Mar 20, 2008

Shops keep memories of shows alive long after lights dimBy Corey LevitanLVRJ.com

Elizabeth Thelen, a mother of two from Oconomowoc, Wis., already has passed the Manilow Store at the Las Vegas Hilton a dozen times during her vacation. But it always was with her husband, who does not use the word “fanilow” when describing himself.

Seizing some rare alone time, Thelen enters the store and begins hunting for a present for her mother. She beelines, past the Barry Manilow chocolate turtles and Manilow Merlot, straight for a lighted display case.

“This is 14-karat white gold with half a carat diamond,” says store supervisor Bernice Aguirre, who explains that the glittering necklace is an exact replica of one Manilow wore in the ’70s.

Thelen is grateful that her mom is baby-sitting her two boys while she’s away, but not $950 grateful.

“What else do you have?” she asks.

The Manilow Store is one of 16 stand-alone retail outlets on the Strip devoted entirely to entertainment attractions (17 if you count the “Jersey Boys” store, which will open sometime before the show at the Palazzo on April 4).

It seems that no entertainment brand worth its salt and pepper shakers doesn’t have one.

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