Gift Shop Plus Summer 2021

Splendid Displays By Julie McCallum and Debbie Eisele

Artful displays from our featured retailers prove to be a great source of inspiration to Gift Shop Plus readers. We’ve rounded up some of our favorites from the last year to share with you.

USE OF THE UNEXPECTED

Using the unexpected item to enhance or create a display captures shoppers’ attention.

Adventures in Paradise Outfitters, located in Sanibel Island and St. Petersburg, Florida, creates a warm, friendly environment with family heirlooms that tell a story, like this wooden canoe.

FEATURE CUSTOM

If stores are in a region that tourists are known to visit, retailers can help sales by creating displays that feature customized merchandise.

Cross merchandising is a key to display success atGift Shop in Birmingham, Alabama. Multilevel tables and large baskets on the floor make it easy to mix in home décor with apparel and fashion accessories. Vases and vessels serve double duty as props and are also for sale – an especially popular item in a hospital gift shop.

SEASONAL OFFERINGS

Each season offers an opportunity to sell products, across categories. Group themed items together in a cohesive way to show customers how they can create the look and feel in their own homes.

Big Cedar Lodge in Springfield, Missouri is surrounded by the natural beauty of the Ozark Mountains. The product mix in The Shoppe reflects the rustic luxury of the resort as seen in this well-layered display of home décor that makes a cohesive visual statement.

THEMED MERCHANDISE

By creating themed displays, you create selling opportunities offering the same motif in several different categories. Accessories that complement the theme can be interspersed throughout the display for added interest.

Just Picked Gifts, a retailer located in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, creates displays that pull double duty! This one features locally made items as well as themed offerings.

COMMEMORATIVE PRODUCTS

Highlight special anniversaries with customized product offerings.

Mohonk Mountain House, located in New York, is a resort that celebrated 150 years by offering a puzzle and other products featuring the anniversary in its retail stores.

SIGNAGE & LIGHTING

Natural light and signage all play a prominent role in highlighting merchandise.

The Gift Pavilion on Liberty Island in New York features approximately 6,000 square feet and features bright colored displays and plenty of natural lighting. All of the signage is designed in-house to communicate sales and promotions to the customers quickly and effectively.

GO BOLD

Kick up the holiday season with a glimpse of whimsy along with the traditional array of items.

The Glitterville Studio in Knoxville, Tennessee features a fantastical and fun array of whimsical home and holiday décor. Owner Stephen Brown has a passion for creating holiday magic and the flagship store of his Glitterville brand is the perfect place to showcase his sparkle!

Stanford Health Care Gift Shop in Palo Alto, California, created this large Gnome display and also other artistic ones during the holidays that are located in the store and its windows. The store utilized its large windows during the pandemic to allow guests to see inside the store, despite it being closed to in-person shopping. The feature image at the top of the article shows the beauty of the shops’ window displays, even in the dark.

INCLUDE THE MEN

Remember, not all merchandise is for the ladies! Attract men, and women shopping for them, by creating a masculine look.

Layers of earthy color and texture contribute to the masculine aesthetic of Utility Goods in San Francisco. Simple wall fixtures create the perfect backdrop for socially-conscious products and appeal to the style savvy male clientele.

OFFER GIFT SOLUTIONS

Create a curated mix that can offer shoppers a solution for a specific person on their shopping list, such as a plant lover or gardener.

The Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden grouped several complementary items together to create a gifting solution for customers who have a gardener on their shopping list. Other displays in the store also reflect themed displays with a mix of merchandise to help cross-sell.

WHITE BACKGROUND

For instant intrigue, use white in small space retail to help brighten up the look and for displays that hold bold colors — white will make those hues pop!

YAY!, a tiny gift boutique located in Orlando, Florida makes a bold, bright statement with all its displays that highlight product filled with colorful pops of color. The white color on the walls helps not only brighten the small retail space, but also helps show-off the creative and colorful vibes the merchandise offers.