The success of each gift shop depends on various factors including location and merchandise mix. Here GIFT SHOP presents features about different kind of gift shops and lists hot sellers in gift shops around the country.
It takes more than a love of fresh flowers to be in the florist retail business. Find out what advantages and challenges visit this category of retailers and what florists do to keep profits blossoming.
Known around the world as Music City, USA, Nashville offers much more than the country music that's made it famous. From the new symphony center to the flourishing arts scene to expanding restaurant options, Nashville is growing up vibrantly. The city's gift shops reflect residents' love of all things beautiful and creative.
Home to both Texas's state capital and one of the nation's largest universities, Austin has long been recognized for its vibrant music and arts scene. Marked by a burgeoning downtown and revitalized midtown shopping areas, Austin has also been rated as a very livable city. The gift shops profiled on these pages pay homage to the variety of inhabitants in the river city, adding just the right amount of polish to a host of unique offerings.
Tucked into the drizzly Pacific Northwest, Seattle is bordered by magnificent Elliot Bay and two snowcapped mountain ranges that seem more like diamond necklaces than storm catchers. The soul of grunge music, Seattle is also a city with a rich maritime history. Here in the Emerald City, communities boast of independent gift shops as colorful and eclectic as the vendors, artists and owners who stock them full of unique gifts and innovative charm.
Boasting 70 miles of coastline and hardly a rainy forecast all year, San Diego is, at its core, a beach town. Like any other, it has its share of seaside souvenir shops hawking T-shirts and shot glasses, but scratching this touristy surface reveals a style-savvy city whose retailers are dedicated to supporting small, independent and local vendors.
It's like going home to Nana's. There's something about country decor that transports customers to simpler times. Find out how three retailers are cashing in on this popular retail segment.
Santa Fe, NM, has long attracted artists and visitors. Best known for its adobe architecture, historic Plaza and fine-art galleries, this mountain city was established in the 1600s while still under Spanish rule. Native American, Spanish and cowboy cultures are all richly blended here, making it truly "The City Different."
Thirty miles off the southern shores of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, the "faraway land" of Nantucket is a National Historic Landmark. Its miles of pristine beaches, moors and plains are protected yet accessible. Former whaling captains' homes stand preserved alongside cobblestone streets. Nantucket's specialty shops provide for upscale tastes and many stock local artists' creations.
Men and shopping. Think the two don't go together? Think again! Men are now shopping for themselves in increasing numbers. With the market for men's products set to grow to $6.7 trillion by 2009 there's never been a better reason to pay attention to the male shopper. GIFT SHOP takes a look at the numbers and visits with retailers who are cashing in by reaching out to the guys.
Located on the sunny Gulf Coast of Florida, exclusive Naples is a haven for wealthy seasonal residents. Just a half-hour from the Everglades and two hours from Miami, Naples has plenty of its own attractions, including a lengthy fishing pier and beaches that offer dramatic sunset views. The city's best-known commercial districts are upscale Fifth Avenue and Third Street South.
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