Retailer Features

All in the Family

Capers can be the flavorful, immature flower buds used to enhance soups, sauces and salads; or misadventures like those of Lucy and Ethel. There are two completely different meanings for the same word. In much... more »

Best Sellers in Chicago, Illinois

Endo-Exo Apothecary Owner Stephanie Salerno-Walls describes her shop as a beauty boutique, a description that seems more than appropriate. The diverse product selection at this eclectic shop includes luxury lines such as makeup from Japan,... more »

What does exceptional customer service mean in your gift shop?

Cinda Baxter owner of Details, Ink.Minneapolis, MN612.927.4842DetailSink.comCinda Baxter owner of Details, Ink. "I feel the key to exceptional customer service is being sure it extends beyond the store and out into the world. With a... more »

Gifts Ahoy!

"My store is not a 'big box,'" says Sylvia Killion, owner of Sylvia's By The Sea in Scituate Harbor, MA, stating the obvious to anyone who has walked through her gift shop's front door. In... more »

Before and After: Making the Right Move

Last summer, Caroline Warner, owner of The Welch Company, a gift shop with a long family tradition, made an executive decision. Instead of renovating her store, she decided to start fresh in a new location.... more »

Personal Profits

Personalizing Pays Consumers' tastes might change from minute to minute, but one thing remains constant year after year, according to Karen Sotomura, president and founder of Joseph K. & Company, a gifts manufacturer and wholesaler... more »

Best Sellers in Savannah, Georgia

Charlotte's Corner Because Savannah hosts the largest St. Patrick's Day celebration outside of New York City, this fun and whimsical shop carries upscale St. Patrick's Day merchandise year-round and has become the go-to store for... more »

Best Sellers in New York City/Long Island, New York

Apartment 48 A few steps down from street level, and named for its address, this gift shop's eclectic collection of home accessories and gift items are displayed in little rooms set up like the rooms... more »

Light Up Your Bottom Line

At Romanza Gifts, candles not only bring in the sales, they are also a big part of Romanza's personality, according to store owners John Sterlin and Vince Harris. "Many customers walk in the front door... more »

Wait a Minute, Mr. Postman

A Growing Trend "In the age of the Internet and email, the art of writing has become so much more important," says Daniel Mejak, operations manager of Parkleigh in Rochester, NY, a gift shop specializing... more »