The Cloverkey Difference
Experience
Responsiveness
Product Variety
Local Partnerships
Financial Obligations
Institutional Knowledge
Humility & Longevity
Our team includes the original founders and executives of Lori’s Gifts and has worked exclusively in hospital gift shop management for 40+ years.
Our corporate management team is here to support your gift shop indefinitely. We answer the phone whenever possible and promptly respond to all emails and voicemail messages.
We work with over 500 unique vendors to fill our shops with a wide variety of merchandise, including a regular rotation of new arrivals and seasonal items.
We enthusiastically partner with local florists and support unlimited arrangement designs. We’ll work to incorporate other local vendors in your community whenever possible.
We’re debt-free and pay what we owe when we owe it. Our vendors and partners never have to worry about late payments or non-payment issues.
Our institutional knowledge in the hospital gift shop industry makes us a partner that understands the nuances of your business and creates solutions tailored to your needs.
We’re family-owned and here for the long haul! We know that we’re here to serve the hospital and have earned the privilege of operating our hospital gift shops.
When it comes to hospital gift shops, experience matters.
With over 40 years of experience, Cloverkey understands the unique needs of a hospital gift shop and the community it supports. It’s not just our experience that matters — it’s yours, too.
40+ 500+ 2500+ 1 million+ years of experience local & national vendors unique items per store smiles delivered
We use our unique industry expertise to create a world-class experience for your hospital’s administration, patients, visitors, and employees.
Partner Experience
• No-fuss transition
• Accommodation of special requests
• Commitment to your service vision
• Support for existing volunteers
• Highly responsive corporate management team
Visitor Experience
• Thousands of unique items
• Customer loyalty program
• Payroll deduction for hospital staff
• Warm & welcoming ambiance
• Expanded operating hours
• Online store with same-day delivery
Patient Experience
• Gifts to comfort, soothe & cheer
• Wide variety of snacks & drinks
• Fresh flowers from local florist
• Personal care & convenience items
• Clinical service line support
• Free in-room delivery
Hospital gift shop experts since 1982
The Journey Continues: Wholesale Distribution to Gift Shops
In 1999, Mike founded Kelli’s Gift Shop Suppliers, a wholesale distribution company designed to bring the Cohens’ buying expertise to independently-operated hospital gift shops. In 2001, he sold Lori’s Gifts to his financial partners to focus exclusively on Kelli’s.
Mike, Lori, and their son Justin grew the Kelli’s business using their deep knowledge of the unique needs of hospital gift shops and their unique needs. Kelli’s offer a one-stop source for the large variety of merchandise a gift shop must have to meet the complex needs of the hospital environment.
Today, Kelli’s is the nation’s leading wholesale distributor to hospital gift shops and other specialty stores. Kelli’s distributes 6,000 individual items to over 10,000 retail partners across the nation.
Where It All Began: The Power of Thank You
Our journey began in 1981, when Mike and Lori Cohen opened Lori’s Hallmark, a 2000-square-foot gift shop in a shopping center in Plano, TX. Every evening, Mike spent countless hours writing handwritten thank-you notes to any customer who spent $20 or more.
In 1982, one loyal customer forever changed his future when she recommended the Cohens for a 200-square-foot gift shop opening in a Texas hospital that’s now known as Medical City Plano.
Nine months after Medical City store opened, the Cohens sold their original Hallmark store to focus exclusively on hospital gift shops. They operated under the name Lori’s Hospital Gift Shops and later, Lori’s Gifts.
The Cohens expanded the Lori’s Gifts business until it became a national brand. By the late 90s, Lori’s had grown to 152 locations across 23 states.
Where We Are Today: The Origin & Growth of Cloverkey
In 2019, the Cohens recognized a need to bring their service and dedication back to the hospital gift shop management world. They founded Cloverkey in 2020; in just a few short years, Cloverkey has expanded to over 40 locations across 15 states.
Cloverkey offers an all-in-one turnkey solution for hospital gift shops nationwide. We handle everything from day-to-day operations management and inventory replenishment to point-of-sale technology and payroll deduction.
When you partner with Cloverkey, we’ll start by learning everything about your facility and the community it supports. We’ll tailor our proposal to your specific needs and make sure our vision for your gift shop is aligned with your hospital’s mission.
