Standards organization to develop industry standards to reduce the number of accidental candle fires. Also, an industrywide standard, that became effective in 2000, calls for the labeling of all candles with fire-safety precautions. Additional industry standards to enhance the fire-safety design of candles, glass containers, candle holders and candle accessories have also been established.

“Being able to clearly demonstrate these candles can be a fire hazard is of utmost importance to our industry, ensuring the safety of candle consumers,” said Brad Root, president for NCA, in the news release. “This is of deep concern to NCA, and we take fire safety as our primary goal.”

Visit https://candles.org/research-studies/ to review NCA studies for ‎accurate information about the health and safety of candles. ‎ The full study on burning candles with botanical add-ins can be found here: https:// candles.org/ncas-report-on-botanical-candles/.

Amazon Supports The Toy Foundation’s Toy Bank Collection to Aid Dallas Children in Need

Every child deserves to have the opportunity to experience comfort, joy, and the extraordinary physical, emotional, and educational benefits of play. The Toy Foundation (TTF) and Amazon, spon-

and games at the show’s close to be delivered to at-risk children in the Dallas area.

To participate, a product donation form is now available to complete and submit in advance of the toy show. Donations are also accepted year-round.

sor of TTF’s Toy Bank collection at The Toy Association’s 2023 Preview & 2022 Holiday Market, invite all exhibiting companies to donate their toys

The donations collected will be delivered to four local organizations, including Rainbow Days, whose mission is to help children rise above their adversity and have a promising future. Anne Carrihill, general manager and category leader of toys and games at Amazon, and Taylor Mason, marketing specialist at Amazon, recently spoke with Kelly Wierzbinski (aka Ms. Kit Kat), director of Family Connection at Rainbow Days, to discuss the role of play in the organization’s day-to-day work and how the donations received from this initiative this September will be used.

Family Connection, one of Rainbow Days’ core

Continued on page 20

“At a shelter, it’s easy for a child to lose hope and we use play to help teach them that every person has a purpose in this world. These children can learn science, math, or a potential career path by playing with toys they can manipulate and experiment with and it shows them that their dreams can come true.”

Kelly Wierzbinski, director, Family Connection at Rainbow Days

NEWS BRIEFS

Amazon Supports (From page 18)

programs, provides supportive services for homeless children throughout the Dallas area living in emergency, transitional, or domestic violence shelters. Play is an important part of the curriculum where a toy can give a child a sense of ownership when they have very little, recognize themselves in a toy to feel less alone, and learn something new to help shape a future career path.

“At a shelter, it’s easy for a child to lose hope and we use play to help teach them that every person has a purpose in this world,” said Wierzbinski. “These children can learn science, math, or a potential career path by playing with toys they can manipulate and experiment with and it shows them that their dreams can come true.”

A portion of the toys and games donated to The

TRADE SHOW NEWS

October Atlanta Apparel to Focus On 2023 Sourcing, New Product Discovery and Trend Education

Atlanta Apparel’s October edition was to provide retailers the first opportunity to begin buying for Spring/Summer 2023 – with the market’s largest-of-the-year number of new temporary exhibitors alongside hallmark trend education, events and amenities, October 11-15, at AmericasMart Atlanta. As an added benefit, the October buying event was to co-locate with the Atlanta Fabric Show, October 12-13 at AmericasMart Atlanta, offering manufacturers and private-label retailers exclusive cross-over sourcing opportunities.

Toy Bank at the Preview & Holiday Market will be offered to families in need during Rainbow Days’ annual “Saturday with Santa” event. About 500 families from 30 local shelters can choose from a variety of donated toys suitable for children of all ages and developmental levels, have the toy wrapped, and ready to give to their child for the holiday they celebrate.

“Toys are such a great part of the magical season,” said Wierzbinski. “It lets the children know they are not forgotten, no matter where they are in this world, no matter what they are going through, that someone cares about them and their community cares about them.”

To learn about The Toy Foundation’s work to provide the power of play to children in need, visit ToyFoundation.org. ❖

“This October, Atlanta Apparel presents its largest number of new temporary exhibitors for the year and provides retailers and exhibitors with an expanded array of sourcing resources,” said Caron Stover, IMC senior vice president, apparel. “Atlanta Apparel’s October edition, which features both the season break and partnership with the Atlanta Fabric Show, will provide brands and buyers with the comprehensive resources they need, together under one roof, to prepare for 2023 and successfully close out 2022.”

Atlanta Apparel Highlights Key Categories and Presents Styled Trend Displays

The October Atlanta Apparel Market was to present 300-plus permanent showrooms and 350plus temporary exhibits, showcasing popular spring categories including resort and shoes.

Atlanta Apparel’s three curated category lounges, which typically highlight market trends, were to provide buyers with a comfortable place to recharge and surface top brands in several categories, allowing for further product discovery.

Over 350 temporary exhibits now occupy floors 1-5 of AmericasMart Building 3. Atlanta Apparel’s 300-plus showroom resources were also to feature new additions this October: Community Service (contemporary), LH Curated (contemporary and shoes) and Scarlett Showroom (contemporary), on Floor 9, and Gentle Fawn (contemporary), Mignonne Gavigan (accessories) and Southern Tide (men’s, women’s and children’s apparel), on Floor 11.

Trade Show News (From page 28)

Educational

Opportunities

for ZAG Members

According to a recent ZAG Newsletter, a new opportunity will present itself for all ZAG members to take part in a Sustainability Professional Program, this fall on November 7 and 8 in Sevierville, Tenn. Register at https://iges.us/ sustainabilityinretail/

If you are an active ZAG member, ZAG will pay the fee for this class.

You will receive a certificate upon completion of the class, which is being held by Emerald Expositions.

Nearly 50 New Brands in Suites at Market Square for Fall 2022 High Point Market

International Market Centers (IMC) presents nearly 50 new brands among its 310-plus whole home and lifestyle temporary exhibitors in the Suites at Market Square (SAMS) at the Fall High Point Market October 22-26, 2022.

“Designers and retailers coming to High Point Market for unique and special items will find a wealth of resources at SAMS,” said Scott Eckman, IMC executive vice president, chief revenue officer. “This Fall, a full SAMS presents an en-

gaging mix of new-to-High-Point brands, international collections and new inspiration from favorite exhibitors. From candles to rugs to outdoor living, SAMS offers a complete product mix for buyers.”

Some 310-plus temporary exhibitors are presented on three floors in SAMS. SALON – the design-focused, fashion-forward curated collection on the ground floor of SAMS – features 50 exhibitors. The Mezzanine and Top floors feature a cross-category lineup of 260-plus innovative brands showing decorative accessories, furniture, home textiles, lighting, rugs, wall art and more. ❖

A Look at Upcoming Trade Shows

Northeast’s Leading Souvenir & Resort Event!

Roland E. Powell Convention Center

Ocean City, MD

#OceanCityGift

Do you live in New Jersey or Virginia?

If yes, apply for our travel savings program! Receive a free registration, hotel night, ferry fare OR Bay Bridge toll! Learn more at oceancitygiftshow.com/travelsavings

WATERSPORTS

Surf • Bluewater

Paddle • Skate

COASTAL LIFE

Swim • Boutique

Resort • Coastal Gift

Footwear • Souvenir

Calendar TRADE SHOW

A Look at Upcoming Trade Shows

November

1-2 Gem and Lapidary Wholesalers

Asheville, N.C.

8-10 IGES

Sevierville Convention Center

Sevierville, Tenn.

(Circle 35 on card.)

9-12 IGES

Le Conte Convention Center

Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

(Circle 35 on card.)

9-12 Smoky Mountain Gift Show Gatlinburg Convention Center Gatlinburg, Tenn.

December

5-8 Grand Strand Gift & Resort Merchandise Show

Myrtle Beach Convention Center

Myrtle Beach, S.C.

(Circle 32 on card.)

January 2023

4-6 Surf Expo Orange County Convention Center West Concourse

Orlando, Fla.

(Circle 80 on card.)

10-12 Halloween & Party Expo The Mirage

Las Vegas, Nev.

10-17 Atlanta Market AmericasMart

Atlanta, Ga.

(Circle 09 on card.)

25-27 Oasis Gift Show

Phoenix Convention Center

Phoenix, Ariz.

29-Feb. 2 Las Vegas Market World Market Center

Las Vegas, Nev.

(Circle 43 on card.)

February

5-7 Philadelphia Gift Show

Greater Philadelphia Expo Center Oaks, Pa.,

5-8 New York Now Winter Market Javits Center New York City

The largest gathering of wholesale resort and souvenir gift buyers

Sevierville is Now Double the Size!

Arrive a day early on Monday, Nov 7th, to reap all the benefits Show Opens Tuesday, November 8, 2022

ONLY AT SEVIERVILLE

Made in America

The Made in America Product Pavilion will have 50+ vendors, making it easy to discover the best gift merchandise created in the USA. Spend some time exploring, and you’ll uncover new ways to satisfy your customers’ cravings for American-made items.

The Campground

A dedicated pavilion geared towards the outdoor and recreation industry. Featuring unique merchandise including boating, wellness, lake sports equipment, outdoor cookware, games, and more.

NEW! Sustainability in Retail Professional Program

Now offering a dedicated program to help you make informed decisions when purchasing sustainable products and show you how to successfully implement marketing strategies for your store

NEW! American Dreamin’ Program

Designed to celebrate old and new traditions, colleagues, and friends – this new program aims to create new shopping, networking, and educational experiences for buyers. Win prizes including a vacation, cash giveaways, and more - all valued at $50k!

Offering High-End Gifts at Getaways Quality Mementoes at Resorts

Mountain Harbor Resort and Spa in Mount Ida, Ark., has two gift shops. The larger store, which caters to guests arriving from the lake, has a range of souvenirs as well as practical gear like camping supplies, fishing hats and snacks. At the smaller gift shop, however, Lodge Manager Pati Brown curates a selection of more upscale gifts, like a $79 Columbia quilted vest or $40 ceramic coffee mugs.

“People will spend $80 for winter sportswear, or $40 instead of $20 for a mug, if they see it’s high-quality. And if it feels unique, that is very attractive,” said Brown. Much of that uniqueness comes by way of the Lodge brand or the lake logo, which turn a keepsake-quality item into a lasting souvenir. “Anything with the name on it sells really well,” Brown noted.

What vacationers consider a splurge varies considerably from one resort to another. One hotel retailer described the look of shock in his customers’ eyes when they hear that signature logo coffee mug costs $20; at another hotel, shoppers won’t blink at a $50 price tag. But overall, quality gifts tend to be either practical in nature — like apparel — or unique to the area, like the Native American handcrafts that are best-sellers at the Gouldings Monument Valley Resort in Valley, Utah.

Gouldings Resort Store Manager Kerrilynn Tree said tourists will happily splurge for one-of-a-kind pottery by Navajo, Hopi, or Zuni craftspeople, featuring distinctive tribal motifs. Higher-end pieces range from $300-$700.

Navajo rugs, which cost from $500-$1,000, are another popular purchase. Tree said shoppers are drawn by artisan portraits displayed alongside merchandise, as well as by the quality of the rugs, made from hand-spun and hand-dyed wool. “They are all locally made, which is something people really want,” Tree explained. “Visitors like to take back something from the area.”

When visitors splurge at Grand Bear Resort at Starved Rock in North Utica, Ill., they usually buy apparel. “Anything over $40, to me, is higher end,” explained Retail Manager Annette Adams . Fifty dollar sweatshirts and quality rain jackets are among customers’ perennial favorites, while hoodies are especially popular going into winter.

Adams said her shoppers are motivated by the evident quality of the Continued on page 30

Of Mountain Harbor Resort and Spa, Mt. Ida, Ark., from left to right, Reception Staff Member Kendra Fryar, Lodge Manager Pati Brown and Reception Staff Member Tori Gentry. Fryar is holding a bottle of a locally produced Old Fashioned Cocktail Syrup, Brown is holding one of the attraction’s “Real Housewives of Mountain Harbor” wine tumbers, and Gentry is holding a bag of the resort’s custom flavored coffee.

Resort Show Section

Offering High-End Gifts (From page 28)

clothing. “We use one company for all our apparel, and it’s really well-made,” she said. Nearly all the merchandise at the 400-square-foot gift shop is name-dropped with the Grand Bear logo, which helps it sell despite higher price tags.

One exception: Pajamas and undies from the Lazy One line, which aren’t name dropped but have cute sleep-related sayings and come in matching patterns for

resort. That’s why upscale novelties from the Sonoma Lavender line, as well as Aveda toiletries, are top-selling mementos at the spa boutique at the 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa in Eureka Springs, Ark.

At the 400-square-foot retail outlet in the spa lobby, Assistant Spa Director Jordan Little said guests love Sonoma Lavender’s $100 robes, $50 plush animals, and accessories like neck rolls and eye masks, which cost from $30-70. All of the brand’s products are infused with essential oils in aromatherapy fragrances like eucalyptus and lavender.

And since the spa features an Aveda salon, products from that luxe line, as well as cosmetics from BareMinerals, are also customer favorites. “These products cost a little more because they’re made from quality materials, the fragrances aren’t synthetic, they’re made with natural lavender or flax oils,” explained Little.

adults, kids and babies. “They’re kind of pricey, and they definitely sell better for kids than for grown-ups,” Adams said. “And around here, people will buy anything with the Bigfoot print. He’s a hot item.”

Of course, sometimes guests just want to take home a reminder of the pampering they experienced at the

Most importantly, these items will bring back memories of that spa vacation long after it’s over. “When people have been able to experience these products firsthand, and been educated by stylists on how to use them, they are more likely to take them home,” Little explained. “You’ve already had that sensory experience.”

“People will spend $80 for winter sportswear, or $40 instead of $20 for a mug, if they see it’s high-quality. And if it feels unique, that is very attractive.”

- Pati Brown, Mountain Harbor Resort and Spa, Mount Ida, Ark.

Resort Show Section

What Are Your Top Selling Name-Dropped Gifts, and Why Do They Sell So Well?

At the Mountain Harbour Resort in Mount Ida, Ark., “Real Housewives of Mountain Harbor” wine tumblers are the runaway bestseller. “We can’t keep them in stock,” said Lodge Manager Pati Brown. “They’re so funny, and people love to laugh at themselves.”

The women who buy the $25 tumblers are having fun with the stereotype of wine drinking girlfriends — but they’re also supporting a local, women owned company that donates a share of its proceeds to women’s shelters. “That matters to people as well,” Brown said.

T-shirts are the best-selling

name-dropped category at the Gouldings Monument Valley Resort in Valley, Utah, which has a variety of souvenirs, from inexpensive impulse buys to $1,000 rugs. “Stickers also sell really well,” noted Store Manager Kerrilynn Tree. “People will stick them on their vehicle, their refrigerator, or their laptop.”

Logo drinkware is the top category at Grand Bear Resort at Starved Rock in North Utica, Ill. Shot glasses are especially popular: “I think a lot of people collect them from everywhere they go,” observed Store Manager Annette Adams. Coffee mugs and water bottles also do

well.

At many hotels, gift shops do a brisk business in the same custom branded toiletries or robes the guests enjoy during their stay. That’s the case at 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa, Eureka Springs, Ark., where the name-dropped best-sellers across three retail outlets are the same shampoo, conditioner, moisturizing lotion and body wash found in guest rooms.

“We have them in the room, so people already have the experience of using these items,” said Assistant Spa Director Jordan Little. ❖

Setting a Stage for Sales Selling Coastal Gifts at

Coastal Stores

By Genie Davis

By the sea, the sea, the beautiful sea - selling coastal gifts can be as steady as the tide. For this article, we asked store owners and staff to describe the décor in their shops, their shop’s overall environment, and how both affect their sales. Their best-selling items are also discussed.

At Maison Beach, in Vero Beach, Fla., Owner Darcy Dunbar described her choice of décor in her 1,000-square-foot store. “The main thing is that I display items in a way that makes people notice them, placing like-colors together and things like that. I do nice, cheerful, colorful window displays, and I both show and tell people my ideas behind the items and

how I put them together as a gift,” she related. Her wall paint and flooring are nondescript – the better to show off her colorful gift lines. “The walls are white, and the floor is a pickle green,” Dunbar said, “so colorful merchandise really stands out.”

Supply chain issues have limited Dunbar’s access to some of the more coastal-themed gifts she has offered in the past, but the store is doing well with other product lines. In the definitely-coastal-themed category, she said, “I’ve sold hundreds of these little soap lifts shaped like turtles, with a great price point of just $5.95. I used to carry a great deal of Mud Pie coastal styles, they sell wonderfully when you can get them, but it’s literally been two years since I’ve been able to stock them.”

Today, her top sellers are Island Bamboo brand kitchenware with its white and blue themed cooking utensils and cutting boards, and Spice Walla, a regional product line that includes bowls and boards, and is bright and tropically colorful. In terms of display, she noted, “I have two stand-up displays with Island Bamboo items, which really shows them off. They’re so useful and colorful, and people really went for them as gifts. They have a colorful resort aesthetic,” she noted. “Some pieces have a green and blue pattern, others are

Continued on page 38

Owners Robert Cheney and Bob Mather of Bungalow By the Sea in Carolina Beach, N.C. Palm tree décor is a recurring theme in the store.

“The walls are white, and the floor is a pickle green, so colorful merchandise really stands out.”

- Darcy Dunbar, Maison Beach, Vero Beach, Fla.

X Marks the Spot

“We also have a lot of big signs throughout the store, retro style signs that have beach maps and sayings like ‘Anna Marina Island –where nothing to do is something.’ They serve as décor and they’re also available for sale. Those are very popular.”

- Taylor Deluca, Two Sides of Nature, Anna Marina Island, Fla.

Setting a Stage (From page 34)

more rainbow, and then the white and blue patterns, which are very beachy, always does well with people.”

Dunbar added that the environment she tries to create in her store is one that is “warm, helpful, and interactive. I do gift wrapping and packaging for my customers. I even allow them to bring things they purchased elsewhere and combine them with ours in my wrapping or packaging.” She described herself as “very service oriented. Whatever people want, I try to give to them. I will also send people to other shops if I know something is available there and I don’t have an item.”

Continued on page 40

Top Customer Service Tips

At coastal stores, the customer is the king - or queen - of the sea. For this article, store owners and staff described their top customer service tips.

At Maison Beach in Vero Beach, Fla., Owner Darcy Dunbar said her top tip is “Accessibility. My store phone is my cell phone, so customers can text me or call me any time. I am a one woman show,” she noted. “I even make deliveries and do shipping. So, if customers know what they want and they need it gift wrapped, I’ll ship for them with reasonable shipping costs, or I’ll do deliveries if that’s what works for them. Whatever people need I will help them with,” she attested.

Bob Mather, co-owner of Bungalow By the Sea, in

Carolina Beach, N.C., explained, “My top customer service tip is to have fun. For us, that’s certainly true, it’s mostly about having fun with our customers, and it shows. We were labeled the number one gift shop on the island, and that sense of fun is the reason. We also go very personal, with one-on-one interactions with our customers.”

On Anna Marina Island, Fla., Taylor DeLuca, manager at Two Sides of Nature, agreed that personal interaction is the key for customer service excellence. “We interact with customers, a great deal, we really talk to them. And we can ship things off to their homes if their luggage is too full. We can also help them shop online if they decide they want some-

thing, and we will follow up and get in touch with them and show them many options.”

And at Gulf Stream Gifts, in Nags Head, N.C., Kim, a sales associate speaking for Store Manager Chris Wolff, related that “Gift wrap and shipping are important to people, and offering that, which we do, is a great customer service idea. Sometimes people will pop in here for a present, and we’ll wrap and even ship it if needed. Things that are breakable, we try to find a box or wrap the item in bubble wrap so people can bring them home safe. I guess you could say that we cater to the customer, which is something you should do. That’s my tip.” ❖

Resort Show Section

Setting a Stage (From page 38)

In Carolina Beach, N.C., Bob Mather , co-owner of Bungalow By the Sea, uses his store’s décor to create what he calls “a very Tommy Bahama-like interior. The walls are a lovely gold mustard color, and behind the counter we have beautiful palm tree wallpaper. We also have palm trees throughout the store. The look is more tropical overall than out and out beachy,” he reported.

The environment he is trying to create is “Warm and friendly. Really very much like the old Tommy Bahama stores; that’s what we were after for both the look and the vibe.”

The 900-square-foot store’s top selling coastal gifts include a wide range of items. “We do very well with placemats and towels with flamingos and starfish on them; we also sell a lot of December Diamond merman ornaments,” he said, adding that “I am also an artist and I sell some of my coastal paintings, prints, and cards here as well.”

