|
|
ports fans will always reach for their wallets in the souvenir store amid the enthusiasm of visiting a stadium to cheer on their favorite team. They are looking for logo merchandise such as apparel, caps and trinkets, for both adults and kids, and will reward retailers who buy smartly and keep their stores stocked and interesting. This issue we offer a story on Aramark, the Philadelphia, Pa.-based company that manages retail for such locations as Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, where sales were jumping this fall because of the National League Champion Philadelphia Phillies, and Citi Field, the new home of the New York Mets, and a total of 20 stadiums and arenas throughout the country. Additionally, in our Minor League Baseball section, we offer an article covering retailers’ strategies on making the most of the trade show portion of the Minor League Baseball Winter Conference.
Children’s jewelry, and the custom plush toys kids love, are staples at zoo and aquarium shops. We cover both in our Zoo & Aquarium section. Sea creature-themed souvenirs are also popular at beach stores, and our story examines how the special feelings generated for vacationers can spell selling success for these unique shops.
In our Independent College Bookstores Association section, we profile how school-licensed merchandise sells well and creates excitement about and loyalty to a school’s bookstore.
SGN has been covering the phenomenon of environmentally conscious merchandise for years, and the category has evolved to the point where all types of shops carry green goods. Museum stores are no exception, and we offer a story on how the products are fitting into the mix at these specialty shops. Similarly, stores operating from the nation’s public lands sell gifts with an educational mission, and we look at how apparel fits into the core values of APPL-member shops.
Stationery may be a challenging category because of e-mail and text messaging, but greeting cards still hold a strong appeal, especially at hospital gift shops, our story found. And in our Party Stores section, we offer tips on successfully merchandising St. Patrick’s Day and Easter.
This is our Winter 2009 Profiles in Excellence edition. Twice a year, we bring you stories about a selection of the top vendors in the industry, companies that also advertise in SGN, and that provide the high quality products and excellent customer service retailers prize.
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
“My success just evolved from working hard at the business at hand each day.”
- Johnny Carson
|
SGN Newsletter
