Archives: News
Pish Posh Expanding to Downtown
Midland, MI – Owner Lyndsey Bennett had her eye on a downtown Midland location for Pish Posh Baby Boutique. So, when space opened up, she jumped at the opportunity to move into a larger location at 133 E. Main St., space formerly occupied by Losey’s Jewelry.
“I always wanted to be downtown, but the opportunity wasn’t there,” said Bennett. “It’s a great location and I like all the fun events happening downtown.”
Open since September 2011 in the Circle Plaza, the business carries apparel, furniture, toys and gifts for babies.
Artisan Resource Moves ad Expands for Summer 2013 Market
Building on positive reception from U.S.-based volume importers, direct import retailers and wholesalers, Artisan Resource™, a production-sourcing venue for overseas artisan enterprises, will relocate into larger exhibit space at New York City’s Passenger Ship Terminal Pier 94 for its third semi-annual edition, August 18-20, 2013. Show hours for the three-day tradeshow also have changed, and the August 2013 edition will open daily at 10:00AM.
An-tartan-tic: Scottish Goods “Most Popular” in South Pole Gift Shop
Port Lockroy, Antarctic – TARTAN has emerged as the most popular souvenir among international visitors to the world’s most remote gift shop.
Around one in ten visitors to Port Lockroy, on the Antarctic Peninsula, buys a Scottish-themed product, beating fridge magnets, T-shirts and bone china mugs to the top spot.
The world’s most southerly shop welcomes around 15,000 cruise ship passengers every year and sells souvenirs from cuddly toys, badges, books and crockery.
Dandelions: Lisa Pritchett’s Funky Shop is Blooming
Muncie, IN – As a successful businesswoman, Lisa Pritchett has been cultivating Dandelions for years now.
That’s the gift and flower shop, by the way, not the weed.
Having earlier bought the longtime florist business run by her parents, Gordon and Malvia Miller, she moved it downtown to Walnut Street from The Village eight years ago, feeling that its original location was no longer a good draw for her clientele.
“I just knew that the downtown was going through a revitalization,” Pritchett said. “We’re really happy to be down here.”
Monograms ‘n More Brings Personalized Gifts to Alabaster
Alabaster, AL – In the 1980s, while attending UAB seeking a business degree, it never entered Janice Fuqua’s mind to think what the year 2013 would bring to her.
After 31 years of marriage to Mike Young of Chelsea, she had attained her own successful monogramming business, had two daughters, Nikki and Pauli, and two grandchildren, Caleb and Lilli.
Janice had moved her business from her home to the Alabaster business area with husband Mike, who was always her “cheerleader.” In fact, he purchased her first monogram machine without her knowledge.
Fine Artist LuAnn Roberto Adds Fresh Organic Approach to Traditional Printmaking Technique
LuAnn Roberto a visionary artist who melds her graphic design skills with monoprinting, a form of fine art printmaking, today announced that she will debut her art licensing portfolio at Surtex in NYC, May 19-21, 2013. LuAnn is one of five founding members of Art Licensing LA (ALLA), a new collaborative agency, and will exhibit with ALLA in booths #734 & 736. LuAnn will showcase ten new collections including a beautiful series of fresh vegetables, a fun menagerie of various animals and a refreshing group of beach lifestyle images.
Surface & Pattern Artist Sara Berrenson Debuts at Surtex 2013
Artist Sara Berrenson is expanding her work in surface and pattern design and will debut her art licensing portfolio at Surtex 2013 in NYC. Sara is a designer, flea market aficionado and full time fabric collector with a passion for patterns. She has a love of bright colors and anything and everything floral. Drawing inspiration from nature, interior design, and fashion, Sara’s unique style is contemporary, colorful, and fresh.
Vermont Soap Introduces Unscented Version of Award-Winning GREEN GOLD
Vermont Soap is excited to offer a new, unscented version of GREEN GOLD, the award-winning, certified organic herbal moisturizer it successfully launched last September. GREEN GOLD is an age defying beauty treatment for face, hands, neck and all sun damaged skin. This unique, non-toxic and anti-aging moisturizer is safe for the most sensitive skin.
Gift For Life Leadership Changes, Board Additions Announced
Gift For Life, the gift, stationery and home decor industries’ leading charitable organization, announced today new leadership and new board members.
Taking over as chairperson of the board is Stu Teller, who previously served as vice chair. Teller is managing partner of Right Angle Strategies, a business development services company, and has more than 30 years of experience in the gift, home décor, and collegiate industries including senior executive positions with OneCoast and Madco.
Joining Teller is Frank Joens, who was elected vice chair.
Perch Home Expands to South Orange
South Orange, NJ – South Orange residents who are fans of Maplewood’s acclaimed gift and home store, Perch Home, now have access to the shop’s merchandise closer to home.
Perch owner Michele Bessey has teamed up with Chris and Emma Magenta, owners of South Mountain Yoga, to bring a satellite Perch shop to the yoga studio.