Taylor Deluca , manager of Two Sides of Nature on Anna Marina Island, Fla., related that her store, too, goes for bright colored walls and plenty of palm trees as its main décor. “We also have a lot of big signs throughout the store, retro style signs that have beach maps and sayings like ‘Anna Marina Island – where nothing to do is something,’ ” she said. “They serve as décor and they’re also available for sale. Those are very popular.”

Having a “relaxed, friendly, fun environment with a coastal theme encourages shoppers” to enjoy a visit to the store and make purchases that fit the store’s theme. Top-sellers include “T-shirts with lots of marine themes, towels, cards, and purses, all in coastal themed colors.” There are two separate Two Sides of Nature shops, one that focuses on boutique and gift items, and the other that primarily sells clothing.

In Nags Head, N.C., at Gulf Stream Gifts, Sales Associate Kim , speaking for Store Manager Chris Wolff,

described the peaceful and beachy vibes in the coastal shop. “Our walls are painted peach and white; our signage has a dolphin on it, and perhaps most attractively of all, there is a lovely garden.” The garden belongs to the shop owners who live in this building, too. “People see the pretty flowers as soon as they walk in,” Kim said.

Window displays follow the same seaside theme “We have seashells in our front window, which serve as décor and they’re also items that we sell, both individually and in little gift baskets. This adds to the atmosphere,” she said. “We also sell a lot of sun catchers and garden flags that keep things looking cheerful and bright in here.”

The store sees many repeat customers, as well as

Continued on page 42

Art prints on display at Bungalow By the Sea. One of the owners is also a watercolor artist who now specializes in coastal water color art focusing on turtles.

A full merchandise display at Bungalow By the Sea is dominated by the colors blue and white. The company has been in business for 18 years, and sold off all of its previous stores to move to the beach.

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Setting a Stage (From page 40)

new visitors, and the atmosphere of the store is designed to reflect that, she said. “We have clientele that tell us they make a point to come here every summer when they’re in the area on vacation. We create a casual, comfortable feeling that makes people want to come in, and come visit us again and again.”

As to best-sellers in the coastal gift category, they are plentiful. “We do very well with the coastal-themed wall art that we sell. Sea glass pictures are especially popular right now. We also sell a lot of mermaid figurines, tea towels and placemats that have coastal themes, and periodically, when we have them in stock, we have ocean-themed table runners that do great, too,” she explained. And there’s more: “We’ve started to keep Christmas and Halloween items out all year ‘round, some have seaside themes, too. People like to collect those as souvenirs or for holiday gifts, as many of them say ‘Outer Banks’ on them.” Additionally, beach-themed coffee mugs, books with coastal subjects, and children’s beach toys are also popular.

In short, creating a welcoming atmosphere in spaces that reflect resort colors or decorations, enhances the shopping experience, and encourages purchases of coastal gift items by customers at coastal stores. ❖

A display of coastal items at Bungalow By the Sea. The 900-square-foot store backs up right to the beach.

Sunny Souvenir Sales Resort and Beach Store Souvenirs

By Carimé Lane

Post-pandemic, tourists–and locals–are still snatching souvenirs up at resort and beach stores across the country. Here’s how three of these stores are faring with their souvenir selection now.

At The Happy Mermaid in Portland, Ore., sales of souvenirs have been trending up since the pandemic. Owner Cindy Anderson had more requests for souvenir-type items of all kinds, and feels customers are more willing to pay for souvenirs, given the uptick in post-pandemic vacations. Locals are also showing interest in her souvenir items.

This year, they introduced hats to their souvenir line up. “They sold like hotcakes,” said Anderson. Along with dedicating more space to their apparel souvenirs in general next year, they’ll be adding more hat styles to their selection.

A few years ago, Anderson decided to capitalize on the popularity of the floating café next door –the Island Café –by referring to the café in her souvenir collection. Since then, souvenir T-shirts referring to the café have been long-standing favorites. She attributed their success to the practical nature of the item.

The success of the Island Café merchandise has led her to wonder why she didn’t make the move sooner: These Tshirts outsold merchandise referring to

Portland by far. Her current selection of souvenirs in her 400-squarefoot floating shop is small but, due to the success of these items, she has her eye on expansion. She plans on attending the upcoming Vegas Souvenir Show, and has already made plans for new items she’ll be stocking come next year. For instance, she’s excited to be carrying earrings featuring photographs of the area, made by Dunitz & Company. She’ll often mix slower selling souvenirs with other souvenirs.

Continued on page 48

Owner Cindy Anderson of The Happy Mermaid in Portland, Ore., photographed at the store. The shop is open five months of the years. Both locals and tourists are showing interest in Anderson’s souvenir items.

Card decks at Lowcountry Whimsy. The store has its roots in the owner's fulltime Reiki practice.

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Sunny Souvenir Sales (From page 46)

According to Anderson, eventually someone will be interested in the item. In addition, often, customers will prefer an older style of–for instance–a T-shirt, over the designs of the current season. If she feels the need to clear some space, she’ll end up marking slower moving items down.

Unique NOLA, a tour company, gift and souvenir shop managed by Unique NOLA Tours, is located in the heart of the French Quarter in New Orleans. Christopher J. Falvey , co-owner of the 351-squarefoot shop, said there has been no noticeable change in the buying power of those entering the shop since the pandemic. The aspect that has been completely disrupted both during and post-pandemic has been the normal ups and downs of the seasons.

“While the number of people in town is not at all as predictable as before, when they are in town we’re not noticing much of a difference with how much they're willing to purchase, nor a difference in the number of lookers versus buyers,” explained Falvey.

This season, customers were drawn to items wholly authentic to their location in New Orleans, and not as attracted to more generic items that can be branded for any location.

“For example, voodoo-related items are something very New Orleans, and we’re noticing tourists gravitating toward that sort of thing,” said Falvey. “This is a totally new category to us. Those specific items would not work in another location.”

A book display at Lowcountry Whimsy in Mount Pleasant, S.C. The Isle of Palm Beach and Sullivan’s Island are nearby tourist attractions.

Smudge sticks from Lowcountry Whimsey. Local jewelry and food items also sell well for the store.

Resort Show Section

The Happy Mermaid Owner Cindy Anderson, with Main Mermaid Assistant Jodee Bray, in the red T-shirt, photographed outside of the store. Introduced this year were souvenir hats. “They sold like hotcakes,” Anderson said, and more hat styles will be added next year.

When it comes to managing slow-moving merchandise, they are proactive. They are very focused on testing products, starting with a small level of stock and gradually increasing this level, said Falvey. While they must remain cognizant of the fact that merchandise must be well-stocked, their location right off Bourbon Street allows them only so much space.

“The key is to be judicious before the fact, and... test, test, test,” emphasized Falvey.

Although they were initially brought in on a whim, stickers have been a customer favorite for years at Unique NOLA. Falvey said they remain a big seller with a large mark-up. One of the key reasons for the success of the stickers is that they can be decorated with any type of graphic or wording. Stickers are also a personal buy.

“The key is to figure out what sorts of things the customer wants to be proud of, as this item is something they use to show off who they are,” said Falvey.

Lowcountry Whimsy, a “soul inspiring gift shop & studio,” is located in a shopping center in Mount Pleasant, S.C. The Isle of Palm Beach and Sullivan’s Island are nearby tourist attractions.

Lowcountry began as Owner Sylvia Barnhill’s fulltime Reiki practice but expanded when clients made requests for the books and stones Barnhill used during sessions. Now, the eclectic store offerings include everything from tarot cards to jewelry to bath bombs.

The store doesn’t carry souvenirs in a traditional sense. However, many tourists shop in the store, and so Barnhill is quick to point out local jewelry and food items to them. They also recently relocated at the beginning of the pandemic to increase their visibility to visitors, said Barnhill.

This season’s best-selling souvenirs include jewelry from a local jeweler who fuses beach sand from The Isle of Palms with glass. The line, which includes earrings, bracelets and necklaces, is popular with the year-round residents and seasonal tourists alike according to Barnhill. Necklaces in the line sell for $26.

“Jewelry is a way to easily carry something home with you as a gift or as reminder of what you were doing in this area,” Barnhill said.

Barnhill sees merchandise sell in cycles–for a time, certain items may be flying of the shelves, then sales of that item will be slow for another period of time, and then revert to selling quickly again.

Continued on page 52

Sunny Souvenir Sales (From page 48)

Resort Show Section

“It’s like a rollercoaster,” Barnhill said.

If she brings in a new piece of merchandise in her approximately 700-square-foot store, and there’s been no interest in a couple of months, Barnhill will think either she’s made a mistake bringing it in, or it’s in an area of the shop where visitors aren’t seeing it.

“I’m constantly re-arranging the store,” Barnhill said.

After she’s moved an item to several locations in the store, and it’s still not selling, she’ll drastically reduce the price, and place it in the sale section.

Crystals and rocks have been a favorite in Barnhill’s store since 2007. For tourists who don’t have a shop like Barnhill’s in their area, the store is often an attraction in and of itself for this reason.

“We have people who look us up before they even make their trip and come to our store looking specifically to get crystals or rocks,” explained Barnhill. “These items are not necessarily local; customers are just looking for items they might not have access to in their area.”

She’s seen a huge increase in interest in spirituality and crystals since the pandemic. In fact, part of the reason she moved her store was due to this increased interest. Being forced to isolate has led many to search for answers in terms of what they can do for themselves and their spiritual growth, she explained.

Showcase Product News Brief: Gifts NB

Xplorer Maps Delivers on Unique, Quality Gifts

Xplorer Maps creates the world’s finest hand-drawn and hand-lettered illustrations of national parks and other significant historical sites and destinations throughout the world. Setting us apart from any other “map product” on the market, we are approved by National Park Service specialists and their respective non-profit partners on the basis of educational merit, interpretive value, cultural relevance, and historical and geographical accuracy.

(For more information, visit www.xplorermaps.com, email info@xplorermaps.com, call 406-546-2659, or circle 91 on the reader service card.)

Island Café merchandise is available at The Happy Mermaid. The store’s owner began offering the souvenirs a few years ago to capitalize on the popularity of the floating café next door.

Sunny Souvenir Sales (From page 50)

Hand-drawn and hand-lettered illustrations from Xplorer Maps are approved by National Park Service specialists.

Waterpark and Theme Park Apparel Plus Sunglasses

A Q&A with Brand Manager

Chris Nicoli, Canobie Lake Park, Salem, N.H.

Souvenirs, Gifts & Novelties (SGN): What are your top sellers in apparel, and why are they selling so well?

Chris Nicoli (C.N.): Regarding apparel, T-shirts and hoodies typically always sell the best. However, in the past few years and specifically 2022, we are finding that any apparel with tie-dye seems to be exceeding expectations. This is followed by any apparel item considered to be “retro.” We are seeing that guest demand for retro items are those with designs appearing to be from the 1970s and 1980s.

SGN: Why is apparel such a strong seller?

C.N.: Although apparel has not always been a strong seller when compared to souvenirs, we are seeing growth in this category that is directly related to design and fabrication quality of the merchandise.

SGN: How do you train your staff to help customers with their buying decisions? Why do these methods work?

C.N.: Our training method for suggestive selling is to give our team members the complete ability to suggest what they like and what they would purchase. If our team members believe in a product, they will ‘talk it up.’ Trends do vary greatly based on the individuals scheduled in the various shops throughout the facility. Team member buy-in is the most important part of upselling, as if they don’t like it, it will seem forced or scripted.

SGN: What types of merchandise do you offer that pairs well with apparel? Do you merchandise these items with apparel?

C.N.: Hats, if not specifically considered as apparel, are the most popular item that pairs with apparel purchases. We do have hat/t-shirt combos that do well. We also find that designs that complement apparel on

souvenir items such as stickers, keychains, water bottles, etc. make them more appealing when purchasing apparel. If they look like they pair well, they will pair well.

SGN: What makes a good display?

C.N.: A well-rounded display sways guests more than having multiple options available. Gone are the days where various shirts or sweatshirts are hanging on racks or on walls. Putting a hoodie on a mannequin combined with a hat, water bottle, towel, and more create a larger amount of individual complimentary sales when a guest can “see themselves” in a display. We are in the business of entertainment and need to paint the whole picture of what you could look like.

SGN: What types of sunglasses are selling best now?

C.N.: The Park offers a standard assortment of relatively generic sunglasses. We don’t have a large selection as we are seeing anything at or less than the $10 level generally sells the most. Typically, sunglass purchasers have either forgotten their own at home or realize it would be more comfortable wearing them while enjoying our park and/or water park and consider them disposable.

SGN: Anything else you’d like to add?

C.N.: One of the items that we are seeing have made an enormous resurgence is any kind of rocks or gems. We see the interest lies specifically in the ability to “bring home a piece of the Park”. We are also seeing that a large variety of attraction specific stickers are doing well as each guest may have a different favorite ride or themed area. Providing only our key attractions limits those who like to collect or who enjoy attractions a bit off the standard path. ❖

Going Wild for Mementoes

Wildlife Souvenirs at Zoos

By Sara Karnish

Visitors to zoos and wildlife parks enjoy checking out the exhibits and learning about the animals.

Before leaving, they almost always look for a souvenir to remember their visit and, maybe, to show a little of their “wild” side.

Wildlife-themed souvenirs offering a little of both—fun and learning—are the biggest sellers at Potter Park Zoo’s AniMall in Lansing, Mich., according to Jon Lawrence , customer service manager. “Plush, books, toys, and our conservation bookmarks lead the way in number of sales. Plush and toys sell well because of the demographic that

visits the zoo. Parents and caregivers want to commemorate their time at the zoo with a keepsake both they and the child can enjoy. It’s part of the memory they’re making together,” he explained, adding the bookmarks are a practical souvenir, featuring different animals found in the zoo and organizations the zoo partners with to protect various species.

Karen Kierstead , gift shop manager at Lake Tobias Wildlife Park in Halifax, Pa., said plush is by far their top seller. “We sold plush animals from Wild Republic wearing name-dropped sweatshirts on them, and they just flew off the display,” she said. “Parents like it when a child chooses something with our name on it to remember the day. We also sell a lot of Safari LTD products. The animal figures, as well as fill your own TOOBS [themed figurines which come with a clear tube/storage/carrying case], are popular. Parents and kids love that they can choose what animals come in their TOOBS and they are not stuck with a prepacked container that has some animals they are not interested in.”

Plush is also a top seller at Henson Robinson Zoo in Springfield, Ill., according to Guest Services and Marketing Manager Hilary Tierney . “Our best-selling item for the last two years running has been our 4-to5-foot snakes,” she said. “They come in many different colors and patterns—realistic and unrealistic—and some have rattle sounds. There is a style for everyone—even for guests who do not necessarily like snakes, they may like plush ones. And, they make great neck pillows for those long car trips or vacations. We try to tell everyone this, and people think, ‘Wow, you’re right.’ ” Although their gift shop is small (450 square feet), Tierney said they encourage guests to browse and carefully look at all the merchandise they have to offer—everything from plush and playsets for kids to housewares

Continued on page 58

Gayle Brown, customer service attendant, Potter Park Zoo’s AniMall, photographed in the store. The customer services manager and buyer recommended telling a story with the merchandise.

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Going Wild for Mementoes (From page 56)

and jewelry for adults. “We don’t dedicate a lot of real estate to these items, but we like to put out just enough to catch customers’ interest,” she explained.

Sharing the products’ story also helps to boost sales, and in venues like zoos, the story often means educating customers about an animal and/or its habitat. Lawrence said look for opportunities to tell a story wherever you can—“in displays, merchandise tags, using suppliers’ point-of-purchase supplies, but most of all, engage the guest in the immersive opportunity they are about to experience with merchandise that builds on their visit.” He noted these tips work because the visitor is doing more than just purchasing an item—they are creating memories and learning at the same time. “Memories are built through positive experiences, and guests are actively engaged throughout their visit. Our wildlife souvenirs and other retail opportunities look to build upon and reinforce this with additional information or calls on them to be a conservation partner through their purchase,” Lawrence explained.

Because zoos and wildlife parks welcome visitors from all walks of life and all income levels, Kierstead said it’s important to truly carry merchandise for everyone. “We’ve found you must have all price points covered, from the child that comes on a field trip with only $2 to spend to a family that has saved all year for their trip and has extra money to spend on each family member,” she explained. “We don’t want

Continued on page 62

Elaine Reed, gift shop employee, of Lake Tobias Wildlife Park. Safari Ltd. toys sell well for the store, according to the manager.

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Going Wild for Mementoes (From page 58)

anyone leaving the gift shop empty handed simply because they didn’t have much money to spend. We also know we need to have something that interests everyone. From the plush for the kids (and adults), to the Chala wallets and handbags for Mom and Grandma, to the deer and elk antlers for dads to put in their mancaves, plus the T-shirts and sweatshirts for the whole family, we really have something for everyone.”

Zoo shops typically carry the tried-andtrue souvenirs like apparel and plush, but will add new items into the mix based on industry trends and customer requests. Zoo gift shop retailers have noticed some fading trends, as well. Lawrence has seen less of a demand for larger plush items and more for the smaller designs. Tierney said novelty toys are making a comeback with their market, observing, “those bulk item bins empty out quickly. We are selling a lot of fidget-type toys as novelty items—it seems to serve a bigger purpose than just a ‘small toy’ for some buyers,” she noted. Similarly, Kierstead said at Lake Tobias, it was a big year for soft, “squishable” toys, anything from lizards to alpacas to a

Continued on page 64

Chris Tanke, customer service attendant lead, Lansing, Mich.’s Potter Parks Zoo’s AniMall gift shop, photographed with merchandise. Plush, books, toys and bookmarks all sell well for the store.

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Going Wild for Mementoes (From page 62)

standard ball.

Merchandising, a key driver behind sales as it gives customers a much-appreciated visual aspect of products’ various features, is just as critical for on-site zoo and aquarium shops. It is often more challenging due to limited space, however. Tierney said, “[Merchandising] is important in a smaller space, but in a different way. You really have to get down to basics. Keep your product moving around the store. Sometimes one thing won't sell sitting in the basket on the wall, but if you move it to a hanging display in the corner partnered with a ‘biome buddy’ [animals from the same habitat or geographical location] it will sell out in a week.”

Tierney pointed out the shelf that goes all the way around the upper perimeter of the Henson Robinson gift shop isn’t merely an eye-catching display technique—it’s

a necessity to store some of the bigger plush, with a few smaller versions scattered around the store for customers to browse. Even if the shelf is well above customers’ heads, Tierney cautions, “Always keep it neat—it

Kierstead says, “If you don’t have a clean, pleasant place to shop filled with reasonably priced items that are of interest to your customers, you are not merchandising properly. We want all our customers to have a great shopping experience every time they visit. A good display is accessible for both the customers and the employees. Most people don’t want to spend all day in the gift shop. They want to get what they want and go back to seeing all the wonderful animals we have here at Lake Tobias. The easier and quicker you make shopping for the customer, the happier they will be. A good display will also make it easier for the employees to keep it full, neat and tidy.”

Zoo and aquarium shop operators have faced many of the same challenges with just

Continued on page 66

BOOTH NO. 312

Jon Lawrence, customer services manager and buyer, Potter Park Zoo. Smaller plush is selling better than bigger pieces, Lawrence has noticed.

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Going Wild for Mementoes (From page 64)

getting merchandise into their stores. “During 2020-21, sometimes it was hard to keep the shop stocked. It was bare bones a good 40 percent of the time,” Tierney recalled. “There wasn't much we could do. The extra shipping charges blew the budget, the shelves were only half full, and product we could get was not exactly what we wanted. On the bright side, because we are a smaller operation and our guests at the time were all very local, they were very generous in their spending. Even though we didn’t have a ton of product, that fiscal year was the shop’s best year ever.” Tierney was brand new to her position at the start of the pandemic and said she learned the basics about supply chain and moving product very quickly.

Adaptability is essential when dealing with these challenges, Kierstead pointed out. “Supply chain issues have been a problem for the last few seasons. Sometimes getting certain items is impossible and you have to roll with the punches, so to speak. Just because you always had a certain plush animal every year doesn’t mean you’ll get it this year. You may have to try ordering it from another company because your current company may not have it available. We also try to order heavy in the spring and store what we can’t use right away. We use any backordered items that come in later to change things up and keep things fresh during the season.”

A broad selection of merchandise to appeal to different tastes and budgets, as well as compelling product storytelling, all work together to boost the sales of wildlife-themed souvenirs at zoo gift shops. ❖

Gift Shop Employee Ethan Dunmyre of Lake Tobias Wildlife Park in Halifax, Pa. Plush toys are a top seller for the store, according to the manager.