Mike Cohen at the first Lori’s Hospital Gift Shop (Plano, TX)
Kelli’s warehouse125,000-square-foot & distribution center
Retail displays showcase balloons & get well gifts
The original Lori’s Hallmark store (Plano, TX)
Kelli’s corporate offices (Carrollton, TX)
The Cloverkey gift shop at Texas Health Huguley Hospital (Fort Worth, TX)
Get to know our leadership team
We believe any business is only as good as its team. That’s why our team is comprised of known leaders within the hospital gift shop management community.
Together with his wife Lori, Mike founded Lori’s Gifts in 1982, Kelli’s Gifts in 1999, and Cloverkey in 2020 alongside his son, Justin. He now serves as CEO of Kelli’s and Cloverkey. CEO
Chief Marketing Officer
Gwynne was part of the original Lori’s Gifts team, having been hired by Mike in 1999. As VP of Development, she and her team grew Lori’s Gifts to more than 400 gift shops across 40 states. Gwynne joined Mike and Justin in 2020 to found Cloverkey and opened an impressive 21 locations by the end of 2022.
The Founders:
The creators of the partnership model
With 40+ years of purchasing experience for gift shops, Lori brings her specialized expertise and long-standing vendor relationships to the Cloverkey team. VP of Purchasing
The Operations Powerhouses:
The leaders who will take your gift shop to the next level
Chief Operating Officer
Kim was also hired by Mike in 1999 and served as CEO of Lori’s Gifts for 22 years, where she worked with Gwynne to grow the business into a national brand. Kim joined the Cloverkey team in 2023 and uses her niche industry knowledge to drive sales through innovative merchandise selection, world-class customer service, and unparalleled partner support.
Justin grew up in the hospital gift shop world and officially joined Mike and Lori to help run Kelli’s in 2006. He now serves as President of Kelli’s and Cloverkey. President
Director of Visual Merchandising
Another member of the original Lori’s Gifts team, Erin had an impressive 18-year career at Lori’s before joining the Cloverkey team in 2023. Erin plays an integral role in designing our gift shops and ensuring products are merchandised efficiently and effectively.
Mike Cohen
Lori Cohen
Justin Cohen
Gwynne Gillette
Kim Schuler
Erin Britton
Trusted by award-winning hospitals nationwide
We’ve grown to over 40 locations across 15 states
Additional locations on the horizon!
The team at Cloverkey understands how important it is for every gift shop to represent the hospital well and they take that responsibility seriously. Cloverkey cares about each of our gift shops, the gift shop staff, and the entire hospital community.
CELINA AZAR
Network Director of Volunteer Services, The Hospitals of Providence (El Paso, TX)
Entrance to the Cloverkey
Our Hospital Partners:
and many more!
gift shop at Northwestern Memorial Hospital (Chicago, IL).
We offer an all-in-one turnkey solution for your hospital gift shop needs.
From staffing to store design, we’re equipped to handle all the ins and outs of your gift shop.
Operations & Logistics
Day-to-Day Operations Management
We’ll handle all the daily business operations required to run a successful gift shop. Each of our stores offers expanded operating hours to provide a better experience for hospital patients and visitors; most locations are open 7 days a week.
Staffing & Volunteer Support
Hiring, training, and managing store staff is handled 100% by Cloverkey. If you have an existing gift shop, we’ll interview your current staff with the hope that they’ll continue working in the gift shop as Cloverkey employees.
Cloverkey is fully committed to supporting gift shop volunteers. Volunteers are welcome to continue serving in the gift shop if they choose and are free to do any gift shop tasks, including running the POS register.
Inventory Replenishment
Inventory replenishment is handled through our integrated POS and inventory management system. The gift shop staff is not responsible for placing replenishment orders.
