Museums and More

Clothes Call

Vacations are all about comfort, fun and little indulgences. As a retailer, that’s something you can provide to every person who walks into your store, whether they buy a logo-embossed T-shirt, a simple engraved ring or a much-needed sun hat for the beach. Some customers are looking for something to replace what they forgot to pack; others are looking for something to commemorate the experience. Some want style and flair; others want eco-friendly and fair trade. While the products that sell best in any store will be based on the style of the shop itself, we asked several retailers and vendors to share their experiences. Have you noticed any trends in resort wear and accessories? Sherrie Santos Caribbean Colors & Nostalgia Clothing in general has gone much more casual. In the past, we specialized in fall dresses that could be casual or formal depending on the occasion. Now…  » Read more

---

Bigger Isn’t Always Better

---

Natural Beauty Spurs Natural Sales

If the second and third longest caves in the world were combined, they would still not be as long as Mammoth Cave. At more than 365 miles long, it is the largest known cave in the world. Geologists estimate that the oldest part of Mammoth Cave began forming about 10 million years ago. It is one of the oldest tourist attractions in North America, with tours of the caves having been offered since 1816. With this much history surrounding Mammoth Cave, the gift shops of the park have the unique opportunity to offer a wide range of products to the park’s visitors so that they can take home a part of the history they explored. Mammoth Cave Hotel Two gift shops are operated in the lobby of the Mammoth Cave Hotel: Kentucky Home and The Cave Company. Kentucky Home focuses on selling interpretive gifts and Kentucky…  » Read more

---

Sky High Sales

Four million visitors a year flock to the 86th floor of the Empire State Building to gaze out across the New York City skyline. Filled with the awe-inspiring feeling they experience as they move about the Observatory Deck, guests want to be able to take a piece of it with them. That’s where Empire: The Store comes in. The building’s gift shop moved from its previous location on the Observatory Deck of the 86th floor, which had been in operation since 1991, to its very own space on the 80th floor. “The old store floated on the Observatory Deck,” Senior Vice President of Retail for HMSHost Joan Ryzner said. “Now we have a proper store with 3,000 square feet of selling space to better serve the approximately four million visitors that come to the Observation Deck each year.” The construction of the new store is part of…  » Read more

---