Where the Selling Is Child’s Play

Nostalgic Toys and Candy Merchandise at Country and General Stores

By Genie Davis

Nostalgic candy and toys are strong sellers at country and general stores across the country. While not all stores carry these types of merchandise, the traditional ambiance of these locations encourages shoppers to partake of an old-fashioned treat or a classic toy.

At Pennsylvania General Store in Philadelphia, Pa., General Manager Helen Zhao has a big hit in nostalgic candy. “We carry Asher’s chocolatecovered pretzels as well as a variety of Pennsylvania-based regional candies,” she said. “We’re known in this region for our German pretzel style, and Asher’s is a really nostalgic candy, they’re fifth generation chocolate makers. That’s our number one seller.”

While the store sells only a limited number of toys, the items they do sell also tie into a deep sense of Pennsylvania history with merchandise such as coloring pillows and plush bears. “Our plush bear has a lot of appeal because it is designed to represent Ben Franklin, who was of course a key figure here in Philadelphia. The coloring pillow is a classic kind of toy style, and ours has the Liberty Bell and other fun iconic landmarks that the kids can color and interact with, which makes them genuinely fun educational toys.”

To sell more of these toys and nostalgic candy in the 700-square-foot store, Zhao relies on 30 large candy display counters, as well as displays for both toys and candy that “change with the season to feature whatever we are trying to focus on that month or week. We don’t really cross-merchandise our items.”

At the Fredericksburg General Store in Fredericks -

burg, Texas, Seo Davis just took over as owner of the store on July 1. But she is already able to attest that “Nostalgic candy items sell better than any other kind because of the history of the store. People are looking for old-time candies when they come in here.” Among Davis’ top sellers are “Double Bubble, old-fashioned sugar stick candies, and cigar-style bubble gum candy. We do well with Pop Rocks and After Shocks, too.”

Among her top selling nostalgic toys are mini-gum ball machines, toy airplanes, and a yo-yo with small animals inside of it. The store also sells small toy basketballs and other vintage styles. Davis primarily displays

Continued on page 70

Nostalgic toys that are available at Sweet Country Charm Fudge & Gifts. The 900-square-foot store gets a sales boost each Black Friday from a large, free community event.

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Where the Selling (From page 68)

items in specific areas by type of product because it allows customers to find items more easily, she noted.

In Payson, Ariz., at Sweet Country Charm Fudge & Gifts, Owner Rebecca Acord is all about the nostalgia. For toys she does best with “the old-fashioned Candyland games, a little phone that you pull and make the eyes go back and forth, a dog with wobbly wheels, and an old-fashioned jack in the box. I can’t compete with Walmart, so I really focus on the vintage items, from toys to candy like Necco wafers,” she related.

Acord finds her treasure trove of nostalgic toys and candy primarily online. “I find items from the 60s through the 80s,” she related. “In candy we have Astral Pops, Wacky Wafers, Tiny Tarts, a lot of Beech Nut items, and old-style candy bars like Unos, Zero, and Sky Bar. I can’t always get everything I want to order these days, but I get them when I can,” she laughed.

The 900-square-foot store also sells 174 rotating types of fudge, made in-house.

To sell more candy or toys, Acord said, “We do a lot of Facebook posting and featured ads, and in the store, I try to purchase and display items that are unique, with a special emphasis on older types of things that are going away. Along with the mainly old-fashioned candy, we have lots of locally made products that are handcrafted, like hand-knitted or crocheted items, the kind of things you don’t typically

see in stores anymore.” While the old-time packaged candies can’t be sampled, and the store has tended to move away from sampling altogether because of COVID-19, nonetheless Acord does offer samples of the store’s fudge, which elevates sales in that category.

Her nostalgic toys and candy also get a special boost from a large, free community event as well, she said. “Every year on Black Friday we do a lighting of the Swiss Village we’re located in, and everyone in town it seems gets out, walks around, goes in the shops. Not only is it a big event here in Payson, it’s big for us. People come into the store and they’re already eager to purchase our nostalgic items.”

Elsewhere in Arizona, at Mother Lode Mercantile in Apache Junction, Store Manager Cathy , who goes only by her first name, speaking for Owner Joann Akers, said this shop, too, centers its merchandise on the nostalgic. “Nostalgia fits our setting for us, that’s why we offer it. We’re in an 1890s-era mining town, so we’re all about the past.” The candy that the store sells includes favorite types from the 1950s through the 1990s. “Although our homemade

Continued on page 72

Selections of nostalgic candy that is available at Sweet Country Charm Fudge & Gifts. The owner finds her treasure trove of nostalgic toys and candy primarily online.

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Where the Selling (From page 70)

fudge does super well, too, it’s the nostalgic items that really do sell. Some of our standouts are candy cigarettes, rock candy, and gum balls. If we can find it to order it, we have it,” she noted.

Current nostalgic toys in stock include “Gumby and Pokey, Raggedy Ann and Andy, Smokey the Bear, and those wooden rubber band replica guns,” Cathy stated. Merchandise is most often found online.

To sell more of the candy and toys the store carries, she said that “Within the store we display by category, which makes it easy for people to find what we carry. When we can, we set up little displays for the toys that makes them look very appealing.” The store’s location, however, is the biggest boost for sales. “We are in a very touristy location in the Goldfield Ghost Town, and all the resorts in Phoenix and the lower half of the state know about us and they’ll suggest a stop here to their guests. We’re one of the only wild west towns left in Arizona, and that really draws people in. The history also encourages them to buy items that are more nostalgic in nature.”

Finally, at the Main Street Country Store in Walworth, Wis., Sales Associate Morgan Berg , speaking

for Rick Schoenbeck, president, said that despite the store’s “old fashioned country store” atmosphere, the candy and toys on offer are not particularly nostalgic. While there are unique décor and other items that evoke the past, including homemade donuts and Wisconsin cheese curds in the food category, when it comes to candy, Berg reported that “We have standard Snickers, Twix, peanut and chocolate Rice Krispies, things like that. Our toys tend to lean toward branded quality items like Melissa and Doug.”

To sell more of these items, she said, “We have our toys displayed on branded racks, and we frequently move them around the store to keep things fresh. Candy we just keep by the register.”

Overall, the old-fashioned atmosphere of country and general stores leads to selections of nostalgic candies and toys as merchandise, which fits the aesthetics of each store. And particularly when it comes to traditional candies, nostalgia never grows old. ❖

Showcase Product News Brief: Gifts NB

Seek Publishing Offers Gifts for Nostalgic Fun

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Owner Rebecca Acord of Sweet Country Charm Fudge & Gifts in Payson, Ariz. “ …I can’t compete with Walmart, so I really focus on the vintage items, from toys to candy like Necco wafers,” she said.

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Our recycled plush collection contains ber ll stu ng made from 100% recycled plastic! Many of our Adventure Planet toy sets feature windowless boxes to reduce plastic use. We’ve also incorporated mesh bags as packaging to focus on reusability.

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Merchandise

Journeyers Don’t Pass Up As They Pass By Best-Sellers at Truck Stops and Travel Centers

Most customers at the TA Travel Center in Hurricane, W.V., are men. So Store Manager Donna Gray stocks the kinds of graband-go items that appeal to busy truckers: larger-sized prepared meals, lots of sweet and salty snacks, and plenty of beer.

“And water — travelers buy a lot of water,” observed Gray. “We have a big display of water right down the center section of the store.”

Men, especially those who drive for work, tend to be fast and purposeful shoppers. So do most patrons at truck stops and travel centers off the nation’s highways, which cater to people who are hungry, thirsty, craving sweets — and, especially in summer, in the market for postcards and other local mementos.

Travel retail outlets boost sales by meeting those needs conveniently. At TA Travel Center, most wares are displayed at 4 feet or higher, since most shoppers are

souvenir merchandise like postcards and magnets. “But they really didn’t sell, so we discontinued them,” said Store Manager Heidi Nmars . About half of the customers at Donna’s Travel Plaza are truck drivers, and the other half are typically busy commuters.

With limited floor space, Nmars stocks her shelves with the can’t-miss merchandise her hungry patrons are looking for — soda, candy and snacks. “We’ve got four shelves of chips and three shelves of candy,” the manager observed. Eye-level shelf displays let busy drivers find exactly what they’re looking for quickly, so they can pay and get back out on the highway.

It’s a very different picture at Gear Jammer Truck Plaza & Chevron Gas Station in Union Gap, Wash. Along with truck drivers, many visitors are weekenders or tourists to this scenic part of Washington State, so they’re inclined to linger.

men. Anticipating surges of weekend traffic, Gray fortifies racks of snack cakes on Fridays. The Travel Center also does a brisk business in magnets, postcards and other inexpensive, impulsive souvenirs.

Donna’s Travel Plaza in Tulalip, Wash., used to carry

“A lot of people stop to eat at our restaurant,” reported Manager Laurie Tudor . Others appreciate country Gear Jammer’s gourmet deli department, which features a selection of pastas, chicken, corn dogs and other hot foods, along with a refrigerated case stocked with fresh salads.

Tudor deliberately has a souvenir display in the center of the store, so shoppers can’t fail to see the variety of T-shirts, shot glasses, coffee mugs and other Washington-branded mementos. Maps and postcards are Continued on page 78

“We’ve got four shelves of chips and three shelves of candy.”

- Heidi Nmars, Donna’s Travel Plaza, Tulalip, Wash.

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Merchandise Journeyers (From page 74)

also popular with local vacationers. “When people come from out of state, or even as far away as Mexico, they want to take something home to their family that has the name of where they’ve been,” Tudor explained.

Manager Hilda Vieyra just started carrying souvenirs at the Wenatchee Valley Truck Stop in Wenatchee, Wash. “We put them out on a rack right in the front of the store, and we found they sell better there than when they were toward the back,” she reported.

Car decals bearing the Wenatchee name are the number-one item so far, but keychains and other mementos are also proving popular with area tourists. “I found a local person who can customize them, and people really like that,” Vieyra said.

Seasonal travel patterns both drive sales and determine displays at the Wenatchee store. While winker winter shoppers are more likely to be commercial truck drivers, the summer season brings an influx of tourists, many headed to the resort area around Lake Chelan. Starting around Memorial Day, Vieyra puts out summary displays of straw hats, swim goggles and other

vacation items; in the fall, those racks feature beanies, gloves and other cold-weather gear. Practical items like snow brushes also fly off shelves in wintertime.

Aside from gifts and souvenirs, the Wenatchee truck stop does a brisk business in fresh, hot meals for hungry travelers. Panini sandwiches are especially popular, from the breakfast panini to the rotating daily lunch special. Breakfast burritos and, especially, hot biscuits and gravy round out the morning best-sellers, while

Continued on page 80

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Merchandise Journeyers (From page 78)

pizzas, burgers, fried foods and sandwiches all take turns as customer favorites. “Which items are more popular depends on the time of year,” Vieyra said.

Three distinct demographics shop at the Space Age

glasses and postcards branded with the Oregon logo. “Everybody wants a state souvenir to take home,” Nelson noted.

Fidget toys, miniature cars and activity books are the highlights of a toy section prominently displayed in the food area. Locals, another reliable category, flock to Space Age for its famous giant donuts, burritos and chicken. They also buy lots of magnets and decorative signs with humorous slogans, as well as cell phone and audio accessories.

Fuel Travel Center in Hermiston, Ore., according to General Manager Don Nelson . The first are interstate car travelers; they’ll stop to fill up the tank, grab a quick meal and snacks for the road, and pick up a local souvenir. “A lot of them are families with children, so we sell a lot of toys and things to keep kids entertained in the backseat on that long trip,” Nelson explained.

Right inside the car travelers’ entrance, shoppers find racks of sunglasses and souvenir magnets, shot

Electronic gadgets also do well with the third group, long-haul truckers. At Space Age, truckers have their own entrance, were they’ll find useful gear like charging cables or earbuds. But what really excites this demographic, Nelson said, is apparel emblazoned with political slogans. “Truck drivers in general lean more to the right side of the political spectrum,” Nelson observed, “so we sell a lot of those trucker caps and T-shirts that say Sleepy Joe Biden.”

Of course, truck drivers also reliably purchase food — hot meals, sandwiches, chips and snacks. “They’re looking for things that hold them overnight,” Nelson said, “since many of them are sleeping in their trucks.” ❖

“Everybody wants a state souvenir to take home.”

- Don Nelson, Space Age Fuel Travel Center, Hermiston, Ore.

Customer Service Tips for Top Sales Catering to Shoppers at

Jewelry Stores

By Carimé Lane

Ina Marjakangas , owner of Coast Boutique in Lauderdale By The Sea, Fla., is a veteran in jewelry business, with a background in high end jewelry, and experience as a professional trainer.

The employees they’re currently hiring do not have a jewelry background. Since they carry mid-level jewelry, there’s not as much on the line, expressed Marjakangas. With that in mind, the first aspect of training employees in her 1,200-square-foot shop is to get them comfortable with the jewelry, and knowledgeable about the key points relating to the pieces.

“Someone who’s never worked with jewelry before might be a little intimidated,” said Marjakangas.

Training staff on how to romance a piece of jewelry is also paramount. Romancing is not about the mechanics of a piece, such as explaining that a piece is made from sterling silver or rhodium plated and so on. It’s about connecting the piece to an emotion, expressed Marjakangas. “It’s about thinking of that piece in the future and enjoying that moment,” she continued.

For instance, sales staff can tell a customer: “Imagine what your friends will say; everyone will ask where you got that.” or “This piece brings out the blue in your eyes.”

“[When you romance a piece,] you’re setting the stage for the customer is to imagine themselves in the future,” said Marjakangas. “How do you walk away from something like that?”

Staff also need to be trained on getting comfortable interacting with customers. That’s because when customers as trying on jewelry, staff are interacting with them on an intimate level Marjakangas explained.

Since they’re located in a seaside village just off Fort Lauderdale, the vibe is very relaxed and easy going. To create a store environment to match this setting, Marjakangas likes to engage all five of a customer’s senses, “so the minute they walk in the mood is set.”

To make the store visually appealing, she thinks about aspects including lighting and merchandising, where she always keeps flow and story top of mind.

Everyone’s greeted the moment they walk in the door

Continued on page 86

A jewelry display at Sarah DeAngelo Jewelry. Staff are trained to compliment shoppers to lighten the mood.

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Customer Service Tips (From page 82)

with a “Welcome,” “How are you,” or “Have you been here before?”

She plays music like Jimmy Buffet and Bob Marley, to keep the beachy vacation vibe going and keeps the store beautifully fragranced.

As part of her own personal touch, she also offers customers a small glass of rum punch. This reinforces the vacation mood and, when they accept a cup, “they’re going to buy something,” said Marjakangas.

Right now, they’re working with six staff members to cover seven days a week from 11 to 7. According to Marjakangas, if this year is like the record year they had last year, she’ll bring on one more staff member.

Jeffrey Michael , co-owner at Moriarty’s Gem Art in historic Crown Point, Ind., explained that they start training new associates by having them shadow the owner for the first week. Then, these new hires shadow an associate for an additional week or two. According to Michael, they review the types of jewelry and gemstones the store carries to familiarize the new hire with each item, along with reviewing where it is located in the store. They also discuss different types of customers, personalities, common questions customers may have and so on to prepare the associate to answer any questions or resolve any issues a shopper might have.

In addition, said Michael, they go through the entire shopping process. This includes demonstrating how to take the jewelry out of the case, how to secure the jewelry and how to clean it before showing it to the potential customer.

“We want to give the shopper the best possible experience when coming into the store,” said Michael.

For a great shopping environment in their 2,000-square-foot showroom, they ensure the store is clean–including the floors, showcases and jewelry–each morning, said Michael.

Associates must also wear proper attire that fits with their shopper demographic of 35-54, expressed Michael. For the men, this means a button down and dress pants. For the women, dress pants and blouse-type attire are required.

They currently have 10 associates, but would like to find more, expressed Michael.

“We do need more bench staff, but hiring is almost impossible right now,” said Michael. “It’s very hard to find qualified workers, especially those who are bench jewelers.”

Continued on page 88

Fanny Masci , owner of Dazzling located in Celebration, Fla., said training

Delicate jewelry for sale at Sarah DeAngelo Jewelry. The owner emphasizes making friends with customers over pushing a hard sell.

The cash wrap area at Sarah DeAngelo Jewelry. Whether chatty or quiet, staff members are instructed to follow the mood of the shopper.

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Customer Service Tips (From page 86)

your employees to know the store’s brands and products so they can not only help a customer when they’re purchasing a product, but also with any issues that arise, is key. She suggested keeping in touch with your rep or brand owner so you can ask for tips, and in some cases, receive in-store training for a particular brand.

To cultivate a great store environment, she likes to work with corners and themes. She keeps the store organized and neat so customers can easily find what they’re looking for.

According to Masci, who sells $250,000 to $300,000-plus annually in her 2,000-square-foot store, customers find bold and emerging brands attractive.

“You cannot sell the same ‘easy’ brands as every store does if you want to be successful,” explained Masci.

According to Masci, customers tire of finding exactly the same brands in every store. Their second-best seller is APARA jewelry, which is very different, but also draws a lot of interest from customers.

They currently have three employees in the store, and may increase staffing.

“We are almost back to normal after COVID so we hope to increase

Continued on page 90

Sarah DeAngelo, owner and designer at Sarah DeAngelo Jewelry in Englewood, Colo., trains staff to greet everyone as they enter the store. Laura Zastrow Photography

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our opening hours and maybe hire a new employee,” said Masci.

Sarah DeAngelo , owner and designer at Sarah DeAngelo Jewelry in Englewood, Colo., bases her staff training on her theory of making friends with customers over pushing a hard sell.

“My employees are instructed to be friendly and greet everyone as they come in,” said DeAngelo.

She also instructs her employees to give customers a compliment to put customers at ease and lighten their mood. After that, she tells staff to be available for customers when they need assistance.

In addition, she teaches staff to read the customer. For instance, if the customer is super chatty, the employee can respond in kind. However, if the customer is clearly not in the mood, staff are instructed to stay back.

Training staff to treat customers as long-term investments is also key for DeAngelo.

“It’s not just about getting a sale today; it’s about making them feel warm and welcome so they’ll tell their friends and come back,” said DeAngelo.

To keep a great store environment in the 600-foot-

shop, she uses levels to keep the eye moving and highlight the product.

“You don’t want things to be flat (all on the same level) because then everything blurs together,” said DeAngelo. “Everything is about levels–creating little nooks and crannies and spaces where each thing becomes its own vignette.”

In addition, she ensures there is plenty of space to move in the store, so customers are not crowded or overwhelmed. Most of their jewelry–aside from a jewelry case for pieces over $300–is displayed so customers have access to it.

“If they touch it and try it on, they’re way more likely to buy it,” commented DeAngelo.

Three employees, including DeAngelo, work in the shop. DeAngelo and her production and administrative assistants make the jewelry in store and hop up to help with sales whenever it’s needed.

“This seems to be a good amount [of staff] because I have two super reliable people who are amazing,” said DeAngelo. ❖

Where Fashion Finds Are Part of the Fun Apparel Sales at Museums

By Carimé Lane

When they have a good experience, museum visitors are eager to share it with others. Stocking apparel at your museum store is a golden opportunity for them to share–and remember–this experience with what they wear home. Here’s how three museum stores manage their apparel sections.

At the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tenn., they sell T-shirts, casual shirts, dresses, pants, skirts, caps, cowboy hats and boots.

They offer both in-house and online exhibitions. Right now, they’re featuring exhibits including ones highlighting the careers of Chris Stapleton, Martina McBride and the artistry of Western-wear designers.

“Our museum collection contains many stage costumes and cowboy hats, so we offer embroidered western wear and hats evocative of those artifacts,” said Jon Davis , director of retail.

T-shirts are the best-selling category among their selection of apparel. According to Davis, they change their T-shirt design every season to stay on trend and keep offerings fresh for their visitors. In addition, they create new T-shirt designs for special exhibits, which rotate frequently.

Since many of their customers are shopping for children and grandchildren, they offer kids’ sizes ranging from infant to youth.

Continued on page 94

International Spy Museum Retail Manager Megan Goss with a display of Deny Everything merchandise. The Deny Everything T-shirt is a best-selling favorite within the collection. Courtesy of the International Spy Museum.

Displays of colorful merchandise at the American Folk Art Museum. The store is very kid-friendly and offers toys, books, arts and crafts supplies and games.