Cloverkey is a sister company to Kelli’s, the nation’s leading wholesale provider of retail merchandise to hospital gift shops. Most items are fulfilled from Kelli’s 200,000 square-foot warehouse and corporate headquarters, centrally located in in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
Marketing Tools
You’ll never have to worry about how to promote products, programs, or sales within your shop. Our in-house marketing team provides all promotional materials for your store:
Monthly flyers promoting new arrivals & seasonal merchandise
Exterior signage: storefront signage, window graphics & more
• Interior signage: department signs, informational signs, drink & flower cooler signs & more
• Promotional signage: end-cap signs, sale banners, point-of-purchase signs & more
Kim Schuler, Cloverkey’s Chief Operating Officer, presents a commission check to volunteers at our Texas Health Huguley Hospital gift shop.
Marketing materials like store signage and monthly flyers are provided by our in-house marketing team.
Our professional store design services will maximize your sales per square foot.
Professional Design Services
We’ll create a detailed custom store design for your location. By following best practices for store layout and product organization, we make the most of every square foot available. Custom-crafted retail fixtures, floor displays, and store signage are provided and installed at our expense.
Professional CAD drawings of your proposed store layout are provided for your review and approval.
ADA-Compliant Layout
We understand the importance of accessibility, particularly in a hospital environment. All Cloverkey gift shops are designed to be fully ADA-compliant.
Custom-crafted
retail fixtures are provided & installed at our expense.
A 3-tier table and slatwall gondolas are used to display plush and toys at Women & Infants Hospital (Providence, RI).
Glass shelves and a nesting table with lower cubbies showcase baby items at URMC Strong Memorial Hospital (Rochester, NY).
Glass display tower
Slatwall gondola
3-tier table
Nesting table with cubbies
Planograms keep your gift shop well-organized and aesthetically pleasing.
We create a custom merchandising mix tailored to your hospital community.
Product Selection & Merchandising
We’ll craft a custom assortment and merchandising plan tailored to your hospital and the community at large. As a sister company to Kelli’s, you’ll have immediate access to over 6,000 items from 500 to 600 vendors at any given time! Thousands of new items are introduced annually, including seasonal merchandise.
Space-Saving Planograms
We utilize sophisticated planograms to maximize your store space and boost sales. Planograms help customers find what they need quickly and easily, and ensure that your gift shop is aesthetically pleasing and well-organized.
We’ll keep your product selection fresh and relevant by leveraging data from our stores to determine which items remain best sellers and which need to be targeted for replacement.
Slatwall fixtures and floor displays showcase the robust product selection at Brigham & Women’s Hospital (Boston, MA).
Baby and plush planogram at West Tennessee Healthcare Jackson-Madison Hospital (Jackson, TN)
Robust Technology Suite
Point-of-Sale Technology
We provide, install, and maintain a state-of-the-art POS system in each Cloverkey store. Our POS system is fully integrated with our ecommerce website, where customers can order gifts for same-day delivery to hospital patients. We have a team of developers on staff at our headquarters to ensure we’re always using the most updated technology at our stores.
Payroll Deduction for Hospital Employees
Payroll Deduction for Hospital Employees
Payroll deduction for hospital staff is a key component for any hospital gift shop. In addition to being convenient for employees, payroll deduction increases total gift shop revenue. Where permitted, we’ll work with you to implement payroll deduction — either through our POS register or by utilizing an auxiliary program your hospital may already be using elsewhere on campus.
Texas Health Huguley Hospital has enjoyed a 4-year partnership with Cloverkey. Their team recently remodeled the gift shop, and it is a striking compliment to the elegance of our hospital lobby. Cloverkey continues to impress us with the continuous flow of new product introductions each month along with an inviting line-up of store promotions. Gift shop sales have never been stronger, tracking at double-digit increases over last year!
KATHERINE CORY
Director of Food & Nutrition Services, Texas Health Huguley Hospital
Payment Processing
We implement secure payment processing at each of our stores; payment methods include credit cards, debit cards, digital wallets like Apple Pay® and Google Pay®, and payroll deduction for hospital employees. Contactless, tap-to-pay transactions ensure a fast and efficient checkout process.
PCI-Compliant Terminals
We strictly adhere to PCI DSS guidelines to ensure our credit card terminals and ecommerce website are PCI-compliant. All Cloverkey shops undergo quarterly and annual PCI compliance scans; our online ordering portal utilizes the end-to-end encryption to keep sensitive data locked down. Customers can shop at ease knowing their credit card information is secure during all purchase transactions.
