Mar 23, 2011

Idaho state parks officials focusing on local retail goodsBy DeseretNews.com

Boise, ID — The Department of Parks and Recreation is trying to find more ways for visitors to take home a piece of Idaho at park gift shops filled with sweets, soaps and other goods made in the state instead of trinkets and candies from elsewhere.

Agency leaders approached the organization Buy Idaho four months ago with a plan to replace imported items at parks that have retail outlets with goods made in Idaho cities and towns.

Some of the park shops already stock popular Idaho goods, like jams and sauces made with north Idaho huckleberries or potato gimmicks. But agency spokeswoman Jennifer Blazek says parks are a perfect spot to promote Idaho goods and products.

“We have an opportunity here to showcase quality Idaho products, and we thought (retail shops in parks) would be the perfect venue to do that,” Blazek told the Idaho Statesman.

Idaho’s 18 parks report between 2.3 million and 2.7 million visits annually, with about 33 percent of those visits from nonresident tourists. With operations budgets topping $13 million, the parks also carry more buying power for entrepreneurs than smaller retail shops and boutiques.

The project could mean more revenue for small Idaho companies like Idaho Candy Co. in Boise. President Dave Wagers, who is also board president of Buy Idaho, said it’s a good strategy to keep money in the state rather than exporting dollars elsewhere.

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