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Larue Barnes: Selling ‘cool stuff’
While Christi Schmidt runs her shops at Nolan River Mall, her husband, Steve, travels across the nation, selling their jewelry and fashion accessories at conventions, trade shows and fairs.
“Steve’s recognized many places we travel,” she said. “When our family visited Disney World, I heard somebody say, ‘There’s the purse guy!’
“He’s also a human map. He knows his way around any city.”
Her brown eyes flashed as she smiled. She is very much at home in her shop — the business world has been familiar to her since childhood.
No stranger to shoppers City has always been a retail draw
People have been traveling to the Rogers area to shop since the War Eagle Mill Arts and Crafts Fair began in the 1950s. Now, even when it’s not craft-fair weekend, there are diverse opportunities to shop.
Tom Galyon of the Convention and Visitors Bureau said his staff stresses shopping opportunities when they talk to people planning conventions.
Gourmet Housewares Show® Attracts Diversity of Exhibitors
White Plains, NY — The 2009 Gourmet Housewares Show’s® return to San Francisco in a new summer timeframe has generated a great deal of positive feedback from vendors geared up to do business at the August 8-10 Show. A diverse roster of well-known companies and brands is expected to create a valuable marketplace for retailers seeking new fourth quarter product, as well as a head start for planning 2010 assortments.
Every relevant product category in the gourmet kitchenware business will be represented at the 2009 Gourmet Housewares Show.
July Temporaries at 4,000 Booths and Growing at AmericasMart
Atlanta, GA—Exhibitor confidence in AmericasMart’s July 2009 Market continues to grow with more than 200* vendors expanding space in the burgeoning Temporaries “Market within the Market” featuring more than 4,000 booths in 25 specialty product categories—in addition to the more than 2,000 permanent showrooms within the four-building campus.
Fueled by growing demand and continuing momentum sparked by the spectacular January 2009 Building 2 WestWing debut, the Temporaries remain strong for the July 2009 showing. Case in point: The Memory Company, which shows in the Collegiate
Kerusso Unveils Important Research on Faith-Sharing Success of Christian-Message T-Shirts
Berryville, Ark. – Vic Kennett, president and chief executive officer of Kerusso, the premier producer of Christian-themed clothing in the U.S., announced findings from the 2009 “Christian Apparel Faith & Motivational Research Report” revealing why many Christians wear faith-based T-shirts. The research showed 98 percent of survey respondents declared they desired the message on their Christian T-shirts to be noticed by unbelievers. 56.8 percent of Christians wearing faith-apparel actually had an unbeliever ask about the message on their garment.
More than greeting cards at Leanin’ Tree
Want to spend an enjoyable afternoon browsing great western history and art? The Leanin’ Tree Museum of Western Art in Boulder, CO exhibits over 300 original paintings and bronze sculptures from the private collection of Edward P. Trumble, chairman and founder of Leanin’ Tree. And it is free!
Leanin’ Tree was started in 1949 with 4 greeting cards which have grown to over 3000 greeting cards along with many thoughtful, cute and humorous gift ideas available in their gift shop.
A day of solemnity… a weekend of spending
Tourism officials said this Memorial Day weekend was brighter than expected, and not just because of the sunny weather.
The Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau predicted a 2 percent increase in out-of-town visitors and hotel bookings in the Boston area, but the number was closer to 6 percent, with 1.3 million more people visiting the Boston area than last year.
Patrick Moscaritolo, chief executive officer of the bureau, said the increase, calculated using preliminary hotel booking information and data from AAA, was probably because of greater numbers of people driving from
Some Lower Cape businesses devising own ‘stimulus’ deals
Cape Cod – When the stock market began its sharp, quick descent and people watched their dollars disappear due to derivatives; the oft-repeated refrain was everyone was taking a hit.
“From Wall Street to Main Street,” parroted business owner Ceci Hadawar.
Locally Owned: Christian book, gift store enjoys growth
Lighthouse Books & Gifts in Wisconsin Rapids has done something a lot of stores of its genre haven’t been able to do: Stay in business.
For the last 19 years, the store, which carries Christian books, gifts and stamping and scrapbooking supplies, has not only managed to stay afloat in the recently struggling economy, but expand.
The business started in the ShopKo Mall, and moved to its Eighth Street South location about 31/2 years ago.
Palmetto Moon opens Summerville location
Palmetto Moon has opened a fourth location in the Charleston area.
The specialty gift retailer started earlier this month in a 3,600-square-foot site formerly occupied by S&K Menswear in Azalea Square Shopping Center in Summerville.