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Where Fashion Finds (From page 92)

The International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C., offers permanent exhibits on spies that shaped history, how secret information gets turned into useful intelligence and hundreds of inventions used to steal secrets. They’re currently hosting an exhibit called Operatión Jaque, one of the most daring and effective operations in intelligence history culminating in the successful rescue of 15 hostages in the Colombian jungles.

The 5,000-square-foot International Spy Museum’s Store sells products ranging from apparel to kids' toys to books to high tech gadgets. Their apparel merchandise includes a wide selection for adults and kids such as T-shirts, long sleeve shirts, hats, socks, hoodies, baby bibs and onesies.

“[We sell] anything our visitors might want, either to wear and enjoy for themselves or to give as a memorable gift to a family member or friend,” said Retail Manager Megan Goss .

The best-selling favorite within the collection is their famous Deny Everything tee,

Continued on page 96

Do You Sell Caps and Hats? Why Or Why Not?

At the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, they sell cowboy hats and baseball caps.

“Many of our customers collect caps rather than shirts,” explained Director of Retail Jon Davis. “The caps are also a way to use graphics from our tees to expand the apparel assortment into a full product story.

The International Spy Museum Shop sells hats as well.

“Any good spy needs a baseball cap for a quick disguise!” commented Retail Manager Megan Goss “And, any DC native or tourist needs a baseball cap to take on the summer sun/heat!”

They carry two unisex hats that are only sold at the Spy Store: A Spy Museum baseball cap and a Deny Everything baseball cap.

At the American Folk Museum Shop, they aren’t currently offering caps and

hats, but that will change in the wintertime. E-commerce Specialist Christopher Sanchez indicated they often change their inventory to provide customers with new and unique products. ❖

A view of the International Spy Museum store. The store sells everything from apparel and toys to books and hightech gadgets. Courtesy of the International Spy Museum.

Shirts, hats and mugs in a display at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tenn. “Many of our customers collect caps rather than shirts,” explained Director of Retail Jon Davis.

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Where Fashion Finds (From page 94)

a trademarked staple exclusive to the Spy Store. Some of their T-shirt designs change while some of them remain the same.

“We know that our audience has an affinity to several of our well-known espionage themed designs, so we keep some of our Spy classics that never go out of style,” said Goss.  “Additionally, we like to play around with new T-shirt designs for our well-known slogans and also bring in totally new apparel annually to keep our content fresh and exciting for our customers,” said Goss.

The Spy Museum is as exciting a visit for kids as it is for adults, she expressed. So naturally, they offer kid’s products and sizes in their apparel selection. That includes specialized designs created exclusively for kids, which includes items like their Incognito Unicorn Tee, Kids Deny Everything Tee, A Ninja Swiped My Homework youth tee, and so on.  They also stock some babyspecific items like their Baby

License to Spill Bib and I Like My Bottle Shaken Not

Continued on page 98

A selection of western apparel at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Stage costumes and cowboy hats are included in the museum’s collections, so western wear evocative of the artifacts is offered in the store.

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Where Fashion Finds (From page 96)

Stirred Baby Onesie.

“We are fortunate to have such a wide-ranging audience and as a result get to design and offer apparel and products to all ages!” expressed Goss.

At the American Folk Art Museum in New York City, they offer everything from home décor items to personal accessories to art object. Their apparel selection is quite varied, and includes socks, scarves and jackets. According to Christopher Sanchez , e-commerce specialist, many of these items are influenced by works of art, not only in the museum collection, but also from within the art community.

“Our socks, for example, show bright colors and patterns to resemble some artists in our collection, while our scarves are made from skilled artisans,” said Sanchez.

Their current offerings also include vintage vinyl floorcloths inspired by quilts in their collection

Continued on page 100

Merchandise displays at the American Folk Art Museum in New York City. The store’s apparel selection includes socks, scarves and jackets.

Director of Retail Jon Davis of the Country Museum Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tenn. The museum store sells T-shirts, casual shirts, dresses and more in the apparel category.

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Where Fashion Finds (From page 98)

and a book on American weathervanes for those who are felt inspired by their current exhibition on American weathervanes.

According to Sanchez, they stock apparel items that are popular throughout the year, while remaining responsive to what’s being featured in the museum’s galleries and what shoppers are telling them about their preferences.

One of their classic best-sellers, said Sanchez, are their leader socks, which features famous leaders who have made a difference in our country and the world.

Some of these leaders that have been included are Ruth Bader Ginsburge, Greta Thunberg and Maya Angelou.

The Museum Shop is very kid-friendly. They even have a dedicated space in their shop where employees can see kids interact with these products, said Sanchez. While they don’t offer kids’ sizes within their apparel, they have a number of kid-friendly products, including toys, books, arts and crafts supplies, and games, said Sanchez.

“We are consistently bringing in more items for kids,” remarked Sanchez. ❖

Showcase Product News Brief NB

Friendly Crystals Offers Dedication to High Quality Merchandise

Friendly Crystals is a wholesale crystals and gemstone jewelry supplier with offices in the USA and Canada. Proudly family-owned and operated since 2006, our continued dedication to high-quality standards and our personalized approach has led to long-lasting client friendships.

Our all-natural gemstone products are beautiful and known for their strong healing properties. Each product we offer makes a meaningful gift.

Our best-selling power bracelets are attractively carded with gemstone meanings in two options - English/Spanish and English/French. The built-in marketing on the tags help sell them and our customers have seen their bracelet sales soaring! We have received overwhelmingly positive response from our valued retailers on how it has helped drive sales and convert customers said Tyeb Sachee, CEO of Friendly Crystals.

(For more information, visit www.friendlycrystals.com.)

A wide view of the American Folk Art Museum’s store. Apparel gifts remain popular throughout the year at the museum.

All-natural gemstone products from Friendly Crystals are beautiful and known for their strong healing properties.

Great Goods for Giving Gifts at Variety, Discount and General Stores

By Sara Karnish

Not all gifts come from high-end boutiques. Variety, discount, and general stores carry a wide array of merchandise for cost-conscious customers suitable for any gift-giving occasion.

Shops like Winter Harbor 5&10 in Winter Harbor, Maine, carry staple items for locals and souvenirs and gifts for tourists within a 2,000-square-foot space. “I consider myself to be more of a general store because of all the stuff we carry,” said Owner Peter Drinkwater. “We’re really an old-fashioned 5 and 10; open year-round. Our best-selling gifts would be T-shirts, coffee cups, hats, magnets, and stickers.”

Vidler’s 5&10 in East Aurora, N.Y., has been a community fixture since 1930 and is billed as “the world’s largest 5&10.” The store carries an extensive selection of merchandise, including a dedicated gift section, in their 16,000-square-foot store. “There’s really not any one item that carries us,” explained Don Vidler , third-generation co-owner with his cousin Cliff. “We do a good business with the Ladies’ Night Out novelty cocktail accessories, unique coasters, wine bottle charms and koozies. We also sell a lot of items with the lodge/hunting décor—fishing and hunting motif, buffalo plaid. We have a boutique clothing and handbag section. We also do well with Snoozys [socks with fun patterns]. Right now we’re weeding out the summer items and bringing in the fall. Some people come here specifically looking for things—locals know we’ll probably have it—and others who come in are pleasantly surprised by what we have.”

Price point is sometimes less of a concern when buying a gift, but some shoppers are cost-conscious regardless of their purchase. Elaine J. Painting , manager of Ashton’s 5&10 in Carrollton, Ohio, said their biggest gifts are their selection of old-fashioned toys, and added, “We are in a farming community, and have to be thoughtful and mindful about price. It’s been difficult with the freight and surcharges—in some instances, they

have gone up to 32 percent; we were used to 10 or 15 percent.” In addition to the retail store, which marks 90 years of business in 2022, the building is also home to the Ashton House Museum. Ashton’s founder deeded the property to a foundation prior to his death several years ago; Painting manages the foundation. She is familiar with her customers’ buying behaviors and does her best to stock merchandise accordingly. “We’re in

Continued on page 104

Apparel and shoes on display with other items at the Winter Harbor 5 & 10. Best-selling gifts include T-shirts, coffee cups, hats, magnets and stickers.

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Great Goods for Giving (From page 102)

a small farming community. Not only is it a small farming community, [our customers] are very cautious with their money. We have to be very careful about what we keep in stock and what we charge. We do get some of the higher line toys in around the holidays because we get a lot of visitors coming through.” Painting said her customers are a mix of loyal locals and one-time visitors. Drinkwater said most of his customers are cost-conscious, as well: “We don’t go for the real high-end gifts. We’re not really a ‘gift’ store—we’re a 5 and 10. We try to carry as much U.S.-made and Maine-made merchandise as we can. People are cost-conscious because they think they’re coming into a 5 and 10 cent store; they’re not looking for high-end gifts.” Vidler said, “Across the board, I think we’re priced fairly. Someone will think our price point is expensive; others will see the same item and think, ‘this is a great price.’ We don’t compete on price—we don’t offer coupons or anything like that.”

At Seneca Variety in Seneca, Kan., Owner Dona Willmeth said most of the merchandise in her 10,000-square-foot store could be considered a gift. “We are a true variety store—my tagline is ‘everything and more’. One-third of my store is fabric and crafts; the remaining two-thirds is a combination of toys, gifts, office supplies, and seasonal items and décor. As far as gifts for children, toys do very well. I have the largest se -

lection of Melissa and Doug toys in the region, I’ve been told that many times. We have other gifts—cars, trucks, dolls, crafting kits. Also games and so forth. These are all relatively affordable gifts for kids,” Willmeth said. “As far as gifts for adults, such as friendship gifts—I try very hard to keep my prices low enough and affordable enough. Inspirational-type gifts—signs are very popular; a wood block with a saying on it. In figurines, gnomes are still big right now.” She added, “I also have quite an extensive fabric department, and fabric can be a gift for a frequent quilter or sewer.” Willmeth said she strives to keep price in mind when choosing merchandise. “I try very hard to buy affordable things—things I know I would like. I use my own brain as a gauge; I try to keep prices as low as possible.”

Merchandising and placing items strategically, in visible locations and high-traffic areas, are two of the most effective ways get gift items in front of customers. Drinkwater has a selection of Balsam bags on the counter right inside his shop’s door; they make a strong first impression and have sold well. Painting prefers grouping. “Have [gifts] displayed properly, and together in statements,” she suggested. “Last year, one whole side of my store was gnomes. Have [items] together that vary in price—it made it conducive to selling last year. Put all the same things together to make a statement. We would have different items, but they all had a common motif or theme. Mix and match the products but use the same design.” She added, “Color and deco-

Apparel and drinkware at Winter Harbor 5 & 10. This old-fashioned 5 and 10 is open year-round.

The Seneca Variety staff photographed on the fabric/craft side of the store. Back row, left to right, are Diann and Jackie, and front row, left to right, are Teena, Owner Dona Willmeth and Dottie. Not pictured are Sadie and Julie.

ration [in a display] will catch customers’ eye. A lot depends on the season and what we have. I kind of like it when we have lighted things—they look better with a black backdrop behind them. On the shelves there may be a colorful garland, flowers, or some sort of decoration to make [the items] ‘pop.’ ” Vidler says merchandising is a major driver for selling gifts at their store, adding, “The young woman who manages the department basically has free reign—she has a bit of a younger eye when it comes to those things. We try to make things look inviting.”

Retailers select their inventory in different ways. “I choose some of my merchandise based on trends,” Willmeth said. “I try to keep up with them, within reason. My vendors know what’s trendy, but trends are cyclical. Gnomes have been really big for awhile, just as red trucks were. Then the gnomes will fizzle out and the next thing will come along.” Painting said price drives much of the merchandise she buys—“Cost is important. I have to figure out how much I’m going to sell it for—is it something my customers will pay for? I do have reps and they do make suggestions, although I don’t always go with what they suggest.” Drinkwater said due to their customer demographics, they are always seeking out new products. “We’re unique in that we have a lot of Airbnb and a big summer colony of people. We’re not like Bar Harbor who will get the people off the cruise ships and never see them again; we

the store.

STOUGHTON, MA – Spoontiques, a 52 year old import and wholesale company is pleased to announce the introduction of our newest license – Peanuts Worldwide!

Among the top selling categories where the iconic Peanuts characters will be featured include drinkware, home décor, garden, and seasonal.

Showcase Product News Brief: Gifts

New products available for immediate delivery will be featured during the Smoky Mountain Gift Show, Booth 16191621.

Spoontiques Offers New Peanuts Worldwide License

Spoontiques, a 52-year-old import and wholesale company, has announced the intro duction of a new license – Peanuts Worldwide. Among the top selling categories where the iconic Peanuts characters will be featured include drinkware, home décor, garden and seasonal.

STOUGHTON, MA – Spoontiques, a 52 year old import and wholesale company is pleased to announce the introduction of our newest license – Peanuts Worldwide!

Among the top selling categories where the iconic Peanuts characters will be featured include drinkware, home décor, garden, and seasonal.

New products available for immediate de livery will be featured during the Smoky Moun tain Gift Show, Booth 1619-1621.

New products available for immediate delivery will be featured during the Smoky Mountain Gift Show, Booth 16191621.

Spoontiques now has drinkware, home décor, garden and seasonal merchandise featuring iconic Peanuts characters.

Tote bags and signs in a display at the Winter Harbor 5&10 in Winter Harbor, Maine. The store carries staple items for locals and souvenirs and gifts for tourists.

An exterior view of the Winter Harbor 5 & 10. Shoppers have 2,000 square feet to explore inside

Great Goods for Giving (From page 105)

see the same people year after year. We try to change things so when our guests come next year, they’ll see something different here,” he said.

And don’t be afraid to try something new from time to time. Vidler said, “We probably have 15 to 20 sales reps we work with regularly, and we’ll listen to their suggestions. We’ll go to the trade show in Atlanta and the merchandise show in Vegas. We can move pretty quickly—we can take a chance on trying something new. We can bring in something we normally wouldn’t sell just to try it out. We’ll try new things. In our area, one of the hot selling items is something called porch boards by a company called My Word— that’s something our reps told us about a few years ago and we’re trying them now. We’re fortunate—there’s not one thing we’re totally dependent on.” ❖

Working With Supply Chain Shortages

Discount, variety, and general store retailers have faced the same challenges with getting inventory due to supply chain shortages and disruptions as other business owners. They’ve found ways to work with the challenges and keep their shelves stocked.

“Last year was sort of tough,” said Winter Harbor 5&10 in Winter Harbor, Maine’s Owner Peter Drinkwater

“We kind of cleaned out our basement. We kept bringing stuff out, putting out whatever we could. We hardly had any inventory by the end of the season. At the beginning of the season, there were

some companies I didn’t get things from. We went to the shows and ordered a

bunch of inventory. [I] diversify across vendors and work with several vendors.” Drinkwater stressed the importance of trade shows and keeping up with the industry. “I’ve seen other stores my size who didn’t go to shows or buy new products, and they went out of business. Next year will be our 50th year in business. We’re lucky—the nearest big box store is about half an hour away, so there’s not a whole lot of competition around here. Summer folks and residents have been loyal to us and shop here.”

Co-Owner Don Vidler of Vidler’s 5&10 in East Au-

Continued on page 108

Winter Harbor 5&10 in Winter Harbor, Maine’s Owner Peter Drinkwater. “Last year was sort of tough. We kind of cleaned out our basement.” Drinkwater said.

A view of a center display for Fall that shoppers see when they walk in the front door of Seneca Variety in Seneca, Kan. Note the lamp post with a street sign that says “Everything & More.”

Working With Supply

(From page 106)

rora, N.Y., said he and his team stay in contact with their reps about lead times and delivery times. “There’s not a whole lot we can do about it,” he said. “We’re paying the surcharges and fuel surcharges. We haven’t changed our ordering for the most part—we’re ordering as we need it and live with the delivery times they give us.”

Elaine J. Painting, manager of Ashton’s 5&10 in Carrollton, Ohio, said the supply chain challenges have changed her mindset about buying. “We still don’t have many of our

fall/Halloween items. Last year at Christmas, we had a bunch of stuff that came in at Christmas. I didn’t even bother putting it out; I just put it on the inventory and decided to wait until this year. We really don’t know what to expect. But we’re all in the same boat. We have to be cautious about what we’re doing this year. I used to get large quantities of certain items—now I’ll get smaller quantities if I know we’ll get them in.”

At Seneca Variety in Seneca, Kan., Owner Dona Willmeth said it is getting better with some of the merchandise she has ordered. “Last year I had

one vendor say to me in December, ‘we finally got in the rest of your Christmas [merchandise]. Do you want it?’ I said yes. This year has been better. I got my Christmas merchandise in before my fall; I still have some fall stuff coming, some Christmas stuff coming. Fabric was hard to get for awhile, but now that’s better. All the vendors are trying very hard to turn it all around. For awhile I couldn’t get things—the strangest thing would be, for months and months something would be on backorder or I couldn’t get it. Now things are slowly but surely getting better.” ❖

Resort Show Section

Souvenirs

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Showcase Product News Brief: Gifts NB

Outdoor Stickers

Eye-catching, outdoor weather resistant stickers and magnets are available from Mountain Graphics. Many stock designs to choose from, name-drops are free. Made in the USA.

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Apparel and Fashion Accessory Best-Sellers at Boutiques

With post-pandemic life is returning to normal, Americans are ready to dress up again. “Dressy dresses — that’s what I’m selling,” said Barbara Parina , owner at Sidestreet Boutique in South Lake Tahoe, Calif. “People are ready to dress up and go out again, after two years in the house.”

Across the country on Florida’s Gulf Coast, Retailer Brooke Jensen is seeing “lots of fun, bright colors” reflecting a new, lighter mood. Jensen owns Mainstream, a boutique with two 1,500-square-foot locations in Ft. Myers and Naples. After years of neutrals, she said, “it’s those pops of color — that’s been newer lately.”

With shoppers returning to brick-and-mortar stores, retailers are ready not only with the latest trends, but with the instant gratification and personal touch that online stores just can’t offer.

At her 12,000-square-foot store, Parini estimated that 70% of shoppers are vacationers, many of whom come in for duds to wear right away. Top sellers include cute sweaters, fabulous pants, and other warmer goods “because it's freezing out here by the ski lift,” she said. “And of course, dressy things for going out at night.”

The best-selling category at Sidestreet and many other stores is tops. “People will always buy a cute top that’s easy to fit and makes an outfit,” Parini explained. At an independent boutique like hers, shoppers expect “things that are completely different, a little unique.”

As people are going out, they are accessorizing more — buying jewelry and a new purse to show off in public. Parini said her clients have been snapping up dressier shoes as well, but in a change from before the pandemic, they want comfort along with style.

Boots are a popular purchase at Malena Boutique, also in Lake Tahoe. Owners Steve and Malena Walsh, who have owned the 1,200-square-foot boutique for six years, stock a variety of practical yet stylish items that all sell well.

“A lot of people will come in because they’re visiting the area and need something to wear right away,” said Steve Walsh “They’ll Google around to see what are the stores in the area, and our name will come up. Other people will just come in because they’re curious.”

Walsh said he relies on trusted vendors to supply the up-to-date styles his customers want. “The trends are largely set by the manufacturers,” he explained. “So when we’re purchasing up to a year out, we just have to follow our instincts.”

At the Mainstream boutiques, Owner Brooke Jensen said tops are always the easiest

Continued on page 114

An interior view of a Mainstream location. The store has locations in Ft. Myers and Naples, Fla.

sell, no matter the trends. “And the more fun and unique, the easier they are to sell,” she reflected.

Jensen said her shoppers come in for the kind of personal interaction they just can’t get online. “In my store, we really stress the styling experience,” she noted. “You don’t have to make an appointment. We style you with shoes, jewelry — the complete look.”

In Philadelphia, Retailer Liberty Bell tries to make all her customers feel at home. Bell owns Love & Liberty Boutique, an 800-square-foot emporium devoted to African-style fashion. People come here for the personal interaction, to have an actual conversation,” Bell reflected.

These days, they are also buying lots of T-shirts printed with slogans that reflect the moment’s politics — sentiments like “Hands Off My Body” in response to the Supreme Court’s rollback of Roe vs. Wade, for instance.

Body jewelry, like African waist and thigh beads, are also popular among Bell’s clientele. “A lot of women

wear them all year to help them keep track of their weight,” she explained. In warmer weather, waist beads are a decorative accessory as well.

Up in Fairbanks, Cari Mayo has seen a return to special-occasion dressing among her customers at Jade Boutique. Mayo’s resale shop specializes in the kinds of one-ofa-kind items shoppers won’t find at a regular store, along with handmade earrings and other delicate jewelry.

Tops, as elsewhere, are the surefire winner among shoppers. “You can make a whole outfit with a top,” Mayo explained.

