Companies driven by serving customers create a retail culture that shoppers enjoy being part of and tell their friends about. They respect their clientele by offering them clean, wellorganized and thoughtfully stocked shops. In this issue, we present instructive stories that can help you reach your business goals as you put your loyal shoppers firs

Shopping for and purchasing affordable gifts and souvenirs, whether on a day trip or on a longer vacation, remains a favorite pastime for travelers. Our cover story profiles Branson, Mo.’s Silver Dollar City, where shoppers can buy handcrafted and unique merchandise in a highly entertaining setting.

At the same time, attractions cannot take for granted the public’s habit of picking up a remembrance of their day at the gift store. You can read about strategies for surviving and thriving in the current economy at aquarium stores, and about jewelry sales trends at zoo shops, in the Zoo & Aquarium section.

Trade shows remain a strong option for retailers looking to make personal connections with companies and to discover new merchandise. In addition to our regular readership, this issue will enjoy bonus distribution at trade shows in California, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Orlando and Los Angeles, and we hope you will be traveling to one or more of these events.

Additionally, the issue contains an exclusive section devoted to The Smoky Mountain Gift Show, Inc.®, scheduled for Nov. 14-17, 2009 in Gatlinburg, Tenn. This is part one of our Smoky Mountain coverage, and contains stories about the history of the epically beautiful Smoky Mountains National Park, souvenirs at seaside shops and T-shirts for sale at science museums. Part two of the section will appear in our August/September issue.

We also cover the outlook for Christmas at hospital gift stores, pet gifts and apparel, green merchandise and the back-to-school rush at college bookstores, plush sales at children’s museums, flag and banner sales trends at party stores, the educational role shop staff play at APPL stores, souvenir trends at campgrounds, the retail artistry of Six Flags shops, marketing strategies and the gift-selling outlook for caves and caverns around the country.

We hope you enjoy the issue. Please e-mail us at the address below with your comments, questions and suggestions.

Scott C. Borowsky
President and Executive Editor
SOUVENIRS, GIFTS AND NOVELTIES MAGAZINE
EDITORSGNMAG@KANEC.COM

“In business you get what you want by giving other people what they want.”
— Alice MacDougall