Q: What makes your store unique?

A: The Brooklyn Museum Shop offers unique gifts that are inspired by and reflect one of the world's finest and most extensive art collections. As one of the first museum shops to offer 3-D objects for sale to their visitors, our shop has always offered a wide range of cultural objects from world cultures as well as contemporary gift items.

We are now offering a broad assortment of gift items from Brooklyn designers, artisans and manufacturers. It is exciting to be able to feature our local community's creative artisans. In addition, we are able to offer many exclusive items that are inspired by or represent the museum's art collections.

Q: What is your retail background?

A: I've worked for more than 25 years as a museum retailer. I've worked at the Brooklyn Museum since 1994 and previously worked at the New York Botanical Garden and South Street Seaport Museum.

Q: What is the most popular product you sell?

A: Products that have Brooklyn graphics, a Brooklyn connection or Brooklyn "story." Books and jewelry are our strongest revenue generating categories.

Q: What is your favorite part about working in this industry?

A: Working as a museum retail professional has given me an ongoing opportunity to constantly gain fresh and exciting knowledge on a wide range of art, history and social commentary. You are always learning new information with each new exhibition and become vested in daily exposure to what's best and what's hot in our cultural communities.

Q: What advice do you have for other retailers?

A: As a museum retailer, it is extremely important that you get to know your collections and exhibitions. Take advantage of resources that offer an enormous depth of information to improve your skills and be better merchants for your organizations, as well as great networking opportunities for enhancing your knowledge.