Now that customers are more comfortable coming back to shop, Mayo is planning events that will make her store a community hub. “People come in because they just like the personal atmosphere,” she said. “We’ve got a lounge area, where people can sit and chat and even network. I like to think of this as a social space.” ❖

What Apparel and Accessory Trends Are Coming In 2023? Why?

At Love & Liberty in Philadelphia, Pa., Owner Liberty Bell thinks 2023 will see an emphasis on more modest, covered-up styles. She predicted that jackets, shackets, robes and kimonos will be a trend. These layering pieces not only keep the wearer warm and covered, but also “dress up a basic black outfit,” Bell explained.

At the Mainstream boutiques in Ft. Myers and Naples, Owner Brooke Jensen said she is ordering denim for 2023 in wider-leg and “boyfriend” styles — a departure from the skinny looks that have dominated for a decade. “And while my clientele doesn’t really buy them, I am seeing a lot of crop tops for next year as well,” she observed.

Heading into 2023, many boutiques report a vogue for mixed-metal jewelry, rather than solely gold tone or silver tone. “I’m definitely seeing that as a trend right now,” Jensen said. ❖

Brooke Jensen, owner, Mainstream. Jensen said fun, bright apparel colors are in style.

Apparel and Fashion Accessory (From page 112)

Oh, Baby! Current Trends and Top Marketing Tips for Selling Baby Apparel

By Corrie Pelc

While baby apparel may be known for its adorably small-sized clothing, shoes, and accessories, the size of its product market is quite another story. The global baby apparel market totaled more than $62 billion in 2019 and experts expect it to reach $82.54 billion by 2027.

With customers obviously clamoring for baby apparel, what can boutiques and stores do to increase their sales? Successful baby boutique sellers said it comes down to knowing what your customers want and being smart in marketing what you offer.

A Focus on Fabrics and Colors

Soft fabrics are a necessity when it comes to baby apparel. However, today's new parents also want baby clothing made from eco-friendly and sustainable fabrics they can feel good about purchasing.

Margaret White , owner and buyer at the 1,700-squarefoot Polliwogs Children's Boutique in Greensboro, N.C., said Millennial moms are very conscientious of what type of fabric is in their babies' clothing and where it's made.

"It's been nice because we're finding new up-and-coming brands that really are just focusing on that, while we also have our tried-and-true brands that are pulling that into their line," White explained. "When we have a grandmother coming in to shop for the new baby, it's a win-win for both because grandmother can get the brand that she's so familiar with and then the daughter is happy because it is eco-friendly and organic fabric."

And when it comes to color, baby apparel selling experts say there are two genres of customers to please – Millennial new parents who want more neutral tones, and Baby

who want more traditional pinks for girls and blues for boys.

Katie Hyde , owner and COO at Indigo Baby in Santa Fe, N.M., said in her area everyone wants mod tones. "It was black and white for years, and now it's those mod colors, so like those burnt oranges and burnt yellows and lighter browns," she said. "And so

Boomer grandparents

Merchandise photographed at Indigo Baby. Grandparents still want bright, fun colors in children’s apparel, the store’s owner said.

Owner Kelly Smith of Keedo Clothes in Oklahoma City, Okla. Smith and her employees work together to build the store’s displays.

a lot of our clothes are like that, (but) not all of them because some grandparents still want the bright fun colors."

Smart Marketing

What's the best way to let potential customers know about the baby apparel you carry?

Colleen Whitaker , owner and buyer of Pitter Patter, Inc. in Bath, Maine, uses both Facebook and Instagram to promote the baby offerings in her roughly 1,000-square-foot store. She also takes the time to send out personalized emails. "I have a customer client list of emails, it's about 2,000 to 3,000 people, and I'll send out emails about specials or if I'm featuring a certain item or brand," she explained.

Lan Le , CEO of Pink & Brown Boutique in Alexandria, Va., said she uses events to bring people into her store. "Just last weekend we bought in a princess to do story time," she detailed. "(We use) lots of events and then lots of word-of-mouth because people love the quality of our products and they will tell their friends and so on."

And word-of-mouth is also a powerful marketing tool for Polliwogs Children's Boutique. "We try to post a lot on Instagram and occasionally email, (but) mainly ours is word of mouth," White said. "When it comes to baby (apparel), I feel like it really just markets itself. People are excited and they want to buy for babies because it's such a happy time. We really don’t have to spend a lot of marketing focus for that portion of the store. Baby items really sell themselves - our goal is to help the customer feel as if it is truly a special shopping experience."

Sell More with Displays

Once you get a potential customer through the doors of a boutique, baby apparel selling experts all agree great product displays are key.

"Displays is a huge part of it – I always tell my employees that 90% of selling is presentation and enthusiasm," said Hyde from Indigo Baby, who has about 2,000 square feet of retail space. "(In) my store, I'm very meticulous about the way everything looks and making sure it's neat and it's not cluttered. It's all about presentation, so the way that it's displayed, putting colors together, making sure everything looks great and organized and clean, putting age groups together."

At Keedo Clothes in Oklahoma City, Okla., Owner Kelly Smith has her employees work together to build displays for her 2,700-squarefoot store. “I have one girl that helps me do all the buying for apparel and she displays all the apparel,” she explained. “And then she works in coordination with another girl who does all of the toys and gifts.”

To help encourage multi-item sales, Smith said they also stock little items around the cash register to make it easy for buyers to add more to their purchase. "You always suggest a bow for a girl," she added. "We

Margaret White, owner and buyer at the 1,700-square-foot Polliwogs Children's Boutique in Greensboro, N.C. Millennial moms are very conscientious of what type of fabric is in their babies' clothing and where it's made, she said.

A wall of baby apparel at Polliwogs Children's Boutique. The store has a focus on new and up-and-coming apparel brands. Continued on page 118

Colleen Whitaker, owner and buyer of Pitter Patter, Inc. in Bath, Maine, uses both Facebook and Instagram to promote her baby offerings.

Oh, Baby! (From page 117)

(have) bows, toys, rings, little stick-on earrings, and a ton of stuffed animals, too."

And over at Pink & Brown Boutique, Le said their baby apparel displays always include accessories so that everything matches together, as well as toys. "And then in our store we have cubby holes built into the wall so then we can actually display all the products that people can (get) if they need like a boy gift, girl gift, or neutral – they can just look at those cubby hole as an example," she added.

And if a shopper picks up one item, Le says they are always ready to show them other items that complement it to help turn a singleitem sale into a multi-item sale. "We show them, which is great because you can't do that (with an) online store," Le said. "With a brick and mortar (store), it's very easy to show people all the accessories that match the one item that they want and then they fall in love with it."

Old School Customer Service

Even with well-curated displays, customers sometimes need extra help in finding what they need or the perfect baby apparel gift for new parents. This is where great customer service comes into play, said Whitaker at Pitter Patter, Inc.

"The first thing I do with someone after I greet them, I'll ask them if they're looking for anything specific," she explained. "And then I'll say, tell me a little bit about your recipient. I like to try to cater to what they're looking for, because the gift is from them. And I know every single item in my store, so if they can tell me a little bit about what they're looking for, I can help direct them to things that I think will work for what they're searching for. I really want my customers to Keed love what they've given, I want their recipients to love what they've received, and I want it to be a fun experience."

And Hyde at Indigo Baby suggested not to be afraid to offer "old school" customer service such as assisting with shopping, wrapping gifts, shipping, and walking customers to the door. "Offer the old school service – people miss that," she said. "They miss walking into a store and being greeted and asked about their day, especially the grandparent Baby Boomers because that’s how their childhood was. If you’re genuinely invested in wanting to help people find the perfect gift, they feel that. It becomes part of the interaction. And then it doesn't feel cheesy – it doesn't feel like a used car salesman. You really do create relationships with people and then they come back and they bring their friends." ❖

An apparel display with pops of red at Polliwogs Children’s Boutique. Grandmothers can find brands they are familiar with at the shop.

Katie Hyde, owner and COO at Indigo Baby in Santa Fe, N.M., said in her area, mod colors such as burnt oranges, yellows and lighter browns are popular.

An exterior view of Polliwogs Children's Boutique. Parents who want neutral tones and grandparents seeking pinks and blues can all find what they are looking for at the store.

A Home Run for Sales Sports Fan Store Apparel

Best-Sellers

Go team, go! Sports fans are big on wearing their favorite team gear, and sports fan stores can attest to that.

At Cy’s Locker Room in Ames, Iowa, Assistant Manager Kelly Galvin described the store’s hottest best-sellers as “Iowa State Cyclones sideline gear, including sideline T-shirts and coach’s polo styles. Beyond those, I would say anything Nike, just because it is Nike. But the Cyclones are our team here and they get plenty of support.”

Looking ahead to 2023, Galvin said, “Jerseys are always popular, and next year I think they will be even more so. It is the 100-year anniversary celebrating Jack Trice. The stadium is named after him. He was the first African American to have a university stadium named for him.” Trice, she explained, was an amazing player who was injured badly during a game against a Minnesota team. He sadly passed away the next day from the injuries incurred. “The uniform the players wore back then had a five-bar symbol on it which has become the Jack Trice Stadium logo. The T-shirts and sweatshirts that we have all bear his name with that symbol. So, I think anything with that logo will be huge for us here next year,” she stresses.

Fresno State merchandise.” For 2023, Crain is seeing red – literally. “Red is our team color. Our main logo is the bulldog and that’s also our mascot. While we sometimes change the layout of our shirts, the pattern for the licensed team logo hasn’t actually changed in years,” she attested. “Everything has to go through Fresno State licensing in regard to merchandise, so other than predicting red will be a top color, I don’t see anything specific for the coming year.”

“Jerseys are always popular, and next year I think they will be even more so. It is the 100-year anniversary celebrating Jack Trice. The stadium is named after him. He was the first African American to have a university stadium named for him.”

Galvin’s top tip to sell licensed apparel is to use “a little bit of social media and easy to find displays,” however, she noted, “A lot of our gear kind of sells itself. We have a lot of hardcore fans around here.” She added, “For display we really separate out categories, with a vintage section, the line gear, hats, and other types of clothing all in different areas of the store.” This makes the apparel easy to find.

In Fresno, Calif., at the Bulldog Fun Zone, Manager Misty Crain described the store’s top-seller in apparel to be “Bulldogs T-shirts. Everything we sell is licensed

The approximately 3,000-squarefoot Bulldog Fun Zone uses a great deal of online presence to sell its licensed apparel, Crain said. “We post to Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter twice a day. We put all our new merchandise up on our website as soon as it comes in –which is usually daily.” According to Crain, the store doesn’t do a lot of cross-merchandising in their displays. “Everything is in a different section. We have kids', men's and women's apparel all in separate sections, key chains, glassware, everything is in its own section, which is what works best for customers to find and buy items in our store.”

Heading north to Anchorage, Alaska, Phil Robertson , manager at Excalibur Sports, offers a wide mix of team fan apparel in the 28-year-old store. “Really all the major sports teams do well for us. We don’t have locally based national teams, and we are in a state that has a lot of people here who’ve come to Alaska from elsewhere.

Continued on page 120

- Kelly Galvin, Cy’s Locker Room, Ames, Iowa

A Home Run (From page 119)

So, they all have certain teams that they support. Seattle teams are big, probably because Seattle has the closest major league teams,” he said.

Robertson explained that “What team attire sells best for us really depends on how well a particular team does each year. If they’re having a good season, the interest and the sales pick up.” In terms of the type of apparel that sells well, he described T-shirts and sweatshirts as top-sellers.

As to next year, he noted, “I really haven’t seen anything for next year show up yet. Typically, we see new merchandise announced during the Super Bowl.”

Excalibur Sports relies on a variety of resources to sell more licensed apparel. “We use radio advertising, television commercials, and social media, too, but half of the people in my life don’t go on Facebook. Word of mouth is also very important for us. People want to come here,” he asserted. “We don’t put any sales pres -

it’s something funny like ‘hey, you suck today’ to catch them off guard, or just something simple like ‘ask about our daily special’ or ‘thank you for shopping local.’” As a final note, Robertson imparted, “We love what we are doing here.” And that kind of passion translates into good sports fan sales.

At Simply Seattle, in Seattle, Wash., Joe Munson , the communication director for both its locations in downtown Seattle, cites a classic best-seller. “One thing people really love, whether they’re locals or in town during cruise ship season, is merchandise from the old NBA team the Seattle Supersonics. They no longer play anymore, but they are still just immensely popular as a brand.” Additional top apparel sellers are hoodies, sweatshirts, and T-shirts for all the local Seattle teams, the Mariners, Seahawks, the Storm, the Kraken, and the Sounders. “We do well with all of them, but I would still have to say the Sonics are the most popular of all our sports collection.”

“We post to Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter twice a day. We put all our new merchandise up on our website as soon as it comes in – which is usually daily. … Everything is in a different section. We have kids', men's and women's apparel all in separate sections, key chains, glassware, everything is in its own section, which is what works best for customers to find and buy items in our store.”

- Misty Crain, Bulldog Fun Zone, Fresno, Calif.

For 2023, Munson predicted that “The hockey team the Kraken is going to become more and more popular as they get national recognition. They’re a brand-new team, playing only a year now, and they have a cool visual brand with cool colors. I think that merchandise is going to sell very well.” He’s also heard some interesting rumors about other sports team fan merchandising. “I’ve heard that the Mariners may be changing their color scheme next year. So, I am sure that if they do something new, that will be big, too.”

sure on anyone. We just make it a fun environment and I look at everyone like family. We really care,” he said, adding that “Going through the pandemic and coming out of it, we huddle together, we really came together as one.”

Additionally, in-store Robertson uses displays that include “cross-merchandising team items together and lots of signage for sales and other information. We also have a recordable door greeter that people really enjoy, we have it say something new on a daily basis, whether

He said the best way for the company’s two stores to sell more licensed merchandise is through a hearty mix of “social media and display. People come to us from our online presence, and what they find in both our flagship and other store are well-sectioned, clearly displayed merchandise. We keep our apparel and souvenir items as well as other clothing items in three distinct sections. And then within those categories, we mix things up with cross-merchandising, depending on the specific product mix we have available at any given time.”

Summing up: sports fan apparel is a popular way to celebrate teams, and in some stores, classic looks and historic teams are among the best-sellers. ❖

Selling to Customers Who Care Jewelry Best-Sellers at Hospital Shops

By Sara Karnish

Hospital shops carry an array of merchandise to give shoppers—whether patients, hospital staff, or members of the community—a little pick me up. Most hospital gift shops are still perceived as a quick stop to purchase candy, cards, and flowers for a recuperating friend or relative, but they are so much more. In fact, many hospital shops are the retailer of choice in the communities they serve, carrying clothing, accessories, gifts, cards, and another customer favorite—jewelry.

Jewelry is the best-selling overall item at the Coastal Carolina and Hilton Head Hospital shops, according to Gift Shop Manager Dotty Gottdenker . The gift shop is staffed by volunteers and managed by the hospital system’s auxiliary. “We sell a lot of costume jewelry—a lot of sets; necklaces and earrings. And a lot of earrings which are lead-free. I do all the buying, and I’ll buy what I like, what I would wear, but I’ll also buy a lot of what I wouldn’t wear. I try to take everyone’s tastes into consideration—we get people with all different-sized pocketbooks, and with all different tastes.” Shoppers can find a large selection of jewelry from different lines at The Gift Shop at Danbury Hospital in Danbury, Conn. “I buy from so many sources,” said Gift Shop Manager Cynthia Higgins . “We’re close to New York City, and there are some vendors I use out of Manhattan. People are more interested in jewelry that can go with multiple looks. [Shoppers] buy a variety of lengths—I think younger people like the longer pendants, although you always want to make sure you have shorter lengths.” She added, “I buy a lot of plain gold and silver—pieces that can really go with anything. We accessorize all of our mannequins, complete with jewelry. That’s important because people can see how the necklaces look.”

The Gift Shop at MHP Medical Center in Shelbyville,

Ind., carries several well-known jewelry lines within its cozy 574 square feet to appeal to shoppers’ diverse tastes. “Because we are a variety gift shop, we don’t limit [ourselves] to just one company,” said Linda Bacon , gift shop buyer. “Katie Loxton sells well. That is a repeat vendor for us; a big reason why that line is popular is the price point for sure, and it’s good quality from a good company. We sell a lot of Rain, which is another company. We also sell a lot of badge reels because of our employees.” Other popular lines include Groove Life, Continued on page 122

Jewelry displayed with a handbag at the Coastal Carolina and Hilton Head Hospital Auxiliary Gift Shop. The gift shop is staffed by volunteers.

Jewelry Section

Selling to Customers (From page 121)

Howard’s Jewelry, and Laura Janelle. Bacon said their biggest customer demographic is surprising: “People think our customers are the patients, but we rarely see [patients’] families. It’s our nursing staff—they are our customers,” she said. “We are open extended hours;

“I buy from so many sources. We’re close to New York City, and there are some vendors I use out of Manhattan. People are more interested in jewelry that can go with multiple looks. [Shoppers] buy a variety of lengths—I think younger people like the longer pendants, although you always want to make sure you have shorter lengths.”

Hospital shop buyers and managers monitor trends to keep their merchandise in line with customers’ tastes and current styles. Gottdenker said the larger “statement” pieces seem to be less popular than in recent years. “It’s back to a very classic look,” she explained. “For awhile it was the fringe earrings, and very avant garde pieces. I think it’s going back to the more classic look. Pearls are selling nicely, as are some necklaces with a double strand. We’re also selling smaller earrings— hoops are back, but smaller hoops,” she said.

now we’re open on weekends. Our number one seller is clothing. We’re between Cincinnati and Indianapolis, and it’s hard to find clothing in this area. People come here because we have a variety of price points, and a good selection of clothing.”

Higgins has noticed similar trends in her market: “Smaller things are ‘in’ right now—people don’t want items that are too big. ‘Petite’ is going better than it ever has. We carry a company out of Canada called Pericle which has a variety of nice jewelry. We try to keep our price point low - $30 or under. I am seeing less of the ‘heavy’ stuff - I brought in some turquoise but haven’t been able to move it. We’re in Connecticut so I think our market is just a little more conservative. People want things that will go with what’s in their wardrobe. [We don’t sell] too much of the glitzy stuff, except maybe around the holidays.”

Because so many hospital shops get most of their business from their internal customers, many facilities

Continued on page 124

- Cynthia Higgins, The Gift Shop at Danbury Hospital, Danbury, Conn.

Jewelry Section

“People think our customers are the patients, but we rarely see [patients’] families. It’s our nursing staff—they are our customers. We are open extended hours; now we’re open on weekends. Our number one seller is clothing. We’re between Cincinnati and Indianapolis, and it’s hard to find clothing in this area. People come here because we have a variety of price points, and a good selection of clothing.”

- Linda Bacon, Gift Shop at MHP Medical Center, Shelbyville, Ind.

Selling to Customers (From page 122)

offer discounts to hospital staff and volunteers. “Employees do receive a discount. Paid staff receive a discount; people who man our registers—the volunteers—receive a 25% discount on the day they work; any additional day they work they get a 10% discount. It’s an incentive for them to work,” Bacon said. Gottdenker explained their hospital staff receives a 10 percent discount, and the store does not charge sales tax because they are tax exempt. Higgins said the volunteers receive a discount, but not Danbury Hospital staff.

Accessories and jewelry on display at the Coastal Carolina and Hilton Head Hospital

Auxiliary Gift Shop. The manager and buyer said she tries to take different tastes into consideration when choosing merchandise.

Although displaying merchandise to highlight its best attributes is important for all items, it is especially important for jewelry. “Showing it, and showing it multiple ways, is my top tip to sell more jewelry,” Higgins said. “Our windows are always filled with [display] necks showing off the jewelry. Showing how it could be worn so people really get the idea [is important]. We always add a piece to our gift baskets, as well. When displaying, you have to layer it.” Gottdenker prefers to keep the jewelry displayed on racks and stands, rather than behind a glass case, so customers can touch it or try it on. “If we just put it out on the floor on stands, it sells better. People don’t

want to come and ask us to take something out from a case. They want to touch it and handle it themselves. I like to pair it with a pretty scarf or a handbag, because one usually sells the other. If a customer likes the piece of jewelry, they will usually buy the other items with it.” Bacon said when she goes to the market shows, she looks for interesting display pieces. “Many companies know we’re looking for unique pieces so they add them to their merchandise mix. If I’m going to put money into a display, I look to see how many times I can use it,” she pointed out. “We also have mannequins out, and always put jewelry on them. Every time we do that, it sells. I also suggest wearing what you sell. People notice things when you wear them.” ❖

JEWELRY SECTION

A Question and Answer Feature

Jewelry Best Sellers at Gift Shops and Boutiques

A Q&A with Owner Tracie Hess, Charmed Beauty and Gifts, Charleston, S.C.