Founded in 2002 by Karen and Robert Webster, Palmetto Moon started as a small kiosk in Citadel Mall, offering South Carolina collegiate merchandise and gift items featuring the South Carolina state symbol — palmetto tree and crescent.
It quickly expanded to traditional store sites in Citadel Mall, Northwoods Mall and Mount Pleasant Towne Centr
High Country Art Gallery, Gift Shop now open
High Country Art Gallery and Gift Shop is now open for business. With a start date of May 19, Northeastern Arizona Fine Arts Association members began filling up the summer gallery with new works of art. The combination of summer members and year round members gives the gallery a wonderful balance of art.
Boutique owner is wearing and making a number of hats
Busy Broad Boutique is located at 10433 Clifton Blvd. in Cleveland. Its mantra is “For Women Who Wear Many Hats,” and how fitting, because owner Marta Glazen does indeed wear many hats, given her skill as a milliner.
Her hats are intricately made, and it gives her great pride to offer them reasonably priced. The hats offered under the Busy Broad label start at $35 and go up to $120. Her couture lines of handmade hats begin at $120 and go up, depending on the material used.
Glazen opened her first millinery shop in downtown Cleveland in 1996.
TGR Survey Takes Retail Pulse, Finds Specialty Alive and Well
The results of The Gourmet Retailer’s latest Economic Pulse Survey are in, and we’ve got the highlights right here. Our mission was to bring you a snapshot of the current state of business among specialty food retailers. We surveyed retailers during the first week of May and had a total of 148 retailer respondents. Of those respondents, the vast majority — 92 percent — operate one to two stores. Another 5 percent operate between three and eight stores, and 3 percent operate more than eight stores.
The Chicago Market: Living and Giving Partners with Google.com to Help Retailers Take Their Businesses to the Next Level
Chicago, IL –The Chicago Market: Living and Giving® is proud to announce that Google.com will lead the keynote presentation at this year’s July Market, on Monday July 20. Google offers retailers online tools, many of them free, to help their businesses reach new levels.
The purpose of this event is to help retailers utilize Google tools, as well as the Internet to help target specific customers and reach new audiences. Google has a variety of tools to help users grow their own businesses.
NYIGF’s At Home Refines Hard Lines and Soft Goods Offerings
White Plains, NY — A comprehensive and updated collection of home products will be offered in At Home at the New York International Gift Fair® (NYIGF®), August 15-20, 2009, with a coalescence of hard lines at Passenger Ship Terminal Pier 94 and soft goods on Level 1 of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.
“At Home’s two locations – Pier 94 and the Javits Center – each have been refined to facilitate the sourcing experience for buyers shopping specific home product categories,” said Dorothy Belshaw, NYIGF director and GLM senior vice president.
New gift store ‘Arm’ed with ‘unique’ gifts
Downtown New Braunfels has a new kid on the block.
The Flying Armadillo is “a new, unique gift shop with an old world commitment to excellence,” owner Phillip Lovin said recently.
“The most unique thing about The Flying Armadillo is that everything is handmade and absolutely nothing is imported,” said Lovin, who also is a full-time counselor.
Longaberger partners with Yankee Candle Co.
Newark — The Longaberger Co. announced Tuesday that Yankee Candle Co. Inc.
Get Lucky owners optimistic about move
A change of scenery has been good for Get Lucky.
The Hattiesburg women’s clothing boutique recently opened the doors of a new location at the Market at Woodstone, a couple of miles from the store’s previous location in the Turtle Creek Village.
“The move’s really been great for us,” said Melinda Gholson, who co-owns the boutique with sister Rachel Murphy. “At the other location, people knew we were there and would make a special trip out just for us.
Garden, gift shop has classic charm
The first impression starts outside the front doors of Mrs. McGregor’s Garden, as colorful spring flowers give shoppers a hint of what’s to come inside the store with a vintage-inspired charm.
“We like to wow you starting at the door,” Paulette Pennison, owner of Mrs. McGregor’s Garden, said. “A true passion for details is evident in the intricate vignettes throughout the store.
Shoppers spending $20 on the 20th
Shopper Brenda Worsham gladly slapped a yellow sticker on her shirt Wednesday, showing that she spent $20 on the 20th.
Well, she spent a little more than $20.
“I helped the economy,” she laughed as Malissa Beckner at Tea Garden Gifts wrapped up the gift Worsham bought. “I ate at Malia’s then went to Unique Expressions. I’m afraid I spent more than $20.