A customer checks out at our Bakersfield Memorial Hospital gift shop (Bakersfield, CA).
The front register at our Doylestown Hospital gift shop (Doylestown, PA).
Customer Programs & Services
What customers are saying about our delivery service:
“We are so impressed with the service we received. We placed the order on the website and it was immediately confirmed. We received an update within 25 minutes that the item was being processed and within an hour, the stuffed toy was delivered to our 3-year-old great niece. You put a smile on all of our faces!”
BRUCE & MARY
Boston, Massachusetts
Hospital Charge Accounts
We support service recovery efforts, department ordering, and other hospital needs by allowing hospital charge accounts at each of our locations. Hospital departments can make gift shop purchases via their charge account to fulfill a service recovery request or recognize an outstanding employee.
Hospital Consignment Program
We embrace your campus iniatives with our hospital consignment program. We’re happy to sell items on your hospital’s behalf — anything from volunteercreated gifts to raffle tickets for fundraisers.
Rewards Program
Hospital employees and visitors can sign up for our free Rewards Program at any Cloverkey location. Rewards members earn points with every purchase, and points can be redeemed like cash. Points are earned immediately upon signing up for the program.
Free Same-Day Delivery to Patients
Even long-distance family and friends can send a gift to their loved ones with our same-day delivery service. Customers can shop online for Get Well gifts, balloons, fresh flowers, snacks, and more — all from the comfort of their own home! Gifts are hand delivered by a friendly Cloverkey team member for free.
Gift Cards
Gift cards are available for sale at all Cloverkey stores, for any amount ranging from $5 to $250. Gift cards can be used at any Cloverkey location, and they never expire. Gift card balances decline with use; customers are not required to use the full balance in a single transaction.
All Cloverkey locations offer free same-day delivery to hospital patients.
Our Penn Medicine Doylestown Hospital gift shop features baby items hand-knitted by hospital volunteers (Doylestown, PA).
Partnering with Cloverkey gives you instant access to our unparalleled merchandising mix.
Curated from more than 500 national and local vendors, our merchandising mix ensures a winning combination of brand-name staples and unique, bespoke gifts.
National Brands Your Customers Know & Love
Our vertical integration model yields direct benefits for your gift shop.
Cloverkey is a sister company to Kelli’s, the nation’s leading provider of retail merchandise to hospital gift shops. Through our relationship with Kelli’s, we can ensure wide product assortments and seamless inventory replenishment for all Cloverkey stores. We use a wealth of sales data from Kelli’s to stock your shop with proven best sellers — products that peform well for thousands of gift shops just like yours.
Purchasing Power
Our connection to Kelli’s allows us to leverage its purchasing power and vendor relationships. As a result, Cloverkey is able to offer competitive retail pricing to gift shop customers.
Wider Product Variety
Unlike other distributors, Kelli’s never requires products to be ordered in full case quantities.Low minimums mean Cloverkey shops have a wider selection of items — including an exciting rotating selection of new arrivals & seasonal items – and our additional storage needs are small.
Pre-Priced Merchandise
All products sourced from Kelli’s arrive at the gift shop ready to be placed on the shelf. This means gift shop staff can devote their time to serving customers instead of assembling, tagging, and pricing products.
Our Product Offerings
Locally-Sourced Flowers
Flowers are a consistent top-selling gift for hospital patients. We make sure that each Cloverkey store offers fresh floral arrangements to accommodate that demand.
We partner with local florists as part of our initiative to support community-based businesses. If your hospital already has a relationship with a local florist, we’ll work to build upon that existing relationship.
Community partner
Brand-Name Candy, Snacks & Bottled Drinks
From Altoids to Cheetos, we carry all the brand names your customers love! Every Cloverkey store is stocked with a variety of candy, bagged snacks, energy bars, gum, mints & more.
We keep coolers stocked with bottled beverages from Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and more. Energy drinks from Red Bull, Monster, Rockstar, and Celsius help hospital employees power through long shifts. From Vitamin Water to chilled Starbucks coffee drinks, we have everything your shop needs to keep your customers hydrated and happy.
Changemaker candy tubs are included in every Cloverkey store as impulse buy displays. We carry over 25 varieties of fun-size candy and will tailor your store’s candy selection according to regional demand.
