A Glimmer of Hope

The Store as Refuge Despite a slow start to the year, retailer April McCrumb is happy that sales at her gift shops, Catching Fireflies, seem to be picking up again. Catching Fireflies has two locations... more »

A License to Profit

Licensed Products: Everything and Anything Imagine walking into a store and everything was white. That's what the world would be like without licensed products, says Ketra Oberlander, founder of Art of Possibility Studios in Santa... more »

Luxury for Less: Holiday Gifts Under $20 Retail

The Price is Right What's happening at Annie's is probably happening in your store as well. It used to be that customers would walk into the gift store in Traverse City, MI, and request that... more »

Fab Finds Spring 2009

  Hospital Room Crafts Colorful craft kids to decorate I.V. poles and kids' hospital rooms bring cheer to little patients. Consider for hospital gift shops. I.V. pole decorating kits include Crazy Animals, Silly Faces and... more »

Holiday Gourmet: The Season Never Tasted So Good!

Affordable Luxuries In this economy, it all comes down to this simple message: customers are looking for simple, affordable luxuries. For retailers like you, read small treats at low price points. Ron Tanner believes that... more »

Pink or Blue? Greening Baby Sales

Growing Green Just a few years ago in 2001, retailer Gerry Lewarne had limited success selling glass baby bottles. A few years later, the chemical BPA (Bispenhol-A), made news headlines as a potential carcinogen. Plastic... more »

Working Wedding Wonders

Value Proposition You knew it was only a matter of time: The popular monogramming trend has been making inroads into wedding accessories as well. Carolyn Siderys will attest to this. At Marilyn's Keepsakes, the Indianapolis... more »

Green Marketing

Sonya Hart, co-owner of River Forest, IL-based Two Fish Art Glass, has been practicing an eco-friendly lifestyle all her life. She has also been slowly convincing her partner to make changes within their lighting showroom,... more »

Trending Up Spring 2009

Anna Griffin Inc. These limited-edition lunch totes cash in on current customers' trend of eating in. Made of 100% laminated cotton, they are available in seven patterns. Dimension: 7 1/4" x 12 1/4" x 4 3/4".  888.817.8170AnnaGriffin.com Traffic... more »

Monogram Mania

Southern Comfort Retailer Julie Butler still treasures her baby blanket. Her mother, Charla Schlabs, monogrammed it for her many years ago with a traditional sewing machine. As co-owner of the store Texas Threads in Hereford,... more »