Souvenirs, Gifts & Novelties

(SGN): What are some of your best-sellers in the jewelry category?

Tracie Hess (T.H.): [The brand] Susan Shaw, and I think it’s because it’s a woman-owned company and made in America. [Overall] we sell a lot of earrings because our business has a salon in the back. When women get their hair done, they then want to put on something pretty.

Jewelry is a nice draw. It’s an easy gift for women to give each other. We source over 80% of our inventory from women-owned businesses.

SGN: What jewelry trends are you currently seeing? Why do you think these trends are popular?

T.H.: A lot of color, [especially] pink and orange. Pink is definitely having a moment. Gold is still super trendy, but I think silver is on its way back. I think gold is trending because it is an easy way to add some pop to an otherwise neutral outfit.

SGN: What is your customer demographic and how do you serve this market?

T.H.: Primarily women ages 25-65, which is a big range. I serve them by staying on trend with what’s happening—observe what’s going on, stay up to date with new releases, et cetera. Having the salon helps because we see a steady stream of women [coming in].

SGN: How important is merchandising?

T.H.: It’s what I really love to do. It keeps things fresh for the customer, especially the repeat customer who stops by every week or two. If you don’t remerchandise, it can feel stale to them. Also, move things around from time to time—it can really increase sales of some items. Put items that are slow sellers in a different location or mix them with other items.

SGN: What makes a good, eyecatching display?

T.H.: Telling a color story. I also like to add different heights and make it visually appealing. For jewelry displays, I do pair like items together—racks of bracelets, a whole wall of earrings, stands full of necklaces—then we’ll have smaller displays within the display featuring items that can go together. Sometimes if we suggest a look or show how things can be worn together, the customer will buy all of the items. ❖

Coastal Carolina and Hilton Head Hospital Auxiliary Gift Shop in South Carolina Volunteers Dotty Gottdenker, who is the gift shop manager and buyer, and Suzy Whildin. Gottdenker said the store does well with jewelry sets.

Tracie Hess, owner, Charmed Beauty and Gifts, Charleston, S.C. The store has a salon in the back, and earrings are great sellers with customers who have had their hair done, Hess said.

Bringing the Garden Home Trends in Home Décor Merchandise at Botanical Gardens

By Sara Karnish

Botanical gardens allow visitors to enjoy the beauty and color of nature in a public space. The merchandise in botanical garden gift shops allows visitors to add some of the beauty and color of nature to their most private space—their home.

COVID and its related shutdowns posed a challenge for many industries; however, outdoor spaces like botanical gardens, nurseries, and other horticulture-focused businesses thrived throughout most of the pandemic. People could enjoy nature, then stop in the gift shop for items to create a little paradise of their own. Gift Shop Manager Sarah Wilcox at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, Wis., said, “During the pandemic, people spent so much time in their living spaces and wanted to spruce them up with items that give them inspiration. We’ve also seen an uptick in people getting interested/more interested in nature so items like planters, air plants, sun catchers, and prints have all seen an uptick.”

Besides décor, practical items for the home like kitchenware are also good sellers. Gift Shop Manager/ Buyer Judy Coughlin at New England Botanical Garden at Tower Hill, said within their 1,600-square-foot shop they sell “a lot of kitchenware and dish towels. The Swedish dish towels are made from cellulose, compostable, and super popular right now. They are biodegradable and have really gotten popular over the last year or so. We sell themed dishware, always with a plant or herb design. Within the home décor category, we sell a lot of mugs, cereal bowls, appetizer plates. Lately we’re doing well with melamine dishware, as you can take it on a picnic or the patio. As long as it has a nature theme, it fits with our mission.” Items made from environmentally-friendly materials are especially popular. Coughlin has noticed more companies releasing “permanent disposable” tableware. One brand is One Hundred 80 Degrees, which makes what looks like a traditional white paper plate, but it’s plastic. “I believe they’re trending because the product is environmentally

friendly. They’re casual looking but you’re not throwing it away. They’re cute and stylish versus merely functional,” Coughlin said.

Visitors to the Desert Botanical Garden Shop in Phoenix, Ariz., typically look for pieces with a Southwest flair, according to Store Director Alejandra Herrera . “Prints, bowls, and ornaments are typically our bestselling home décor items,” she explained. “Home décor has always been very popular at the garden—it’s one of our best-selling departments.” Herrera said the gardens’ buyers seek out these items due to their ongoing popularity. “Our home décor assortment is carefully curated

Continued on page 128

Flower-themed gifts at the WPS Trellis Gift Shop at the Green Bay Botanical Garden. Items by local vendors are always in high demand, including gifts from nearby lavender and alpaca farms.

Business-to-business is still person-to-person, and Las Vegas Market is where partnerships between buyers and sellers are formed and nurtured, all against the backdrop of a world-class West Coast destination.

Join us and see why thousands of furniture, gift, and home décor products are only part of the story at Las Vegas Market!

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Furniture, Décor, Gift, Housewares, and Rugs

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buyer

Las Vegas Market Feature

Bringing the Garden Home (From page 126)

by our buyers to represent local vendors and bespoke items that guests could not find at big box department stores,” she explained. “We are providing not just items, but memories. One of our most popular vendors is a local company called Oxide. We carry their steel panels which are perfect for outdoor patios to indoor living rooms.” Rather than a seasonal or temporary trend, Herrera said items with a Southwestern flair or that are inspired by Phoenix in some way are in consistently high demand. “We carry a wide variety of items, from [saguaro] scented candles to cactus pillows. It’s about environment and atmosphere and guests are looking to recreate the ethos of the Garden in their homes and find that serenity after these challenging past couple of

years,” she explained.

There is still strong interest in locally-made or locally-inspired items. Visitors like to support independent businesses that make or carry unique items. With ongoing supply chain issues, retailers are looking to local artists and vendors for unique items to stock their shelves. Wilcox said at Olbrich, she and her team have been working with and highlighting local artists. She mentioned one named Kim Russell, who creates bird drawings, prints, note cards, ornaments, and sculpture] that feature nature themes,” Wilcox said.

Karen Kohlbeck , WPS Trellis gift shop coordinator at Green Bay Botanical Gardens in Green Bay, Wis., said items by local vendors are always in high demand. “When I bring in our local lavender farm, and some of

What Are the Favorite Botanical Designs on Home Décor Items?

Flowers and butterflies abound on most items in botanical garden gift shops, but they are not the only motifs to catch shoppers’ interest.

“The number one thing for us are dragonflies. Also chickadees, which is the state bird of Massachusetts,” said Gift Shop Manager/Buyer Judy Coughlin at New England Botanical Garden at Tower Hill. “We sell a lot of cardinalthemed items, too. Mushrooms are really hot right now; also gnomes. We’re pretty locked into the niche of what we do. We have lots of logoed and state merchandise,” she added.

Gift Shop Manager Sarah Wilcox at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, Wis., said, “Monstera designs have been, of course, very popular but people are starting to gravitate towards native plants that are

specific to local environments.”

And butterflies continue to represent the beauty and wonder of botanical gardens. Karen Kohlbeck, WPS Trellis gift shop coordinator at Green Bay Botanical Gardens in Green Bay, Wis., noted their entire shop window has a butterfly theme during the summer. “In the same window I have wooden logs that I

use to re-create an outdoor scene. Into fall/winter, I’m going to be doing a campfire theme. I’ll be bringing in items to echo that—a nice winter blanket, a multitool that fits on a belt. I will probably be bringing in specialty marshmallows; we have a line called Door County Coffee, which is a local company, so I’ll tie in the marshmallows, and also a lantern.” ❖

Floral glassware and gifts from the WPS Trellis gift shop at Green Bay Botanical Gardens in Green Bay, Wis. Butterflies are a popular theme at the gift store.

their lavender sprays, [the items] will sell really quickly for us. We have a local alpaca farm. When I bring in her items, such as the laundry dryer balls, they have sold really well, as do their hats, mittens, and blankets. We carry items by local artists, including one named Artistry on Glass, which is painted glassware. She has a line of wine glasses called Field of Flowers, and we’ve carried the line for 10 years. Local definitely does better.”

Kohlbeck said home decor is a difficult category to predict for the 600-square-foot shop. “Some things sell really well, and other items I think will sell well, such as vaseware, are slower to move,” Kohlbeck said. “Because we are a botanical garden, our garden items sell better than the home décor. In that category, our big seller was a line called June and December, which has kitchen and dish towels, napkins, stationery. Another one we brought in for the summer is a line called Chive; we’ve been doing well with their ceramic succulents. They make it so you can either use them on a

table surface or wall décor with their ceramics.” Bees Wrap, an alternative to plastic wrap made with beeswax, has also done well. “It’s nice because they do the Swedish dishcloth, which is a reusable product, and they have a few different sizes of the Bees Wrap—[it’s available in] produce bags, sandwich bags, or you can buy a roll of it. The roll is probably the most expensive item at approximately $29.95. Some of the others are closer to $19.95; Swedish dish cloths are $15.95.” Kohlbeck said the definition of “home décor” has expanded over the past few years. “During COVID and now post-COVID, ‘home’ has come to mean more than just the indoor living space that provides us with comfort, but also evolved to include our outdoor living areas,” she explains. “We entertain, relax, and spend time basking in nature there, so it, also, has become a focus of decor. In fact, one of our most popular classes here at the Green Bay Botanical Garden this past Spring was ‘Decorating

Continued on page 130

A display with a yoga theme at the Desert Botanical Garden Shop. Home décor is one of the best-selling departments at the store.

Las Vegas Market Feature

Outdoor Living Spaces’. That’s one of the bonuses of sharing Green Bay Botanical Garden with our guests…they can start to re-imagine how their own yard can be transformed into a thriving space for themselves and nature, too. I recently came upon a quote, ‘Wherever you are, find something beautiful. Beauty cleanses the mind’.”

Retailers utilize different methods to encourage shoppers to add a home décor item to a purchase. “In a tourist-type situation, people aren’t necessarily here to stock their kitchens,” Coughlin said. “If someone is buying one mug, ask if they might want two. Or point out the coordinating pieces, such as a soup mix or bowl. If you have a variety of price points on display, point them out to customers. The more intriguing you make your store, the more guests will take their time to go through it. If you have interesting, unusual things, they’ll really examine what you have. Make it an experience of ‘shopping’ versus ‘buying.’ ” Herrera suggested grouping like items with a theme to encourage multiple purchases. “It really comes down

to you really have to curate stories and include multiple different product departments in the merchandise display so you are telling a story around that grouping,” she explained. “We currently have a Citrus Story, which is anything from a lemon candle to a table runner. Having similar items together will get the guest to purchase multiple items from the display –possibly the entire grouping!”

When merchandising, a full selection of items arranged in an eye-catching way will draw visitors’ attention and ideally lead to a sale. Wilcox cautioned against making displays too full, however: “Focus on your theme and be decisive about you’re trying to convey. Don’t have too many items displayed at once – people need to rest their eyes in order to be able to really see things. Incorporate different levels of height and take the lighting into account,” she suggested. “Also, make it easy to shop. If a display is too pretty, customers don’t want to disturb it and won’t buy the individual items. If you want to have an aspirational display, put some of the items nearby so people know where to take from.” One goal of merchandising is to spark shoppers’ creativity: “You’re trying to create a space where your guests can see how to use it and how it might fit into their décor. You’re playing on the imagination. For instance, we still have a Christmas tree up, and for our summer display we had all these birdhouses up. I put all the birdhouses into the tree—I wanted to get their imaginations going. I have a lot of natural elements in the displays—we’re trying to echo the beauty of the garden in the gift shop.” ❖

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How Cupid’s Day Rates

Valentine’s Day Candy Best-Sellers at Candy Stores

For many Americans, Valentine’s Day will always be an important romantic occasion — a day to celebrate love with red roses, candy hearts and a box of chocolates.

But chocolatiers and other candy sellers interviewed for this article said that in many communities, Valentine’s Day is taken less seriously than it was perhaps a generation ago. Many retailers report that sales of affectionate gifts for children and grandchildren match or even eclipse the classic romantic gesture. At other stores, like The Sweet Palace in Phillipsbury, Mont., Valentine’s Day “is more of a hiccup,” observed Manager Heidi Beck-Heser.

Beck-Heser manages the 25-year-old store owned by her mother, Shirley Beck. The 2,500-square-foot emporium specializes in house-made chocolates, fudge, toffees, brittles, marshmallows and cream candies. But holidays like Christmas and Easter and, increasingly, Mother’s Day, make a far bigger impact on the store’s bottom line. “Everyone has a mom, but not everyone has a lover,” observed Heidi Beck-Heser .

Still, the store does a brisk Valentine’s week business in nostalgic gifts from grandparents, who, according to Beck-Heser, delight in remembering their grandchildren’s favorite treats year after year. “We’re a small community, so we’ll recognize the grandparents and the address where it’s going,” Beck-Heser noted. “Whether they’re 15 or grown up and now they’re 32, they still like those sour gummies, root beer barrels, red hots and whatnots.” Such sour or spicy kids’ favorites are more popular than classic chocolates at Valentine’s Day, the retailer added.

Valentine’s Day is likewise “not so big” in terms of revenue at The Candy Jar in Bozeman, Mont., according to Manager Sami Labert . “It’s what just what we’ve observed, relative to the other holidays during the year,” she noted.

Continued on page 132

An interior view of The Sweet Palace in Phillipsbury, Mont. Holidays such as Christmas, Easter and Mother's Day generate bigger business for the store than Valentine's Day, the manager said. Photo by Tim Cooper.

Owner and Chocolatier Heather McDonald of The Sweets Barn in Lolo, Mont. McDonald said a lot of customers make Valentine's Day purchases at the last minute.

Valentine’s Day Merchandise

How Cupid's Day Rates (From page 131)

The Candy Jar, which produces about half of its sweet treats in-house, sells mostly “anything chocolate” at Valentine’s Day, with classic fudge and chocolate-covered strawberries topping the best-seller list.

In communities where Valentine’s Day is still a big candy deal, the seasonal revenue boost is short-lived — especially compared to holidays like Christmas, which stretch out sales for months. “Valentine’s Day is major, but it’s very quick,” explained Heather McDonald , owner at The Sweets Barn in Lolo, Mont. “A lot of people do their Valentine’s Day shopping at the very last minute.”

At McDonald’s 600-square-foot store, February best-sellers include artisan truffles with distinctive fillings like Montana’s famous huckleberries and cheesecake, red velvet and caramel. Artisan fudge and truffles and bulk candy, like the ever-popular gummies, are also customer favorites. McDonald’s has also noticed a generational divide: Older shoppers gravitate toward the time-honored box of chocolates, while younger shoppers are more likely to favor customized selections. “They’ll look around like oh, you have cookies, too! Oh look, fudge! Then they’ll put together a package.”

Younger patrons gravitate toward gummies and chewy candies rather than chocolates at How Sweet It Is – The Itsy Bitsy Candy Shoppe in Clayton, Md., which specializes in nostalgic as well as vegan, sugar- and glutenfree, and kosher sweets. Owner Katie Morris said Valentine’s Day remains among “the top three major candy holidays, definitely,” alongside Christmas and Easter, with Halloween also gaining ground.

Dark chocolate sea salt caramels are the stores top seller at Valentine’s Day for the 300-square-foot shop. “We see a good variety of both romantic and family purchases,” observed Morris, who has owned the store for eight years. She’s also noticed a trend of shoppers

Continued on page 134

The sales area at The Sweet Palace as seen from an upper floor. Grandparents enjoy getting grandchildren their favorite treats for Valentine's Day, the manager said. Photo by Tim Cooper.

A view of bulk candy at The Sweets Barn. Best-sellers at the 600-squarefoot store in February include artisan truffles with distinctive fillings.

Valentine’s Day Merchandise

How Cupid's Day Rates (From page 132)

buying Valentine’s treats for themselves: “They’ll say, I want something sweet, and I’m just going to treat myself.”

Old fashioned and penny candy are also the calling cards at Charm Me Sweet Candy Store in St Louis. Per-

look around like oh, you have cookies, too! Oh look, fudge! Then they’ll put together a package.”

haps fittingly, nostalgic shoppers are prone to splurge big at Valentine’s Day, according to Store Owner Brittany Bryan . She said the February holiday is the thirdmost-important retail event after Christmas and Easter.

Valentine’s candy and gifts are a last-minute purchase holiday for a lot of customers, especially men, explained Bryan. “The ladies who come in beforehand will buy milk chocolate,” she said, “but the men will typically buy dark chocolate for their ladies.”

Candy selections packaged in Mickey Mouse-branded tins are a retro hit with older shoppers at the fiveyear-old store. Their children or grandchildren, on the other hand, favor heart-shaped tins stuffed with sour or fruity candy like Warheads.

But overall, the top of Valentine’s Day items at the 300-square-foot foot store are the unironic classics: chocolates in the shapes of hearts, roses, or teddy bears clutching their own candy hearts. Bryan’s personal favorite is a chocolate bar in puppy packaging. “It’s always a hit because it’s just so cute,” the owner said. ❖

A tea display at The Sweets Barn. Shoppers can put together a selection of merchandise choices at the store.

“They’ll

- Heather McDonald, The Sweets Barn, Lolo, Mont.

Getting to the Heart of Sales Trends

Valentine’s Day at Party Stores

Hanging hearts and tableware are among the most popular Valentine’s Day merchandise at party stores. For this article, shop owners and staff provided a look at what keeps their stores’ holiday hearts beating.

At Party Adventure in St. Clair Shores, Mich., Owner Dan Stevens described his top sellers for Valentine’s Day as focused on the tableware. “A lot of what we sell for the holiday are things like paper plates and napkins with patterns of hearts.” His busy store sells guest towels and cocktail napkins as well as plates, cups, and party napkins.

Along with tableware, he noted that the store does well with “hanging merchandise such as heart-shaped cut outs and dangling swirls, about 24 by 36. The swirls can be hung from doorways or the ceiling and usually have different heart shapes. Red Mylar heart-shaped balloons are also very popular.”

For Stevens, Valentine’s Day is not that important of a holiday within his selling year overall. “It’s in the top 10, but it’s not like Christmas or Halloween. It is definitely a second-tier holiday,” he attested.

Creating a terrific Valentine’s Day merchandise display is focused on the ceiling of the 5,000-square-foot store, Stevens related. “I used to do table settings, but I really don’t have the space anymore. Instead, we usually decorate the store with balloon bouquets and suspend them around the store, and I hang a lot of the merchandise like the heart spirals and paper cut outs from the ceiling. We also place them in the windows and the register area.” He noted that “The most important thing is to show people what the items look like outside of their

package.” Additionally, within the store’s Valentine’s Day section, he makes sure that the merchandise is fully stocked and well-spaced.

In West Springfield, Mass., Matt Thibodeau , the manager and buyer for Party World and Other Things has a variety of unique Valentine’s Day items that make top sellers for the store. “We sell a lot of chocolate molds for lollipops and other candies, as well as melting chocolates that are used for the molds. We also sell a great deal of cake boxes decorated with Valentine’s patterns. If people are making a cake or cookies we have the boxes, boards, and pads to transport them.” In general, the store sells a lot of baking supplies, such as Val-

Continued on page 136

entine’s Day-themed spatulas as well as ingredients such as sprinkles and food coloring. “We also do well with Valentine’s Day tableware, too,” he said.

Unlike Stevens in his Michigan location, for Thibodeau, Valentine’s Day remains important for his overall sales. “It’s one of our top four holidays: Halloween, Christmas, Easter, and Valentine’s Day are the top sellers here.” He said that the strong sales are in part due to the store’s latest merchandise mix for the holiday, describing the current store offerings as more geared toward Valentine’s Day activities, such as baking and candy making, than to decorations alone.

To create a memorable Valentine’s Day merchandising display, Thibodeau agreed with Stevens with the importance of hanging decorations. “We do a lot of balloon bouquets which we place around the store as décor, and we suspend items such as streamers from the ceiling. We do that for every holiday season,” he said.

Heading south to Gulfport, Miss., at the 1,500-square-foot Par-

Taking the Pulse of a Holiday Is Valentine's Day Still Popular?

Asked whether Valentine’s Day is still very popular or waning in popularity as a holiday, the verdict is mixed at party stores throughout the United States.

