These standout souvenirs that capture animal encounters take the top prize at zoo gift shops.
When the Detroit Zoo remodeled its gift shop earlier this year, the retail buying team refreshed the store with fun new picks that connected to the new feel of the store.
Anna Pearson, divisional merchandise director at SSA Group, serves as the buyer for this zoo store, and she says she ensures that all the merchandise ties back to the mission of the Detroit Zoo and its community.
Connections made with zoo staff members helped to give her inspiration and ideas for what would resonate most in the gift shop.
 Plush fills up one section of the Detroit Zoo gift shop, while other displays are dedicated to zoo animals, such as gorillas and red pandas. “I oversee buying for 24 to 26 zoo and aquarium stores, and they are all vastly different. Some are 800 square feet, and others are 4,000 square feet,” she says. “As you can imagine, buying for [that many] locations is a lot, and each location is special and unique. But we have a family culture at SSA Group, and we like to say we’re unapologetically family. I treat each one of the zoos like family — I get to know them, their executive staff, their client contacts.”
For example, Pearson learned that one of the Detroit Zoo’s veterinarians is passionate about gorilla conservation so she made sure that the revamped gift shop featured a table dedicated to all kinds of gorilla-themed merchandise.
“No two zoos are the same, but that’s why you just have to dig into things and find out what’s unique at each one,” says Pearson of finding souvenirs that will sell across her attractions.
Some souvenir categories and themes are universal top sellers across zoos everywhere.
Playful picksFor many zoo retailers, plush is the No. 1 category, closely followed by toys. Kids and adults enjoy picking a playful souvenir that represents an animal they saw during their trip, whether it’s a sleek stuffed capybara or a collection of toy animal figurines to play zoo at home.
Playful souvenirs literally spill out of the Denver Zoo gift shop, with light-up bubble wands on display for passersby during the warmer months. Store Director Katlyn Profitt says bubble wands from Light-Up Toys are popular with the kids.
“Through summer, our bubble blowers are the No. 1 seller,” says Profitt. “They are super interactive. We have a cart outside our main store with bubble blowers that are going all day — and that’s what really sells them!”
Pearson has noticed increasing interest in environmentally friendly toys and plush. To capitalize on that trend, SSA Group debuted sustainable Green Guardians toys from Wild Republic at some of its zoo and aquarium gift shops about two years ago that have been very popular. The Green Guardians are eco-friendly toy sets featuring animals, vehicles and people.
With plush, some zoo shoppers are drawn to super cuddly Squishmallow-style stuffies. Pearson says SSA Group has offered a line called Spudsters from Aurora at some of its stores that have also been popular this year.
On the flip side, Pearson says some customers are more fascinated by realistic-looking plush.
 Plush snakes surround a tree-like display at the Elmwood Park Zoo gift shop, and another decorative tree offers guests a spot to rest in the shop. “Realistic plush does phenomenal for us,” she adds. “Wild Republic has done very well with a realistic plush line. Some of our stores have done well with their realistic-looking white-faced gibbon plush.”
To appeal to all customers, some zoo retailers have found that a wide assortment of plush is key. The gift shop at Elmwood Park Zoo in Norristown, Pennsylvania, had the opportunity to diversify its plush selection in 2024 when the store expanded and remodeled. Retail Manager Rachel Kramer notes that cute plush options from The Petting Zoo go over big with the kids.
“We have a range of price points and styles of plush so we really hit across the board with something for everybody,” she says.
Big on celebrationSince many zoos cater to member customers who might return regularly, these destination retailers often like to highlight celebrations in their souvenirs — from baby animals to birthdays and really curious critters that can only be found at the zoo.
Profitt says the Denver Zoo gift shop features some unique animals in plush form, including a stuffie that represents the zoo’s okapi (it’s known as the forest giraffe and resembles a mix between a zebra and a giraffe).
And if there are any baby animals in the zoo, Profitt says those will sell big in souvenir form.
“We had a baby orangutan two years ago, so anything orangutan has been a big seller,” she says. “Anytime the zoo has baby animals, those products fly out.”
Celebrations of all kinds of milestones also relate well on zoo souvenirs. Elmwood Park Zoo celebrated its centennial in 2024, so Kramer says customers loved merchandise tied to that occasion. But even shorter milestones like birthdays and quirky holidays can be a hit with guests.
“A lot of zoo customers come here on their birthday, so we have some lines of hats and T-shirts that say things like, ‘I spent my birthday at the Elmwood Park Zoo,’” says Jamie Sheard, associate director of guest services at Elmwood Park Zoo. “We also celebrate animal birthdays at the zoo. We just celebrated a Sweet Sixteen of one of our giraffes. So we have merchandise related to that — it’s a great way to personalize the experience.”
Local loveZoo retailers also have found souvenir success in stocking some items that are either made by local vendors or highlight the community around the zoo.
 Mannequins showcase fun animal-themed apparel at the Denver Zoo gift shop. Apparel is a great way for zoo retailers to incorporate the zoo or city name on a souvenir. Sheard notes that apparel is a growing category for Elmwood Park Zoo and that the gift shop leans on primarily local apparel vendors when designing these souvenirs. He says Elmwood Park Zoo partners with Reid’s Tannery, an apparel vendor in nearby Skippack, Pennsylvania, for a lot of its souvenir T-shirts and other apparel.
Kramer adds that the gift shop also works with Bags by Bruno, which is based in nearby New Jersey, for reusable bags that double as souvenirs with the zoo name drop.
When SSA Group helped to revamp the Detroit Zoo gift shop, Pearson says she made sure the gift shop highlighted some new local vendors. “We leaned into local vendors for our grab-and-go snacks and giftable food,” she says. “One vendor is Pop Daddy — they make popcorn and are local to Michigan, which is awesome for us. And then there’s Simply Delightful, which makes taffy and has some really great limited-edition flavors. The Detroit Jerky has also done great.”
A souvenir sendoffGift shops tend to be zoo guests’ final stop before they leave the attraction, so these destination retailers try to provide guests with a good sendoff. On top of having trendy souvenirs, zoo retailers need to make sure customers leave happy.
Profitt attributes her strong team to the success of Denver Zoo’s gift shop and its appeal to customers.
“They really love their job and love coming to work every day at the zoo, sharing information about the zoo with guests and talking to them about favorite animals,” she says. “I think that’s what sets us apart — being really intentional with the guests.”
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