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An exterior view of Gator Beach and Sport in
Daytona Beach, Fla. Gator merchandise is the store’s
most popular draw, as shoppers love the University of
Florida mascot and are extremely loyal to the school.
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esort and beach
shops are more
than a convenient
stop-off point for
beach and resort necessities.
These shops remind
visitors why they came to
the resort or beach in the
first place. Retail managers
stock their stores with practical
and luxury items that
reflect not only the vacation
atmosphere but also
the natural beauty and
local ambience that surround
the resort and beach
areas as well.
At Ballantyne Resort in
Charlotte, N.C., pampering
and relaxation is the
number one priority and
the gift shop reflects that
fact. Director of Retail
Judie Kellett believes that
a core line of products is
essential to any store, but
those products must be
complemented by new
items that add freshness to the mix.
“Our shop is designed with different vignettes
that mirror the ‘shop within a shop’ concept,”
Kellett said in an e-mail interview. “The majority
of our clientele is women ages 30-60, so we try to
create an environment that will provide them
with accessories for themselves as well as a gift to
take home to family and friends.”
The 320-square-foot store contains a large accessory
area that holds jewelry, handbags, gifts,
belts, sunglasses, and small leather products.
Brighton is the number one vendor carried in the
store. New to the shop is Vera Bradley merchandise,
displayed next to the Brighton line. The
store also carries Mary Francis handbags and CK
Design Jewelry.
Displayed next to the accessory items are bath
and body products that include merchandise from
Lady Primrose, Rance from Paris, and Gilchrist
and Soames of London.
Many guests request
Gilchrist and Soames products
to take home, as all
guests get items from the line
in their rooms.
Kellett also plans to
expand the resort logo as
well. Next season, she is
adding more signature items
to the shop. Displayed
throughout the hotel and the
store are artwork and logo
items depicting well-know
Charlotte landmarks by local
artist Tom Vieth. Featured in
the gift shop’s last vignette is
the work of another local
artist, Jim Shore. Known
nationally for his intricate
folk art-inspired designs and
warm country colors, Jim
Shore’s work depicts the natural
wonder of North
Carolina, and guests buy this
work as a memory of the
beauty of the resort and its
surrounding area.
A little further south in
Daytona Beach, Fla., is Gator
Beach and Sport. Located on
the main tourist stretch,
Gator Beach and Sport dedicates
25 percent of its 3,000-
square-foot store to University of Florida merchandise, especially
goods featuring the mascot
Albert the Gator.
“Gator stuff is our most
popular and asked for merchandise.
People love the
mascot and the loyalty to
the school and its mascot is
unbelievable,” said Paul
Politis, the store’s owner
since 1982. “We sell everything
from soup to nuts
when it comes to the
University of Florida. We
have apparel, hats, tattoos,
pet items, shoestrings, everything.”
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Pictured is Judie Kellett, director of retail for
Ballantyne Resort in Charlotte, N.C. She said a core
line of products complemented by new merchandise
keeps the shop fresh.
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The Gator Den display is the focal point of the
store and all other merchandise surrounds it. As a
beach shop in the heart of Daytona Beach, Politis
acknowledges that 80 percent
of all customers are
tourists, so along with Gator
merchandise, he carries
items that people may need
for the beach, from suntan
lotion to sunglasses to surfing
items. Politis displays his
most popular items, such as
hooded sweatshirts, in the
front of the store on several
display tables.
“Being here so many years,
I know what customers want
during the different seasons, so I make sure they can find what they want easily. As a storeowner
in a tourist area, it is important
to keep your store clean, bright, and
inviting all year long. We get so many
repeat visitors throughout the years,
so we want the store to always look
like it has something new as well.”
At Jekyll Island Beachwear in
Jekyll Island, Ga., Manager Nick
Stewart sees a great deal of
tourists, but many of these tourists
are families who come back year
after year. Because the clientele are
repeat customers, Jekyll Island
Beachwear tries to have new merchandise
in addition to their traditional
favorites each season of the
year.
“We actually rearrange our merchandise
and we remodel the store
every two years just to keep us inviting and fresh
for our customers. This is such a multi-generational
resort area and we see our customers literally
growing up. They know us and we know
them. So, it’s important that our store does not
get stale.”
According to Stewart, the most popular merchandise
in the store is still T-shirts, swimwear,
and any merchandise that says Jekyll Island, Ga.
The type of apparel does not really change too
much from season to season although new
designs and manufacturers will.
Sweatshirts are always popular no
matter if the weather is warm or
cool.
Stewart does display his clothes
according to color. He coordinates
outfits for his customers so they
can see what shorts look best with
what T-shirt or sweatshirt.
