– By June Allan Corrigan –
The interest in caves and caverns never seems to wane. What lurks within? Fortunately, either before or after a tour, visitors are also curious to see what lies within accompanying gift shops. Somehow jewelry never fails to capture shoppers’ attention. For this article, four cave and cavern attractions around the country revealed some of their top selling items and lines.
Kat Byrd, gift shop cashier at Meramec Caverns. In addition to a large, 5,000-square-foot retail space, the attraction features a candy store, a wax museum and a panning for gold activity.
Jewelry from the Wheeler Manufacturing Company happens to also tops sales at Cosmic Cavern, a privately owned limestone cave in Berryville, Ark. “It’s very good quality jewelry and it’s made in the U.S.A.,” said Pam Stewart who in addition to being a tour guide at the attraction, serves as the buyer for its medium-sized gift store.
Earring, rings, pendants and bracelets are all on offer at Cosmic Cavern. Strategically, Stewart has created a jewelry display in the center of the gift store. “Lighting is key, especially with a brand like Wheeler,” she added. Some of the jewelry resides inside a display case while some of the less precious pieces sit on top.
Eclectic groups of people may decide to take a Cosmic Cavern tour on any given day but typically, it’s women who shop for jewelry inside the gift shop. Stewart plans accordingly. “Teenage girls on up to 80-year-old grandmothers – they are all potential customers so I make sure to always have a good variety,” she concluded.
Jewelry from a wholesale designer in Vancouver, Canada, sells very well inside the gift shop at Meramec Caverns in Sullivan, Mo. “I get most of the jewelry we feature from A.T. Storrs Ltd. They provide very good service and really strive to make their customers happy,” said Judy Turilli, the gift shop manager. She noted the Canadian company’s jewelry pieces are both affordable and attractive and really seem to resonate with people who visit the Caverns.
Females primarily shop for jewelry at the Meramec Caverns main gift shop, ranging in age from teens on upward. The retail space is part of larger 5,000-square-foot footprint which includes a candy store, a wax museum devoted to Jesse James and an area where kids can pan for gold. A.T. Storrs Ltd.’s Wild Pearle jewelry collection, in particular, strikes a chord with the Missouri attraction’s shoppers, but the Canadian company’s jade and hematite pieces are also popular. “We tend to dote on natural things here since our primary attraction is a cavern,” Turilli said.
When it comes to generating excitement for the jewelry, Turilli’s job is made easier since A.T. Storrs Ltd. provides a handsome display case to showcase their products. A four-sided stand alone, it holds a lot of inventory and is very eye-catching. “The company is very good about shipping out their products,” Turilli concluded. “They feature stones from all over the world yet we can sell a pair of their earrings for approximately $12.99.” No question about it, it ends up being a very attractive arrangement all around.