One entire wall of the studio now features a gorgeous selection of some of Perch’s top selling items, including candles, scarves, jewelry, clothing and more. New items will be brought in every month or two, said Bessey.
Boutique Owner Celebrates 30 Years in Chatham
Chatham, NJ – When Doris Crater sewed an appliqué flower onto her daughter Kimberly’s tennis skirt in 1978, she never thought it would turn into a successful Main Street business.
“I would personalize their clothes and towels,” Crater said. “I just loved to sew.”
But when she would take those personalized towels to the pool or the tennis club, people would come up to her and ask where they could get one, too.
An Addiction Worth Wearing: Bad Habit Boutique
Le Mars, IA – A bad habit never looked this good.
Sara Morrow’s Bad Habit Boutique is a breath of spring and fresh colors.
Smooth skirts in sweet mint and gauzy pieces in bright nectarine are the perfect antidote for a winter that won’t go away.
The new downtown Le Mars boutique is a hub for fashion with local fashionista Morrow at the helm.
Edie Bees Lands in Lewes
Lewes, DE – Pulling out all the stops to get the doors of her new candy store open in time for Easter, Edie Bees Confections owner Leisa Berlin said she hopes to provide the Cape Region the kind of exclusive confectionary she says has been missing in a search for sweets at the beach.
Since she acquired a location at 115 Second St. late last fall, Berlin said, she has been hard at work, searching nationwide for the highest-quality, most unique chocolates and candy available.
The result is evident inside Edie Bees.
Poor House is Anything But
Napa, CA – Melissa Schmitt’s first retail store, Poor House Napa, opened less than a year ago, but her business already seems rich with success. After opening her original shop in the Oxbow complex, Schmitt just opened a second location inside the main hall at Oxbow.
“We opened McKinstry Street in June with mostly furniture and home decor, and a little bit of table top offerings,” said Schmitt. “But Oxbow is a better setting for tabletop items, so our new Oxbow store features a greatly expanded selection of tabletop offerings.
Cash Mob to Stop at Polka Dot Pandas
Port Huron, MI – Polka Dot Pandas will be mobbed Saturday — in a good way.
The store at 201 Huron Ave. is the first site of the Blue Water Community Alliance’s cash mob.
The concept is simple: Get as many people as possible to go to the store at 3 p.m. Saturday and spend at least $5. The plan hopefully will expose more people to the store and give it a boost.
PBJ: Play. Baby. Juvenile. Fully Leased in Dallas
Dallas Market Center today announced that PBJ: Play. Baby. Juvenile., a new, juried trade event for the most innovative gifts and gadgets across the baby and children’s industries, is fully leased for its inaugural show this Thursday-Friday, March 21-22.
“We’re thrilled that PBJ is fully leased and excited about the innovative products that will be shown,” said Cindy Morris, COO, Dallas Market Center.
Open Call for Participants in Whereoware’s 2013 Gift + Home Survey
Whereoware, an online strategy, design, development, and marketing company, recently announced the launch of a new Gift & Home technology survey, open to all vendors and retailers. The survey explores how vendors and retailers use technology, and how this affects showroom, website, email, and social performance. The results of this survey will form the basis of Whereoware’s 2013 Gift and Home Infographic.
Why participate in the 2013 survey? You will discover how you stack up to your peers and walk away with some new ideas.
River Mountain Antiques & Primitives Works to Offer More Than What’s Expected
Kingsport, TN – Stepping through the door at River Mountain Antiques & Primitives, you might be struck by: 1) how much the place resembles stores in Asheville and 2) that it’s not just tables and pie safes – there are funky clothes and cool jewelry, too.
Owners Debbie and Reed Dykes have transformed 6,000 square feet of the former Dobyns Taylor store (120 Broad Street) into an emporium of items ranging from tiny onsies and tees for infants to towering iron garden arbors to vintage bamboo fishing rods to furniture to original artwork (by local artists Margaret Helvey and Brenda Bundr
Redlands Promotion Aims to Encourage Residents to Shop Local
Redlands, CA – March Madness has hit downtown, where five businesses are working together to increase foot traffic.
Shoppers who make a purchase at State Street Winery, Briskets, International Day Spa, Devi or Fleur de Lis Gifts and Home will receive a 15 percent-off coupon good for any additional purchase at any of the other four businesses.
The idea was spearheaded by Robin and Janet Harter, owners and operators of State Street Winery.
Shop Offers Invitation to Wedding Success
Dartmouth, NH – The gifts for sale at Folia have your name on them — literally.
Specializing in personalized gifts and wedding invitations, this small shop is deceiving from the outside. The array of items inside is suprising.
Wendy Joblon, Folia’s owner, is an experienced wedding and event planner. Stepping into the invitation business seemed natural.
“I was doing some invitations from my home, and about eight years ago we opened inside of Flora,” says Joblon, alluding to the shop next door. “And we’ve been here in our current location for the last four years.”