“Sometimes I get my best ideas
from customers. They come in and
put together an entire outfit from
shirt to shoes and I think that was
a great idea, so we create a display
around it.”
Most sought after at the Indian
Head Resort in Lincoln, N.H., is
merchandise with a local theme.
Surrounded by the majestic White
Mountains, Indian Head attracts
visitors all year round. When they
come into the resort’s gift shop, they want to buy
merchandise that reminds them of this magical
place.
“Our most popular merchandise are our Native
American pieces such as dream catchers and bows
and arrows, plus we see a fair share of maple syrup
and locally made candy,” said Gloria Spanos, manager
of Indian Head Gift Shop. “We sell a lot of Tshirts
and other apparel that has the name of the
resort on it or just ‘New Hampshire.’ ”
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Gloria Spanos, gift store manager
for the Indian Head Resort in
Lincoln, N.H., photographed in
front of displays. Sought after at
the shop is merchandise with a
local theme.
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Since the Native American merchandise is so
popular and such a big theme of the resort,
Spanos displays it throughout the entire store. She
hangs dream catchers and other items from the
ceiling’s turquoise-painted wooden beams. A very
large picture window in the front of the store also
displays the dream catchers, and shelving units in
the window show off Native American vases.
“We put all our apparel on the side of the
store, so people can find it easily in one place. We
mix up our displays quite a bit, especially as the
seasons change. We want the store to always look
different and inviting.”
Other popular items are plush toys and
Webkinz®, which Spanos places in the very front
of the store within quick sight of families and children
entering the shop.
“We want our shop to
enhance the experience that
people have when they come
to Indian Head. Although we
are open all year, it is our
summer and autumn seasons
that are most popular. People
fall in love with this part of
the country, and we want to
offer them merchandise that
will let them relive that feeling
again and again.”
In Ellison Bay, Wis., visitors
flock to stay at the The
Wagon Trail Resort that lies
on the shores of Lake
Michigan. The family-oriented
resort is at its busiest
between May and October.
“We get mostly families
and elder hostels,” said
Carol Sandstrom, gift shop
manager at The Wagon Trail
for more than 12 years.
“Elder Hostels are run
through the University of
Wisconsin, but the senior
citizens come here to stay
and take classes such as
woodworking or bird watching.
There are a lot of programs,
and they spend a
week or so with us. We are in
Door County and it is
known as Cherry Land – we
have lots of cherry trees and a beautiful view of the lake and limestone cliffs.
Door County is also the county with the longest
shoreline in the U.S. It’s a great place to stay and
see nature at its best.”
With a diverse customer base, Sandstrom sells
merchandise that reaches all ages. Sweatshirts
with the resort name or “Door County” on them
are her biggest sellers. She also stocks cookbooks
that have a Door County connection.
“Our customers love to find things that are
made here. We do about $80,000 a year in gross
revenue and much of that is on products that tell
the story of what Door County is all about.”
Sandstrom changes her displays often. “We
get a lot of the same visitors each year, some several
times a year, so the shop has to look inviting
and new every time they come. I enjoy displaying
items differently and creatively and
often a new display will spark new interest in a
product that may not have done quite as well. A
new look gives customers a new reason to check
it out.”
Anything with the theme “ocean” is in vogue at
the Clarion Resort Fontainebleau Hotel in Ocean
City, Md. Gift Shop Supervisor Bridget Cazey
sells everything that makes a seashore vacation for
the family fun and exciting.
“We sell boogie boards, pails, shovels, beach
towels, sunglasses, travel games, candy, sweatshirts,
fake tattoos, and anything that one needs
or wants at the beach,” she said.
Another customer base that Cazey must serve is
the business client who comes in the off-season
between October and February for conventions.
“During these months, we do sell a lot of sweatshirts
and apparel that have our name on them as
well as ‘Ocean City, Maryland.’ Because the summer
is so family-oriented and the winter months
are business, I have to create displays that target
each audience.”
Sandstrom rearranges merchandise throughout
the store so that it hits the customer she needs to
serve.
“In the spring and summer months, I put all
the family beach items in front view along with
the beach apparel. In the winter months, the
focal points are items that my business convention
customers may want. I also switch things
around during the holiday seasons as well. A gift
shop has to always be new. It doesn’t matter if
you have a lot of the same type merchandise, the
displays and the store have to welcome people
in,” Sandstrom said. “You keep your eye out for
new and fun merchandise, and you weave it in to
core products. This keeps your repeat customers
happy and anxious to come back and see what
you have.”
Resort and beach shops must rely on the creativity
and knowledge of managers. These stores
not only provide fun souvenirs to take home, but
they are an educational tool as well. They teach
the tourists and guests about the geography and
history that surround the resort or shop. They are
a prime reason why people want to come back
every year.
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