Museums and More

Editor’s Letter: Trend or Tenet?

Do customers care where their products are made?   This is the question that I posed to you, the readers, and I was overwhelmed with the response. There’s no way I could include everything from everybody, but the story in this issue is a collection of some of the more unique replies to the survey, with additional responses on our website.   However, I did spend many hours poring through your replies and came up with a few common themes I saw repeated over and over. The first is that although it seems obvious, most retailers would prefer to sell American-made products in their stores, but that price is often a bigger consideration for customers than where the item was made. In the end they’ll buy what they like and what they can afford.   The next overwhelming sentiment is that locally made goods specific…  » Read more

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Artist Spotlight: Andrea Rosenfeld

Fine art with a mission   Andrea Rosenfeld grew up making furniture for her Lego and Lincoln Log buildings out of paper and tape, knitting clothing for her Barbie dolls and drawing constantly on any surface she could find.    That creativity got her to where she is today — skilled in metal working, loom weaving, silk screening, lithography, photography, garment design, drawing, painting, ceramics, woodworking and jewelry design. Rosenfeld makes use of a combination of techniques and eco-friendly, natural materials while placing emphasis on texture, movement, negative space and playfulness as a main force in her creations.   “Design-wise, I tap into playfulness and juxtaposition of textures,” Rosenfeld said. “I grab a bit of feeling from a cool, smooth stone or silky fabric and contrast it with the sleekness of metal or the dryness of a lava rock.    “Just as in my painting…  » Read more

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The National Aquarium

Think outside of the pond   More than 1.4 million visitors pass through the National Aquarium’s doors in Baltimore every year, and along with finding more than 16,000 specimens from 660 species, visitors also will find four gift shops with merchandise carefully selected to inspire both young and old to enjoy and appreciate all that the world’s aquatic environments have to offer.   “The mission of the aquarium is ‘to inspire conservation of the world’s aquatic treasures,’” said Ivan Gautier, director of gift store operations. “We consider our gift stores a treasure within the aquarium and hope to extend the wonderful experience that the guest has or will have at the aquarium.”   There are four opportunities for guests to shop, as the aquarium offers The Aqua Shop, a 5,000-square-foot store located on Level 1 of Pier 3; the Shark Shop; the Dolphin Shop; and…  » Read more

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The Children’s Museum Store

The world’s largest children’s museum is award-winning, child approved   A visit to The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis — the world’s largest children’s museum at 500,000 square feet — isn’t complete without a trip to the museum’s award-winning specialty retail store, which stretches over 8,000 square feet with a variety of products geared towards learning and representative of the ever-changing museum exhibits.   But you don’t have to take my word for it, as The Children’s Museum Store has won the “Playthings Merchandising Achievement Award” for store design and USA Today ranked the museum shop as one of the “10 Great Places to Find Fine Gifts at a Museum.”   Three years ago they extended the store by about 1,000 square feet, which created a large entrance into their new Welcome Center and several new store windows for merchandising. Because the store is conveniently located…  » Read more

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Fun Facts

Blend education, play and retail to jump to the head of the class   It’s true that in this electronic age of computers and gaming, online retailers have a strong presence in the educational toy market. But specialty retailers still have the upper hand in that they’re able to demonstrate, explain features and allow consumers to feel, touch and experience the fun that can go along with learning in person and not online.   When they visit your destination, parents are looking for a souvenir that can prove both fun and functional. They’re more focused than ever on giving their children every opportunity to develop social and cognitive skills, and despite tough economic times, many parents won’t bat an eye at spending more money to help give them an edge.   Retailers who turn the store into a place to come for fun with toys…  » Read more

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Lucrative Locality

Does American-made make sense?   By Abby Heugel Managing Editor   In a perfect world, every product that a retailer needed would be available from local vendors at an affordable price and customers would flock to stores to support your destination — and the U.S.-economy. Unfortunately, that’s not often the case, but with the increased demand for American-made products it’s becoming more of a reality for retailers.   So does focusing on American-made make sense for retailers? When asked via email survey, you provided some thoughtful replies about what works, what doesn’t and what you hope to see in the future — and on store shelves.     Betsy Ratzsch            Betsy Ratzsch Pottery            Ada, Mich.            We sell only American-made work and have had since 1993 when we opened. One key for me is that I have to be here in the shop so that when…  » Read more

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The Front Door Gift Shop

Where all the senses engage for retail success   Not many people can resist the smell of freshly baked cookies and coffee, which is precisely why employees at The Front Door Gift Shop at Delnor Hospital in Geneva, Ill., use those aromas to create an atmosphere in their store where employees, patients and visitors can come to relax.   With a coffee shop featuring Starbucks coffee and specialty drinks located within the store, it’s easy for the smells of coffee and cookies baked on site to waft down the hallway and draw customers in to peruse the shelves.   “We use sights, sounds and smells to create a warm, inviting atmosphere by playing piano CDs and incorporating small fountains and silk flowers within displays,” said Pat Chlebowski, operating manager. “To welcome our guests, we have a flower cart with floating balloons located just outside our…  » Read more

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The Perks and Challenges of Interns

Most museum stores, gift shops and retailers in general will eventually face the question: Do we need an intern?   That question typically leads them to their next, which is whether they even want an intern. Hiring, managing and ultimately teaching an intern is something that takes dedication in time, energy and often dollars. Of course, there are ways around paying interns that are ethical and in accordance to your state laws, but for the most part, dollars will be spent as a direct result of having an intern.   When deciding if an intern is right for your store, there are a few things to consider. The first is why you believe you even need — or want — one. Some possibilities include:   There are responsibilities that are currently not being accomplished that would help your store. There are tasks that need a…  » Read more

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