Feb 23, 2008

Hall of Fame unveils renovated shopBy Wendy LeeTennessean.com

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum officially unveils its renovated souvenir shop today, offering an additional 500 square feet of redesigned retail space, in-store performances and aspirations of becoming Nashville’s newest “destination” record store.

Perhaps more important than the fanfare surrounding the reopening itself is a revamped business model that seeks to draw visitors — and locals — as a way to help sustain the nonprofit institution.

“The real issue for museums, in this day and age, is how do they sustain themselves,” said Hall of Fame and Museum Director Kyle Young. “This is an extension of the museum experience.”

The renovation follows a steady trend nationwide among museums to carry a wider selection of items that enhance what visitors see in exhibits, said Beverly Barsook, executive director of the Denver-based Museum Store Association.

Museum stores, which in the past carried a few items such as guidebooks and postcards, have become an important source of funding for museum programs. “Admissions can’t carry the entire burden,” Barsook said.

The County Music Hall of Fame and Museum store plays a vital role in generating revenue for the museum, third to ticket sales. Store sales represented about $2.5 million of the museum’s annual $12 million budget last year, or about 21 percent, Young said. Ticket sales were about $4.4 million, he added. In addition, the museum receives revenue from its third-party rentals and catering, philanthropy, Hatch Show Print and other items, along with some CD royalties.

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