By Sara Karnish No visit to a zoo or aquarium is complete without a stop in the gift shop. Finding the perfect souvenir is the best way to bring a little bit of the zoo home and end an exciting day of learning and discovery.
“Our top two or three items are almost always tiger plush. It’s one of the things Point Defiance Zoo is most known for,” said Amy Campbell, store director at Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, Wash. “We promote the Dr. Holly Reed Tiger conservation fund that supports anti-poaching patrols and the Species Survival Plan. It’s something we share with visitors when they come to shop.”  A display of conservation items at the Seattle Aquarium. Selling items that support a message of “inspiring conservation of our marine environment” is important to the store, the store director said.
Like other categories, souvenirs have their trends. Young said, “For us, we just started carrying Toobs [the little animals that come in tubes] and they’re going over great with our visitor base. We also sell Cutie Beans by Fiesta and they fly off the shelves,” she noted. Right now, Campbell said, “We see a lot of sales in kid’s jewelry. We have incorporated jewelry from vendors that give back to support the environment and they have been selling well, too.” The environment is an important cause for most zoos—protecting their animals’ natural habitats and educating guests about the world around them is a common goal. “Guests are really interested in any items that give back to the environment,” Ramirez said. “People are using their purchases to support environmental causes. For example, we carry a selection of socks from a vendor that gives back to the communities protecting the oceans with each purchase.”
Merchandising in zoo and aquarium gift shops can be difficult because many of these retail outlets have limited space. Capron Park Zoo is one of them. “Visibility and accessibility are key to creating good displays. We don’t really have room for elaborate displays. We’re fairly small so it’s easy to make things visible,” Young said. “We have a big display case in the middle of the store, so it makes a big difference, being able to have the space for that so people can take time to look. Four years ago we remodeled the gift shop and took away the individual stands and put up pegboards. They’re double-sided with end caps so people can browse and keep an eye on the kids at the same time.”
Campbell said the best displays are neat and clean. “A good display is simple but caters to all ages. Having key items that complement each other in one spot not only looks great, but it also helps our guests easily find the mug, keychain, or T-shirt they came in for,” she pointed out. “They often end up grabbing extra souvenirs for themselves, family, or friends.”
Ramirez said, “We try to keep it fresh and have a regular schedule for merchandising products. We also use events happening around the aquarium to plan out new features. It really is such a wonderful place to create displays for!”
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