At Party Adventure in St. Clair Shores, Mich., Owner Dan Stevens said he believes it’s waning a bit. “It’s not quite as popular as it used to be, no. People are just a little less into it. I think that’s because there are so many other things you can do now besides buying a Valentine’s balloon bouquet or decorating with paper hearts. You can give small gifts more easily; you can customize things on the Internet.”

In West Springfield, Mass., Matt Thibodeau,

the manager and buyer for Party World and Other Things finds Valentine’s Day still very relevant. “I think last year proved that it was better than the year before. It is because we switched up what we were selling. Before it was just cutouts for windows and tableware, things like that, but now with our new selection, the cake boxes, and molds and such, it’s really become more popular for us.”

Heading south to Gulfport, Miss., at Party Girls, store Co-Owner Patti Schankin related that “Honestly, Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day are tied as our two biggest holidays. Next comes Christmas, which is a close second. I think for us, people might have got-

ten tired of sending flowers and candy. The charcuterie board we offer along with the décor we can provide has been a big success for Valentine’s Day at Party Girls.”

But at Party Safari, located in Wayzata, Minn., Owner Sharon Todd described the holiday as “waning. Honestly, I’ve been here 24 years, and when we first opened the store, we used to have to bring in a separate person just to do balloon delivery for Valentine’s Day. That’s certainly not true anymore. I think it has definitely slowed down with Valentine’s merchandise. I’m sure dining out for the holiday is still going strong, though.” ❖

Getting to the Heart (From page 135)

ty Girls, store Co-Owner Patti Schankin explained that her number one top selling Valentine’s Day item is entirely unique. “We do heart shaped charcuterie boards. They’re fully stocked with delicious treats. We were very, very successful with that idea last year. Our second top seller would be balloon garlands in heart shapes. But the charcuterie board is far and away our best seller.”

What began as a whim became a major part of the store’s Valentine’s Day sales. “I was just playing around with some ideas. I was at a Dollar Tree and saw some heart shaped decorations, and kind of went ‘hmm.’ I bought a board and came back to our store and took it apart, lined it with greenery, just some spring mix lettuce, as a background. Then I started adding things like grapes, cheese, strawberries, all in a heart shape. I took a picture of it,” she says. “We posted that on Instagram and our Facebook page, and I wrote ‘Wouldn’t you want this for Valentine’s Day?’” She laughs that it “kind of went viral. We immediately had about 200 people order it.”

holiday.”

“It’s huge for us. At the party stores around here, it is like the floral industry is for the Valentine’s Day holiday. We are very busy. Frankly, February is the number one month of the year for us, because of Valentine’s Day.”

All the same, Valentine’s Day is not, however, a big sales day for Todd’s store. “It’s not really that strong, no. Our best holidays are certainly Christmas, Halloween, July 4, and New Year’s Eve. New Year’s Eve is our best single day of the year. Graduation time is probably our very best season, overall. So, with that in mind, Valentine’s Day is probably one of our least major holidays.”

- Patti Schankin, Party Girls, Gulfport, Miss.

Like Thibodeau, Schankin said Valentine’s Day is a significant holiday for the store. “It’s huge for us. At the party stores around here, it is like the floral industry is for the Valentine’s Day holiday. We are very busy. Frankly, February is the number one month of the year for us, because of Valentine’s Day.”

To create a top merchandising display, she said, “At our store we decorate all over for the month around the holiday, with displays of heart shaped and ‘XO XO’ balloon garlands all over the store. We also have a little sweetheart table over to the side that’s decorated for Valentine’s Day with a note on it that says, ‘ask us about our Valentine’s Date Night Special.’ We set it up with a nice place setting and a little picnic with the charcuterie board, wine, and everything that we can bring over to someone’s house.”

And at Party Safari, located in Wayzata, Minn., Owner Sharon Todd described her top Valentine’s Day sellers as “Balloon bouquets, hands down. We do balloon garlands, custom balloon bouquets, just about anything and everything our customers want for the

As far as display, Todd focuses on placing heart-shaped balloon arrangements around the store to create an attractive holiday look.

All in all, it appears that the party stores that are supplementing their traditional Valentine’s Day merchandise with more active experiences –whether candy making or private dining experiences –are doing the “heartiest” sales for heart’s day. ❖

Still a Spot for Great Gifts Merchandise Trends at Hallmark Stores

By Sara Karnish

Hallmark has a long history of bringing family and friends together through greeting cards for all occasions, iconic collectible lines, and timeless gifts. Despite shuttering several brickand-mortar locations over the past decade, the Hallmark stores still in business continue to be vital members of their communities. These retailers serve customers through a combination of solid and beloved inventory, great customer service, and a commitment to changing with the times while staying true to Hallmark’s core business.

Kelley Holden , owner of Cynthia’s Hallmark and Boutique in Greenfield, Ind., with four locations throughout the state, said, “Hallmark ornaments and cards are the backbone of our business. Our customers love their ornaments and can't wait for the Ornament Premier in July and the Ornament Debut in October of all the new ornaments for the year. Hallmark has several series of ornaments that customers like to add each year, new series are always being added, and also finals in a series are highly sought. The collectors are huge, but the general Hallmark customers also love choosing ornaments for their trees, and for their families as well.” She said the Vera Bradley handbag and accessory line, Mud Pie dishes, Jim Shore, and Willow Tree collectibles remain their biggest sellers. She added, “We still sell the Department 56 houses (one of the few retailers in the country) and have a room devoted to these beautiful displays in two of our stores. We have many collectors of the regular series, but the Halloween and Christmas vacation sell to all of our customers. They buy it for themselves to make fun displays in their homes.” She added, “And we still sell thousands and thousands of Hallmark cards. The phrase, ‘when you care enough to send the very best’ still applies. Hallmark has beautiful cards, and our customers know how important it is to send a real card. It is always so fun to get a card in your mailbox!”

Cynthia’s Hallmark’s flagship store in Greenfield measures 15,000 square feet.

Speaking to the ornaments’ enduring popularity, another longtime Hallmark retailer, Patrick Jilek , owner of Crest Hallmark Card Shop in Richland, Wash., said they account for over 20% of the total revenue in his 4,200-square-foot store on an annual basis, yet are only available six months of the year. “Hallmark has built up a following over the last 40-plus years of traditions, not only with hardcore keepsake collectors, but a tradition of Mom or Grandma

Continued on page 140

Owner Julie Stuhlmacher, of Winkie’s Hallmark and Gifts, photographed with baskets. Visitors and locals alike shop for name-dropped Whitefish Bay-themed souvenirs, unique gifts, and Hallmark brands at the store.

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Still a Spot (From page 138)

who buys an ornament for each child every year,” he explained. Tradition, quality, and iconic lines are all traits of the Hallmark brand. Jilek said selling cards has changed over the years as younger customers use social media and text messaging to stay in touch, yet there is still a big market for cards. He said, “The key driver for [Hallmark stores] is to have the biggest, broadest, and best selection of greeting cards anywhere, for any occasion—even ‘Happy birthday from the dog/cat’, or having cards available in different languages. There used to be approximately 5,000 Hallmark stores across the country, but now just about every grocery store or big box department store has a sizable greeting card section, so what that has done is dilute our once very strong niche in the marketplace.”

Some Hallmark retailers have branched out beyond their Gold Crown inventory and offer shoppers a mix of the standard Hallmark favorites and eclectic new finds from other vendors. Susan Hendershott , manager and co-owner of Lee’s Hallmark in Fargo, N.D., said theirs is an independent store and one of the few gift shop options in the area, “so we have more leeway in what we carry.” Among the recognized Hallmark brands, the

Demdaco gift line

(especially the Willow Tree figurines) is a strong seller. Outside of the Hallmark lines, Lee’s carries a wide range of inventory, including a selection of Christian-themed jewelry and gifts. Hendershott said customers have certain expectations when they walk into a Hallmark store, namely “a broad selection of gifts, and good quality gifts at decent prices. They also expect friendly service, and we try to deliver that.”

Another independent store, Winkie’s Hallmark and Gifts in Whitefish Bay, Wis., has been a fixture in the community for over 90 years—visitors and locals alike shop for name-dropped Whitefish Bay-themed souvenirs, unique gifts, and the tried-and-true, recognized Hallmark brands, according to Vice President Leah Steger . “We were a store way before we started carrying Hallmark. We sell a lot of mugs, usually ones with relevant or funny sayings. Outside of that and strictly within the Hallmark lines, the keepsake ornaments are one of our best sellers. So many people buy for themselves, but there is a lot of gift-giving with that. Hallmark has so many licenses—there is some really relevant content they partner with. There is truly an ornament for everyone—there is so much depth and breadth to the assortment.” Steger said shoppers at Winkie’s look to their store for items you can’t find anywhere else; they have a strong souvenir business. “We have a very loyal customer base. Whitefish Bay is your quintessential small town with businesses all along the Main Street.

Continued on page142

Store Associate Laura Jasonoski of Winkie’s Hallmark and Gifts, photographed with Christmas merchandise. Keepsake ornaments are one of the store’s best-sellers.

Vice President Leah Steger of Winkie’s Hallmark and Gifts. “We sell a lot of mugs, usually ones with relevant or funny sayings,” Steger said.

Still a Spot (From page 140)

People have either moved away, so they come in looking for sentimental items, such as ornaments or ball caps. We’re in Milwaukee County so we sell a lot of Milwaukee and Wisconsin-themed items. We sell apparel, stickers, and we’re branching out into the other towns we serve, like Mequon”

Retailers choose the merchandise they carry in various ways. “I believe Hallmark stores have the most beautiful gift selections coming from Hallmark, or the many other vendors they carry in their stores. Here at Cynthia's, we try very hard to stay on trend by meeting with our Buying Group of over 40 rooftops, by going to markets to shop, feel, and see the hot new products, and by listening to our customers,” Holden said. “We are celebrating 37 years in business this year, and I believe that is due to our ability to meet our customer's expectations. Our customers know we try to build beautiful stores with great products.”

Steger said she and her mother choose the merchandise together. “We have so much fun together,” she said. “My mom gives me a lot of leeway to find items. We go to the Atlanta gift show and seek out the latest and greatest… what’s unique and different. We have a lot of young families in our community. What we’ve found in the last few years is we’ve had a lot of success with items curated from different countries. When you come into the store, it almost looks like we’ve gone to different parts of the world to bring in these items.” She cited their popular line of Fair Trade, African markets baskets handmade by women in Ghana as one example of the diverse merchandise they carry. Jilek said he chooses items based on his key customer demographics. “The gifts will vary from region to region. My store has an older clientele, and [they prefer] some of the older lines that continue to plug along—Vera Bradley, Demdaco. As far as other gifts, I’ll go to trade shows. I’ll also look at what other Hallmark shops are carrying that’s successful, but that doesn’t always work. What works for me here in Washington may not work in New York or Miami.”

When merchandising, “you don’t want clutter or a messy display with everything packed in. You want to make the product shine, so don’t pack it in too tightly,” Jilek suggested. “In some cases, we’ll use different ‘props’ to break it up a little bit—risers so not everything is just lined up—maybe some greenery or plant material to jazz it up a little bit.” Holden lets her staff at each store create their own displays; generally, she said a good display is neat and clean, and shows a bit of the staff’s individual flair and personality. Steger said, “[Creating displays] is a lot of fun. I love putting together displays and curated moments. As we’re buy -

ing, we’re purchasing from different brands/suppliers that help to create those moments. [We] tell a whole story based on our buying.” She added, “We are very close to our customers. We’ve been in business over 90 years—we like to personally be on the floor of the store and engaging with the customer; [we] know who they are and understand their needs. When we go on buying trips, we think about these people, their story, and needs and what might be attractive to them. What might they want to purchase?”

Each retailer continues to find unique ways to work around the ongoing supply chain challenges. Most order early and request immediate shipping. “It’s been tricky for sure,” Steger said. “One thing that’s changed for us—we’d order our Christmas products in January and have them ship it to us in October. Now we’re telling them to ship it to us whenever they get it in, even if it’s in August. We’ve been taking product as soon as we can get it, rather than waiting.” Steger said freight and surcharges “are something we’ve had to take on.”

Jilek said, “I tend to not carry a lot of inventory in the spring and summer months. A typical Hallmark shop will have half the entire store’s revenue come in the Christmas season. I really build up gift product lines in fall/Christmas season.” Steger said they have broadened the number of vendors they work with to accommodate shortages among any of the companies. “We’ve just had to get creative. We’ve had to be nimble and do things differently than we did before. We’ve also trained our customers—if you see something and you like it: buy it. It may not be there the next time you come in, or we may not be able to get it in.” ❖

Owner Tom Stuhlmacher, Winkie’s Hallmark and Gifts in Whitefish Bay, Wis. The store has been a fixture in the community for over 90 years.

Giving Shoppers What They Love Soap and Candle Sales for the Fun of It

Victoria Elizabeth Thomas started The Pink Tub, her homemade toiletries business, when she couldn’t find the kind of natural, moisturizing products she wanted. Now her homemade facial soaps, lotions and bath bombs are favorites among Thomas’s Indianapolis clientele.

Pink Tub devotees love that the products come tailored to specific skin types, such as oily, dry or combination textured skin. They appreciate Thomas’s signature 5-5-3 method — five vitamins, five moisturizers and three antioxidants in every product, for maximum penetration and a rejuvenating glow.

But most of all, Thomas’s customers enjoy the social and sensory experience of a visit to The Pink Tub. “We’re very hands-on, a lot of demos,” explained Thomas. “The customers love that. I put on a great show for them, and it’s a crowd pleaser.”

Nearly three years into the pandemic, Americans are savoring the in-person shopping experience — especially for items like soaps, lotions and candles, whose scents and textures simply can’t be appreciated online. Toiletries retailers around the country interviewed for this article said their customers enjoy the social ritual of chatting about specific skin needs and fragrances while sampling wares.

“We let you see exactly what is going into your product,” explained Thomas, many of whose products cater to breast cancer survivors like herself. “We’ll let you take it test it out and take it home. We try to make it an incredible experience.”

In Collingswood, N.J., Cynthia Mosco’s 700-square-foot emporium is “big enough to see and try everything, but not so big that you get overwhelmed,” she noted.

Cynplicity Artisan Soap Co.  specializes in bars crafted through cold processing, hot processing and French milled techniques from high quality natural oils and butters.

All of that matters to Mosco’s customers, who love her healthier,

A display of soaps, shampoos and accessories at the Soap Refill Station. The store offers locally made, vegan, budget-friendly dish and laundry detergents, soaps, lotions and bath items.

Self-Care Section

more natural formulations of best-sellers like soaps, bath bombs and after-shower lotions. But Mosco said today’s shoppers are also looking for a fun, fragrant experience.

“From smelling all the different soaps to lathering up with a foamy scrub, and then deciding between a whipped body lotion or our creamy body butters, you’ll need to use both hands and your arms up to your elbows,” Mosco said. To help shoppers clarify their preferences, Moscow offers a whiff of coffee beans to clear the olfactory palette between fragrances.

Best-selling cold processed soaps and most other products at Cahoots Soap Co. in Converse, Ind., are made in-house. Owner Lindsay Baker also carries toiletries from a few select partner brands at the 500-square-foot store, which she opened 11 years ago.

“People are looking for something they can’t find online,” Baker observed. “All of our items are small batch, mostly oneoff products, so every piece really is unique.”

Baker’s best-selling soaps are all handmade with vegan ingredients including locally sourced sunflower oil, sea clay, and natural salts. Other popular, all natural items include bath bombs, scrubs, lip balms, and a line of fragrant candles. “We really try to educate the consumer on how our products are

“We really try to educate the consumer on how our products are made, and how we source all of our ingredients. That way they feel really connected to our product.”

- Lindsay Baker, Cahoots Soap Co., Converse, Ind.

made, and how we source all of our ingredients,” said Baker of the in-store experience. “That way they feel really connected to our product.”

At Wimsatt Soap and Soy Candle Bar in New Albany, Ind., devoted clients feel so connected that many drive a considerable distance for Owner Paula Wimsatt’s homemade wares. “We’ve got a pretty good following,” said Wimsatt, who employs several relatives in the business. “It is really heartwarming. We are a woman- and family-owned business, and we treat our customers like family.”

Best-sellers at the 1,000-square-foot boutique include soaps and soy candles in the most popular fragrances, milk and honey and lavender vanilla, along with hand-painted bath bombs. But ever since the company moved into its current location in early 2020, business “has been a roller coaster,” admitted Wimsatt.

During the early weeks of 2020s COVID lockdown, Wimsatt cranked out bottles of hand sanitizer and offered delivery

Continued on page 146

Hand and pot brushes on display at the Soap Refill Station in Kansas City, Mo. The store offers refills on soaps for customers looking to rein in consumption.

A chalk board with instructions for shopping at the Soap Refill Station. The 1,000-square-foot shop also customizes blends and sells ingredients for DIY enthusiasts.

Self-Care Section

Giving Shoppers (From page 145)

and curbside pickup options — “anything to keep the doors open.” With the pandemic receding, inflation is now cutting into many customers’ discretionary budgets for things like fancy soaps — and depressing revenue at Wimsatt’s boutique.

Still, modern shoppers increasingly believe that ecofriendly and all natural products are worth the extra cost. Soap Refill Station opened its Kansas City, Mo., location

in February 2020, a month before COVID-19 hit, and has thrived due to a business model that allows customers to bring in virtually any clean container and fill it with all natural soaps and lotions.

Manager Shelby Nelson said Soap Refill Station has topped up more than 50,000 containers, doing more than its part to reduce single-use plastic waste in landfills and waterways. “What people are looking for now is consumption that is zero waste,” she reflected, alluding to rising concerns over the environment and climate change.

Soap Refill Station, which also has a location in Springfield, Mo., features locally made, vegan, budget-friendly dish and laundry detergents, soaps and lotions and bath items. Customers appreciate the kinds of products they can’t find elsewhere, such as toiletries for pets and babies, specialty face creams and clay masks. The 1,000-square-foot shop also customizes blends and sells ingredients for DIY enthusiasts.

With a steady stream of eco-conscious shoppers bringing in Mason jars and ketchup bottles, Soap Refill Station has become a bit of a social hub. “People really love to come in and fill up their own containers,” Nelson reported. “It’s a very hands-on activity, and there’s a sense of community.” ❖

Soap dispensers at the Soap Refill Station. The store has filled more than 50,000 containers.

A sign for a refill station at the Soap Refill Station. With a steady stream of eco-conscious shoppers bringing in everything from Mason jars to ketchup bottles, Soap Refill Station has become a bit of a social hub.

“People really love to come in and fill up their own containers. It’s a very hands-on activity, and there’s a sense of community.”

- Shelby Nelson, Soap Refill Station, Kansas City, Mo.

NEWS BRIEFS

Amazon Supports The Toy Foundation’s Toy Bank Collection to Aid Dallas Children in Need

Every child deserves to have the opportunity to experience comfort, joy, and the extraordinary physical, emotional, and educational benefits of play. The Toy Foundation (TTF) and Amazon, sponsor of TTF’s Toy Bank collection at The Toy Association’s 2023 Preview & 2022 Holiday Market, invite all exhibiting companies to donate their toys and games at the show’s close to be delivered to at-risk children in the Dallas area.

To participate, a product donation form is now available to complete and submit in advance of the toy show. Donations are also accepted year-round.

The donations collected will be delivered to four local organizations, including Rainbow Days, whose mission is to help children rise above their adversity and have a promising future. Anne Carrihill, general manager and category leader of toys and games at Amazon, and Taylor Mason, marketing specialist at Amazon, recently spoke with Kelly Wierzbinski (aka Ms. Kit Kat), director of Family Connection at Rainbow Days, to discuss the role of play in the organization’s day-to-day work and how the donations received from this initiative this September will be used.

Family Connection, one of Rainbow Days’ core programs, provides supportive services for homeless children throughout the Dallas area living in emergency, transitional, or domestic violence shelters. Play is an

important part of the curriculum where a toy can give a child a sense of ownership when they have very little, recognize themselves in a toy to feel less alone, and learn something new to help shape a future career path.

“At a shelter, it’s easy for a child to lose hope and we use play to help teach them that every person has a purpose in this world,” said Wierzbinski. “These children can learn science, math, or a potential career path by playing with toys they can manipulate and experiment with and it shows them that their dreams can come true.”

A portion of the toys and games donated to The Toy Bank at the Preview & Holiday Market will be offered to families in need during Rainbow Days’ annual “Saturday with Santa” event. About 500 families from 30 local shelters can choose from a variety of donated toys suitable for children of all ages and developmental levels, have the toy wrapped, and ready to give to their child for the holiday they celebrate.

