Gift Shop Plus Winter 2023

All My Favorites By Julie McCallum

I know I’ve said this before, but this time I really mean it… This is my favorite issue to date! Why? It’s full of super cool people. In these pages, you will meet amazing artists, makers, retailers and entrepreneurs who are adding their distinctive and unique mark on the gift and stationery industry — and we are all better off because of it.

Shoppe Object is introducing us to six makers who jump-started their businesses with the Black Lives Matter ActionInitiative. The program is fostering a better, more representative home and gift market by subsidizing the cost of exhibition space at Shoppe Object. Read more about these talented independent Black designers and makers along with four other diverse entrepreneurs we admire.

It’s not often that we get to learn firsthand why customers love a particular store, but it was heartwarming to hear how Keewa Nurullah’s Kido store in Chicago has impacted a mother and her child. Click here to see why Erin Walker and her daughter Sadie are big fans of this inclusive kids boutique.

Don’t miss the graphic designer who has taken negative reviews of national parks and turned them into humorous offerings that provide a laugh AND promote the beauty of the National Park Service. Go behind the scenes to be entertained and inspired.

On the product front, we’ve got the latest trends in baby and plush and new introductions that were seen in person at the winter shows and on digital platforms. As I write this, holiday 2022 is in full swing, but many retailers are already planning for next Christmas. See what they can look forward to.

Our friends at nora fleming share with us how they use modern technology to streamline the creative process. We catch up with Janice Dayon Christensen, president, and founder Nora Napientek in Meet the Maker.

Lastly, I’m happy to introduce readers to a new member of our editorial team, Carly McFadden, who is serving as managing editor for both Gift Shop® Plus and Stationery Trends. You’ll see her bright, fresh perspective throughout these pages, and she was excited to meet the gift industry at markets. Our entire team was thrilled to see people in person at the shows this winter!