The Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas, is known for its fun giraffe feeding experiences, a wide range of reptiles on display and its primate exhibit to name a few things. When Gigi Trevino joined the zoo’s team as an assistant store director through Event Network in January, she made sure that the gift shop highlighted all of these favorite animals and experiences with memorable merchandising displays.
Visitors are usually drawn to what Trevino calls the store’s “Mickey table,” reminiscent of what one might find at a Disney store. A few mannequins donning souvenir T-shirts and hoodies promoting giraffes at the zoo are on top of a tiered circular table, while some of those tees, hoodies and other giraffe-themed souvenirs are available below.
Across the store, plush island is another focal point, with stuffed versions of favorite zoo animals lined up neatly in cubbies on the four-tiered structure. Along the walls, guests can also find souvenir apparel, caps, drinkware and toys to commemorate their visit.
Gladys Porter Zoo highlights some cuddly plush toys on a wall and giraffe-themed gifts on a table.
But souvenir opportunities aren’t limited just to the brick-and-mortar gift shop at the Gladys Porter Zoo, as a mobile bubble cart moves to various hotspots in the zoo as well.
“We got our mobile bubble cart this year, and a popular item is our flamingo bubble wand,” says Trevino. “We like to take the cart out right to the middle of the zoo by the giraffe exhibit so the kids have a longer time to play with bubbles in the zoo.”
Strategic merchandising like this is key for many zoo retailers who want to help guests have a seamless zoo experience from start to finish and hopefully pick up trendy souvenirs on their way home.
Small sells
Zoo stores usually carry souvenirs of all shapes and sizes, but some of the smallest souvenirs can be the biggest sellers. At Zoo Boise in Boise, Idaho, classic name-drop magnets are regularly a top-performing souvenir because of their size and the recognizable name drop on them.
“Our custom Zoo Boise magnets are some of our bestsellers,” says Connor Eldredge, general manager with SSA Group at Zoo Boise.
The Gladys Porter Zoo store certainly has souvenirs of all sizes, but Trevino says some of the smallest souvenirs are the biggest sellers. Since some animal exhibits can be expansive at this zoo, name-drop binoculars tend to be very popular in the gift shop.
“Some of the animals are a little far from our walkways, so binoculars are necessary,” Trevino explains. “Our No. 1 item in the gift shop is binoculars, which we place right on our queue line.”
She adds that small, collectible squish toys are also having a big moment in the spotlight, which are also located in the gift shop’s queue line.
“We have to restock handheld toys and squish toys so many times a day!” she says.
Kids certainly love squishy capybara and axolotl toys, but Trevino says even some parents enjoy the squishy sensation.
“I tell people to just pick the toy up for a good squeeze and parents are wowed,” she says. “We had an office lady in charge of a bank who came in and bought two cases — 52 items in total — and gave them to everyone at her work! I would love to say it’s just the kids, but adults are finding the squish toys amusing too.”
Smaller souvenirs are also bestsellers at the Lake Superior Zoo in Duluth, Minnesota.
“I call them trinkets, but our bestselling categories are our smaller items that are more affordable and portable, such as Good Luck Minis, mini 3D fidgets and stickers,” says Samantha Halligan, director of guest experience.
She adds, “Everyone is about the sensory toys this year. All the fidgets, squishables and handheld toys are moving fast. 3D toys are also all the rage, and the smaller price points help push sales.”
Popular plushies
Plush tends to be a top category for many zoo retailers, and for the Central Coast Zoo in Atascadero, California, it’s the biggest category in the gift shop.
“We are a boutique zoo at five acres,” describes Executive Director Cynthia Stringfield. “Our visitors are able to get closer and get to know all our individual animals really well. Some favorites are our red pandas, Mexican spider monkeys, ‘Shelby’ our fossa, meerkats, toucans and Aldabra and Radiated tortoises.”
These favorite animals at the Central Coast Zoo are also favorite plush picks in the gift shop, with red panda plush easily being the bestseller. The store offers some plush from both Wild Republic and Nature Planet.
Eldredge says plush is also the No. 1 souvenir at Zoo Boise, with some plush options from Wild Republic and Aurora. He says the red panda plush is a favorite since the zoo debuted a new red panda exhibit last summer.
“We have a variety of plush representing our animals here at the zoo,” he says. “These are the perfect take-home gifts for guests to bring home their favorite animal from the zoo.”
At Lake Superior Zoo, plush is also one of the top three categories, alongside toys and custom souvenirs.
“Our most popular plush at the moment are axolotls, capybaras and red pandas,” says Halligan. “I think that plush is a successful category because people can relate to their experience the most through plush animals that embody their favorite animals at the zoo.”
Mission minded
Conservation and mission are also big themes for zoo retailers, and souvenirs often reflect these values. The Central Coast Zoo focuses on selling items that relate directly back to the zoo, its area and that give to conservation causes.
The Central Coast Zoo store displays relevant stuffed animals of various sizes in a barrel.
“Since we are a smaller zoo and people connect with our individual animals, we focus on the species we have here at the zoo in our store as well as our conservation projects for our local area, such as pollinators like Monarch butterflies in particular,” says Stringfield.
Trevino says a large portion of apparel at the Gladys Porter Zoo store is from Event Network’s eco-friendly Wearsponsible line.
“We try to have as much related to sustainability as we can,” she notes.
At Zoo Boise, some fair trade items in the gift shop connect to the zoo’s mission.
Eldredge says, “We carry a robust collection of items from Africa, including artwork, baskets, hot sauces and more.”
With every sale in the Zoo Boise gift shop, guests are invited to give back to conservation.
“A percentage of all sales as well as our new ‘Round Up for Conservation’ program goes directly back to the zoo’s operations and its conservation efforts around the world,” he says.
Halligan adds that finding souvenirs that are memorable, give back and support conservation are considerations whenever she and her team decide to find new products.
“From photos and stories of our actual animals to the commitment to conservation through bringing in unique products that benefit both people and animals around the world, we strive to be the final touch that creates a lasting memory on someone’s visit,” she says.