“Toys are such a great part of the magical season,” said Wierzbinski. “It lets the children know they are not forgotten, no matter where they are in this world, no matter what they are going through, that someone cares about them and their community cares about them.”

To learn about The Toy Foundation’s work to provide the power of play to children in need, visit ToyFoundation.org. ❖

Sports Store Top Sellers Licensed Merchandise at College, Sports and Gaming Stores

By Carimé Lane

Sales of licensed merchandise at sports, college and game stores are supported by fans, collectors and students. Here’s how three games, sports and college stores across the country are catering to their clientele.

Chestnut Hill Sports is a 1,700-square-foot retail sporting good store in Philadelphia selling sports equipment, while also providing services like racket and lacrosse stick restringing, embroidery and silk screening. They also sell licensed merchandise.

Their top selling licensed merchandise are Eagles, Phillies and 76ers items. T-shirt sales tend to be better than sales of jerseys simply because of the cheaper price point, explained CoOwner Tom Amodie .

The success of the merchandise depends on the success of the team, said Amodie. “The better the teams do, the better our stuff does,” he explained.

Customers also buy licensed merchandise at the store based on which player’s name is displayed on the merchandise. At the moment, sales of Bryce Harper licensed merchandise, the Phillies MVP from last season, is selling well.

To keep sales of licensed merchandise moving, Amodie keeps the items displayed front and right at the front of the store.

They buy new licensed merchandise based on how the teams and players are currently doing. Their most recent add-ons include new Phillies shirts emblazoned with some of the names of the new players and new Eagles jerseys.

On the other hand, they’ve also found retro jerseys of retired players to be big hits as well. For example, vintage Eagles jerseys sell very well, according to Amodie.

Duke City Games is a 5,000-square-feet hobby storefront and the largest gaming area in New Mexico. They

host competitive players and newcomers alike. The store specializes in collectible cards, Pokémon, Yu-GiOh!, Magic the Gathering and board games.

Their hobby boxes are the top sellers among their sports licensed merchandise. The boxes are an exclusive item containing multiple autographs from NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, NASCAR, UFC, and MLS leagues, Continued on page 152

A kiosk of merchandise at the Ashland University Campus Store. Ashland controls the trademark and licensing, making the store exempt from royalty payments.

Licensed Merchandise

Sports Store Top Sellers (From page 150)

according to Rob Gonzales , store owner.

“They are expensive items, usually five to 40 times the cost of a box available at retail stores like Target or Walmart,” said Gonzales. “Still, customers love having the chance to get highly sought-after autographs from their favorite players.”

According to Gonzales, the first key to selling more licensed merchandise is hiring staff members who are passionate about games and sports, and the items they sell. They know exactly what the product contains.

“When someone walks in and is considering spending thousands of dollars on cards, they want to do it with someone they trust,” expressed Gonzales.

Collecting cards is a hobby, but there’s more to it than that, said Gonzales. Most collectors are also looking to make money when they buy. “With so many options on what they could buy, customers almost always come in and ask what your opinion is on what and how much to buy,” expressed Gonzales.

Well over 75% of their sales on big ticket items are from repeat customers. Gonzales and staff keep that in mind in their customer service approach. Part of this is trying to remember customers’ names and buying habits.

“When they walk in and we greet them by name and know what sport/products they want, they stay loyal to the store,” said Gonzales.

The newest addition to their licensed sports card selection are Funko Pops. Funko Pops are small plastic

modeling figures of a player with a normal variation and a one in six change to receive a chase variation–a rare variant of a common Funko Pop figure–that collectors look for, explained Gonzales. These range from $12 to $50, which is less expensive than their collectible cards, explained Gonzales.

“We wanted to have something in-house that sports fans could impulse buy without a huge price tag,” said Gonzales.

Just about everything they sell is licensed at the 7,000-square-foot Ashland University Campus Store, said store director, Amanda Brown . The shop is the trademark and licensing agent for the university. Their best-seller is their Ashland University T-shirt, sold for $9.99. This affordable price plays a part in their popularity.

Although the cost of materials has risen with inflation, it’s not enough to justify passing the inflation off to the customer, said Brown. “It’s just not how we do business,” said Brown. When they keep it reasonable, they see more sales, she said.

According to Brown, the athletic department at many universities control the trademarks and licensing, which means the bookshops and university stores have to pay royalties and, in turn,

A photo taken at Duke City Games, a 5,000-square-feet hobby storefront and the largest gaming area in New Mexico. According to the store owner, the first key to selling more licensed merchandise is hiring staff members who are passionate about games and sports, and the items they sell.

Mugs on display at the Ashland University Campus Store, Ashland, Ohio. The store keeps prices reasonable for shoppers.

must pass this cost off to the customer. But at Ashland, since they control the trademark and licensing, it exempts them from these royalty payments, which can range from 7% to 30%.

“We’re able to pass that savings back to our customer,” Brown said.

They also design their merchandise in house, which differentiates them from colleges who use school colors paired with the usual stock designs universities often use.

“It keeps it fresh, allows us to keep plenty of stock and replenish sizes quickly,” said Brown. “Everything helps to increase bottom line.”

Two weeks ago, they purchased a sticker and decal maker, said Brown. This new machine allows them to print their own customizable stickers. Now customers can buy an Ashland University sticker with their name on it, indicated Brown. It helps to increase sales when you can make something for a customer that they didn’t think they could get, Brown said.

It’s a relatively inexpensive machine and poised to boost the half million they already make in custom production. It’s opened up additional revenue streams they

didn’t previously have access to, she said. For instance, stickers are the perfect complement to hydro flasks, water bottles and laptops which are currently very popular.

“Being able to cut out the middleman and produce them ourselves will drive our costs down which allows us to maintain our margin and drive our retail down, which means we’re going to sell more because their cheaper to the customer,” Brown said. ❖

Store Director Amanda Brown of Ashland University Campus Store. The store’s best-seller is an Ashland University T-shirt that sells for $9.99.

GAMES, PLAYTHINGS AND PLUSH

Creating Entertaining Experiences Toy Stores' Stories of Making Shopping Fun

By Sara Karnish

Part of the fun of shopping and working in a toy store is about the latest and greatest toys. Creating a fun, vibrant experience for shoppers is a big part of the store employees’ job. The first step to creating that experience is for store owners and managers to take care of the staff so they can take care of the customers.

Amy Saldanha

,

founder and CEO of

Kiddywampus, with a main store in Hopkins, Minn., and

a second location in Chanhassen, Minn., said, “As an owner, I need to be careful and deliberate on the sales floor. I need to treat my employees with care and empathy so they can do the same with our customers. Have their favorite drinks and snacks, make sure they get their breaks, make sure I know how their lives are going so I can be ahead of issues, and they feel supported and known. This lets them do their best work and be their best selves on the floor.” Brad Ruoho,

CEO/founder

of Legacy Toys in Edina, Minn., with eight store locations in the Upper Midwest, said the staff in each of their stores “goes out of their way to make kids feel special, whatever that might be. If a kid is shy because they don’t like the 15 foot dinosaur in the store, the staff will do their best to make them feel comfortable. The staff reaching out, we believe, has the best effect on kids, to encourage them and make a positive impact in their lives. I think the staff and their product knowledge, plus the experiences we offer in the store… that’s usually what sets us apart.” When it comes to customer service, Ruolo said, “Be personable. There are so many staffing issues these days, [it’s still important] to reach out and work with the customer. Even if the customer has a complaint or issue, try to work with them

to come up with a resolution that satisfies them.”

Kate Greene , co-owner with her sisters Nikki Hall and Beki Rave of Gingerbread House Toys in Bloomington, Ill., said the staff sets the tone. “We pride ourselves on customer service. The staff and employees are all outgoing and fun, and help make the shopping experience fun.” Greene added the store marked 50 years in business this past summer, celebrating with a large Fifty Fest event. Besides the many in-store demos and toys available for customers to test, Gingerbread House Toys has

Continued on page 156

Children at a painting party at a Kiddywampus location. The founder and CEO treats her employees with care and empathy, so they can pass on these sentiments to customers.

Games, Playthings and Plush

Creating Entertaining Experiences (From page 154)

their own in-store four-legged personal shopper. “My sisters and I bought the store in 2012. A few years after we took over, Wink came along. He’s a sheepadoodle [part Old English Sheepdog, part poodle] and has been our ‘shop dog’ for about seven years. He is loved by everybody. A lot of the time, he’ll go shopping with the customer.” Wink is so popular, Greene and her sisters launched the Wink Alliance, a nonprofit giving arm of their business, in which they select a nonprofit each year and support them through the sale of limited edition, co-branded collectibles (usually featuring Wink on the packaging).

Greene added their store always has “a

great playlist going. I can’t take any credit for it—the staff makes these playlists and the customers often comment on them, but I think that helps create a really cool vibe. Our staff—and Wink—is really what makes our store so fun.”

Testing the products is one of the best parts of any toy store visit. However, nearly every toy retailer that normally had product boxes open had to put them away during COVID due to health concerns. “We normally have tons of them [product demos] and rotate them out,” Ruolo explained. “During COVID, a lot of our experiential stuff had to go into storage. We were able to bring it out with better sanitation procedures. During COVID, many things changed. Some of our stores were closed for months. We had very little experiential stuff for a long time—it started easing up around spring of this year. We had sanitation stations around the store, we had a lot of changes as far as the staff, such as taking temperatures, testing …there was a lot of stuff happening.”

Saldanha said they have only recently brought their demos back. “We have always been known as an experiential toy store, where lots of toys were open and

Supply Chain Challenges for Toy Stores

Toy store retailers were not immune from the challenges of getting merchandise onto store shelves for the last few years.

Amy Saldanha, founder and CEO of Kiddywampus in Hopkins, Minn., said the challenges are “getting better but still not out of the woods; we are staying in the loop with our manufacturers and as always, sourcing new vendors.”

CEO and Founder Brad Ruolo of Legacy Toys in the Mall of America, Bloomington, Minn., said, “It’s been tough. We have more than one store so we could move larger quantities of

products from one store to another. Prices have gone through the roof; they’re coming down now, but still up quite a bit. We’ve just had to stock more. It’s changed how everything works. A lot of the vendors used to do longer terms— many are less flexible now, so we’ve had to adapt,” he said.

Co-Owner Kate Greene of Gingerbread House Toys in Bloomington, Ill., said, “It’s definitely affected us. The nice thing about having a toy store is we focused on stocking the core products, but we’re more flexible with bringing

other things in. If we can’t get one type of product in, we’ll find something else that’s cool. The prices have gone up substantially. It’s understandable, but still rough. We brought in a lot of things last year, which was really helpful. We kept a lot in storage, so that gave us some flexibility to keep bringing in products. We’re also part of a buying group called the Good Toy Group, which was very helpful. The members are so knowledgeable, and really kept us up to date on what was going on …we had weekly calls.” ❖

able to be played with – that of course changed during COVID and we are now starting to put toys and demo tables back out,” she said. “These toys not only make for a better shopping experience because the kids are engaged – it also helps families ‘test’ the toys to make sure they’re developmentally appropriate and fun for the kids.” She is happy to say their in-store events have also returned: “We just completed our largest offering of summer camps ever, and birthday parties are definitely back! We are scheduling more classes and special events than ever. Families want and need them and it’s always been such an important part of our store experience.” Greene said they have gradually brought back their in-store demos, but added, “We still don’t have the same amount that we used to…but it’s nice to see things get back to normal.” Gingerbread House Toys does hold in-store special events and they are also coming back. “Fifty Fest was probably the first big event we did since COVID. It was all outside. It felt like a throwback to how it used to be. I think we’ll start bringing more events back. We would bring in a silhouette artist, and also a group called the Chicago Wax Hands, where they bring in a ‘wax cart’ and kids can dip their hands in the wax and make a form of it. We also had Chris and Christy McFarland, a local husband and wife author/illustrator team, come in and read their book Narwin the Narwhal: A Friend Like Me.” Ruolo said events are returning to Legacy Toys. “We started them back up around the holiday season 2021. We have an annual Teacher Night before the start of school, and arts and crafts nights. Some parents are totally comfortable with being back in the store; oth-

ers are not, he explained.

Besides creating a fun and engaging experience in the store, many toy retailers try to bring that same excitement to social media. “We’ve seen the most success on TikTok,” Ruolo said. “One of our store managers at our Mall of America store loves it, and has helped us with that. It’s helped build a lot of our brand for us. Everyone expects us to be like Amazon, but that’s not the reality. We’re trying to deal with expectations versus what we can actually do.” Saldanha pointed out, “Social media is the best way to tell the Kiddywampus story! We target different customers through a variety of social media channels and use videos, images, and live feeds to talk right to our customers about what’s important to them.” Greene said they use social media “to show the fun we’re having. We have an online store now, too, and use it to show the purpose of play.”

Beyond carrying merchandise not typically found in larger chain toy stores, creating a fun atmosphere is essential for giving customers a positive shopping experience. From demos to encourage hands-on play, to attentive staff, to upbeat music piped in the background, it all works together to keep customers coming back. Saldanha said as customers continue to watch their spending, buying from an independent retailer has many benefits: “Inflation is tricky to navigate as our customers are having to be more careful with their purchases. This is an area in which we as specialty toy retailers really shine – our experience is so much better than through other channels. From our educated staff to our curated collection of toys to the special services like giftwrapping – shopping with us has so many valueadded components!” ❖

A child playing with a toy at a Kiddywampus shop. The store has locations in Hopkins and Chanhassen, Minn.

Toys at Public Lands Partner Stores: Supply Chain Issues

By Genie Davis

Whether facing supply chain issues or offering items that are locally produced, public lands partner stores offer toys, books, and accessories for children as an integral part of their gift shops.

At the Shenandoah National Park Association, in Luray, Va., Executive Director Greta Miller said that the shop’s top-selling children’s toys range from board books to games to miniblocks. “The mini block sets come together to create a bear, a butterfly, a squirrel, and other animals like that. They’re for ages 7 and up and are extremely popular for us; they’re fun to play, inexpensive mini puzzles,” she said.

According to Miller, “The plush items we have had a lot of luck with over the years, especially with finger puppets, but since the pandemic, we’ve had a lot of difficulty getting them and keeping them in stock. They come from an overseas supplier, so it can be impossible to get them in.” The solution? “We just keep a nice variety of other items that kids can buy, like those mini blocks. We just have to accept that we may not be able to be fully stocked right now on some items,” she explained. “It’s the same thing with our plush animals. Right now, we are only selling the black bear. So, we simply try to wait until things become more available again by offering a great variety of toys. That way, if we are out of one thing, the kids can just buy something else.”

The store did bring in something new for this summer season, an item that did very well for the store. “We brought in a little backpack for kids to wear that has a plush bear on it. We did a minimum order because we had never done anything like that before,” she reported. “It went very quickly. We will look for a couple of different plush animal-style backpacks for next year.”

Miller noted that she also frequently looks for new forest animal board books for little children. “We do well with almost anything that has a black bear on it.”

The Shenandoah National Park Association has two locations, one in an historic building is approximately 500-square-feet; the main store is 1,000-square-feet in size.

Located in Sacramento, Calif., Chris

Rogowski ,

Rachael Burner, director of sales, Dickey Ridge Visitor Center in Shenandoah National Park, photographed with a mini-block display. According to the executive director, the shop’s topselling toys include everything from board books to games to the mini-blocks.

Games, Playthings and Plush

director of retail operations for Friends of Sutter’s Fort, agreed with Miller that the best way to handle products affected by supply chain delays is to “order other products to make up for that. I always have plenty of workarounds,” he said.

The fort has many visitors around 9 to 10 years of age who come to the site, fourth graders who are learning about California history, Rogowski related. Among the store’s top sellers for this age group are “finger tops which are an accurate replica of 19th century toys; little bottles holding gold flakes which are popular of course because of the Gold Rush era; plush stuffies such as cougars, ravens, and red foxes; musical instruments like children’s flutes and harmonicas; and even pencil sharpeners that are shaped like historic canons.

Continued on page 160

Rachael Burner, director of sales, Dickey Ridge Visitor Center in Shenandoah National Park, Luray, Va., photographed with plush. “The plush items we have had a lot of luck with over the years, especially with finger puppets, but since the pandemic, we’ve had a lot of difficulty getting them and keeping them in stock. They come from an overseas supplier, so it can be impossible to get them in,” the executive director said.

Games, Playthings and Plush

Toys at Public Lands (From page 159)

We also do well with comic books about the Gold Rush and the Oregon Trail, rabbit pelts, and locally made bean bag items created by a group called Cut Ups.”

He adds that the 1.000-square foot-store brought in several new items this year, including a “wider selection of stuffies such as a cougar and horse with little shirts that say ‘Sutter’s Fort’ as attire, and Roy Toy log cabin building toys which are U.S. made with natural wood.”

In Grants Pass, Ore. at the Friends of the Oregon Caves and Chateau, Executive Director Sue Densmore said that the organization is home to “the birth of the View Master. We sell them for $25 a piece, they now have new 3-D reels. We won an award for having the most fun, educational item.” Densmore described the images their View Master shows as depicting “the caves and the historic Chateau. You get three reels that come with the viewer; they’re both historical and have current images.”

This popular item is not affected by supply chain delays, she attested. “We produce them and manage them ourselves so it doesn’t fall into that category.”

While there was nothing new added by the organization this year as the View Master was created in 2015 for the 100th year anniversary of the caves and chateau, an updated reel is planned. “Everyone who purchases a

View Master and reel stays on our master list and will receive an update on when we do a new reel. We are planning to do so within the year,” Densmore said.

At the Robert Ferguson Observatory in Glen Ellen, Calif., Executive Director Stephanie Drammelaere explained that “We are a unique public observatory, not owned by the government or an educational facility. Anyone who is interested can volunteer with us and operate our telescopes – we are a great resource for kids and teens.” Children’s items in the observatory’s 100-square-foot gift shop reflect that inclusive learning mission.

“Although our retail store is very small, we do have kids’ items, they are all astronomy related. We have Tshirts of course, but in the ‘play’ category, the kids really love red flashlights due to the fact that bright light is prohibited here and in general for stargazing. So, a big seller for us is a small red flashlight. Kids love that,” she stressed. Drammelaere added that “Both as educational play and as clothing, we had some popular moon hats. They were super cute, a fleece hat with different phases of the moon on them. If you follow the instructions that come with the hat, and you turn a certain way, you can find out what the phases of the moon are at that given point in time. It was very popular, priced reasonably at $20. We are out of them at the moment.”

Showcase Product News Brief: Plush NB

The Petting Zoo Grows Its Sustainable, Eco-Friendly Plush Line

It’s raining cats and dogs at Maryland-based plush company The Petting Zoo. The company has rolled out another successful, new line of plush cats and dogs. Each features realistic detail and educational value while being constructed of high-quality fabrics and fill made completely out of recycled water bottles. Each plush piece includes recycled paper hang tags along with customer-centric value pricing. It’s obvious that retailers of all sizes are taking notice.

(For more information, or to have a look, call 1-888867-4059, visit www.pettingzooplush.com, email customercare@pettingzooplush.com or circle 59 on the reader service card.)

Additionally, she said, “We have a Planisphere which is great for kids, a star chart that shows them how to find certain constellations in the sky.”

As to supply chain issues, like Densmore, this has not really affected the observatory’s small shop. “We were closed for Covid for a while, and we weren’t selling at all during that period. Now that we are reopened, pretty much everything we have is made in the U.S. or made locally, and although we’ve run out of the moon hats, that’s really more a matter of reordering them.”

The observatory did bring in some new items for kids this year, but it was a one-time situation. “We had children’s books donated to us for the shop from a space museum that recently closed. Some of the books are even signed by the astronauts or book authors,” she said.

While supply chain issues are out there, public land stores are rolling with the situation, either stocking unique, locally made items, or by making sure

plentiful toy back-ups to replace the merchandise they may not be able to receive

❖

Showcase Product News Brief: Toys NB

A Time-Tested Toy that Is Always New

From a fun surprise in a Christmas stocking such as the Dinosaur Fun Pak pictured, to an under-the-tree gift like the Activity Set or Traveler, some lucky 4 year old will experience Wikki Stix for the first time this Christmas.

The product may be 32 years old, but the beauty of an evergreen is that it is always fresh and new, and provides the kind of fun and creativity that stands the test of time.

Evergreens are usually products that were developed long before kids began staring passively at screens.  So, this could be the season to bring back the hands-on fun of an evergreen, like Wikki Stix!

(For more information, visit www.wikkistix.com, call 800-869-4554 or circle 88 on the reader service card.)

Wikki Stix is still entertaining children with its premise of simple, imaginative, hands-on fun.