The only way in is by way of a Chandola — a chairlift mixed with open-air, four-person seats and enclosed gondola-style cabins — or the Ridge Rambler — a 45-passenger military vehicle that stands nearly 14 feet tall. Either way, the climb to the top is 600 feet to the summit of Anakeesta Mountaintop Adventure Park. And that’s just the ride in.
Opened in 2017, Anakeesta is an outdoor adventure-themed family park that promises to deliver visitors to the heart of what the Smoky Mountains are known for — connecting to nature. With a botanical garden, views of Mount LeConte, and breathtaking scenery in every direction, guests are treated to playing, dining, and shopping in a village that resembles a mythical world only accessible by Hollywood — until now thanks to co-founders, Bob and Karen Bentz.
“The Great Outdoors Trading has a raft full of plush bears. And so you may not love it if you’re the parent, but the kids love it,” Black notes with a laugh. “They walk right into the store and they’re drawn to this bright blue bouncy creation that we have stuffed full of black bears. I think that’s definitely one of our more unique displays.”
Schylling, Wild Republic, The Stuffed Animal House, Fiesta Toys and Aurora are among those called on to fill the shelves and expectant hands of enamored children.
“So really kind of taking what we did have and piecing it together and still making very strong product displays, even though the guests probably never knew it, but we didn’t have all the goods that we wanted to offer,” she explains. “But we really just try to figure out what is it that we feel are non-negotiable for the guests. What do we want to have for them and what can we do as a replacement or another solution to get them what we wanted to be able to offer them?”
“I came from having all the visuals handed to me, having the product just arrive at the back door whenever it was supposed to,” 35-year-old Black recalls. “Really, I was focused in my past life on people management, store excellence, operations and that kind of thing.”
“We have a wide variety of kids’ toys and plush to choose from because it’s really important that we are able to target that kid group as well. We have a little something for them in each of our locations.” — Megan Black
Opened in 2017, Anakeesta is an outdoor adventure-themed family park that promises to deliver visitors to the heart of what the Smoky Mountains are known for — connecting to nature. With a botanical garden, views of Mount LeConte, and breathtaking scenery in every direction, guests are treated to playing, dining, and shopping in a village that resembles a mythical world only accessible by Hollywood — until now thanks to co-founders, Bob and Karen Bentz.
Photos: Don Fields Photography
“Bob and Karen Bentz had this dream of bringing a really amazing, authentic experience that really represents the Smoky Mountains,” says Megan Black, retail director for Anakeesta. “They wanted to bring in that village-top vibe on the mountain, kind of take you back to what the heart of Gatlinburg used to be.”
Extending The Experience
“I think when it comes to souvenirs, we try to take what is special to the guest from Anakeesta and put that into their souvenir goods,” Black explains. “So whether it’s a tower T-shirt because you’ve made it to the top of the Anavista Tower … or a keychain — anything that can extend that Anakeesta experience.”“Whether it’s a higher-end [T-shirt] that washes better, we’re standing behind our goods and figuring out ways that we can be one step above the competition,” she explains. “Year after year, it gets harder to not have the same goods as the person down the street so it really pushes us to be more creative and find ways to source those goods.”
Setting Up Shop
And creativity doesn’t just stop there. Displaying the merchandise is the eye candy that brings the sale home.“The Great Outdoors Trading has a raft full of plush bears. And so you may not love it if you’re the parent, but the kids love it,” Black notes with a laugh. “They walk right into the store and they’re drawn to this bright blue bouncy creation that we have stuffed full of black bears. I think that’s definitely one of our more unique displays.”
“You could only go in a circle … and if you didn’t pick up what you wanted on your first walk through, you couldn’t turn around,” she recalls. “So … either you were going to leave or you’re going to have to make your second lap.”
A team of contributors
When it comes to stocking the shelves and tables, Black says there are endless vendors who contribute to Anakeesta’s success, particularly because the stores’ themes vary so greatly.Locally, vendors like the Potter and the Park are called upon for mugs while Soapy Mountain Suds stocks the soap in Mercantile.
Schylling, Wild Republic, The Stuffed Animal House, Fiesta Toys and Aurora are among those called on to fill the shelves and expectant hands of enamored children.
“So really kind of taking what we did have and piecing it together and still making very strong product displays, even though the guests probably never knew it, but we didn’t have all the goods that we wanted to offer,” she explains. “But we really just try to figure out what is it that we feel are non-negotiable for the guests. What do we want to have for them and what can we do as a replacement or another solution to get them what we wanted to be able to offer them?”
Growing An Army
Black cut her teeth in retail working in store leadership at a shopping mall through college while earning a degree in business administration. With eight years under her belt, she was looking for the next career opportunity when she was invited in 2018 to run Anakeesta’s fledgling retail operations, which consisted of just three shops at the time — all under 600 square feet.“I came from having all the visuals handed to me, having the product just arrive at the back door whenever it was supposed to,” 35-year-old Black recalls. “Really, I was focused in my past life on people management, store excellence, operations and that kind of thing.”