Gift shop

Library Administrator's Digest, Jun 2003

"I was tempted to buy more products myself," Between Friends Gift Shop Manager Shelli Kaminski said.

Shelli said she missed her yearly goal of grossing $100,000 by just $800, but that she was pleased with the progress of the shop in its first full year in business after re-opening last March. Sales were up from the previous year by an astounding $89,000.

Pre-read books, sorted by the Friends of the Library, were this year's biggest sellers at $13,385. The next bestselling item was "Postcards from Our Past 2003 Weekly Planner." The planner was produced by the community relations department using the local history department's collection of vintage postcards. A total of 639 planners were sold, bringing in $7,663.64.

Other top-selling items included Fanciful Flights hanging ornaments, message plaques, a porcelain hinged box, puzzles and puppets. Categories of items that sold well were T-shirts, greeting cards, bookmarks, sundries (pencils, paper and other stationery items) and works by local artists.

Shelli came up with an innovative marketing concept called the Holiday Store, a special area where children could buy inexpensive, quality gifts for their family and friends. The seasonal promotion did almost $1,000 in sales; the profits benefited the summer reading program. Shelli is coordinating the opening of a gift shop at the Library Station this year. She "hates to pre-guess sales there," but thinks it will do well. Her assistant, Pat Martin, who coordinates the 40 Friends volunteers at the Library Center, is busy soliciting volunteers for the new shop at the Library Station.

Libewire, Springfield-Greene County (MO)

Library District, April 2003