Get Well Gifts & Plush
The cornerstone of any hospital gift shop is its selection of Get Well gifts. We offer gifts to comfort, soothe, and encourage hospital patients of any age. Cheerful balloons and inspirational trinkets bring encouragement, while soft plush toys and cozy throw blankets bring comfort.
Premade gift sets offer an easy option for customers who are looking for a quick, grab & go gift. And we can assemble custom themed gift boxes for a distinctive, heartfelt way to say “I care.”
Our Product Offerings
Personal Care Staples
Patients, visitors, and employees benefit from our wide selection of personal care items. Single-dose packs of OTC medicines and travel-size toiletries offer a convenient way for customers to find what they need without leaving the hospital campus. Our personal care items require minimal retail space, allowing your shop to carry a wider variety.
Greeting Cards, Books & Stationery
Rotating floor displays feature books and greeting cards for every occasion — get well soon, birthdays, new baby, and more. We partner with Choice Books® to offer inspirational reading selections for adults and cheerful options for children. Titles are curated for your hospital’s mission and culture.
From casualwear, comfy robes, PJs and slippers to stylish handbags and fashion jewelry, we keep our gift shops stocked with fashion apparel and accessories that will attract customers. Our fashion merchandise is frequently changed to keep selections fresh, exciting, and on-trend.
Children’s Toys & Games
Each Cloverkey gift shop carries a variety of toys and games — activity sets, playing cards, board games, puzzles, coloring books & more — to keep young and old entertained. If your facility includes pediatric beds, we’ll expand the assortment with toys for all ages.
Boost your hospital brand with a custom logowear program.
We understand the pride that your employees have for their hospital, and we support that enthusiasm by offering a robust logowear program at each of our stores. We’ll work with your brand integrity stewards to create a logo merchandise assortment that makes sense for your location — anything from fleece jackets to baby bodysuits. Logowear is a great way to boost employee morale and promote your brand outside of the hospital campus.
We can also do hospital scrub programs for in-store sales and online ordering.
Tailored
to your local community & any initiatives your hospital supports
Inclusive
sizing options to keep your customers happy
On-Brand
colorways to coordinate with your hospital’s brand guidelines
We’ll work with you to select a collection of branded apparel and accessories that makes sense for your location — anything from fleece jackets to baby bodysuits. Logowear is a great way to boost employee morale and promote your brand outside of the hospital campus.
We Carry Top-Rated National Brands to ensure product quality and customer satisfaction
Our Proposal Process & Financial Structure
We’re committed to finding a financial model that works for all parties.
A Holistic Approach
We take a different approach to outsourcing. We form a holistic relationship with each of our hospital partners, first understanding their pain points and desired outcomes.
By focusing on providing quality solutions tailored to your facility, we can achieve shared goals that benefit both parties. In doing so, we help drive overall success for your hospital and the community it supports.
A Commitment to Transparency
We’re not focused on short-term, transactional relationships. Our goal is to build a long-term, mutually beneficial partnership built on trust, loyalty, and most importantly, satisfaction.
We’ll never surprise you with contract changes, hidden fees, or vague charges for obscure services. Our proposal will be comprehensive yet simple — no confusing language or misleading claims.
No matter the circumstances, we work to get to yes.
No One-Size-Fits-All Solutions
The first step to unlocking your gift shop’s potential is understanding your facility and the community it supports. We’ll work closely with you to tailor our proposal to your hospital’s specific needs.
We’ll start by leveraging our institutional knowledge to create a blueprint for your gift shop. From there, we’ll immerse ourselves in your hospital community and culture to understand the unique features your gift shop needs to successfully reflect the values of that community. Your gift shop will seamlessly integrate with your hospital environment and function as an extension of your hospital’s mission.
We pride ourselves on being an integrated part of your hospital — our ultimate goal is to bring comfort and optimism to your patients, visitors, and employees.
The Cloverkey gift shop at Summa Health - Akron Campus (Akron, OH).
The grand opening of the Cloverkey gift shop at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County (Chicago, IL)
Customer Success Stories
Women & Infants Hospital (Providence, RI) saw immediate improvements when they partnered with Cloverkey.
A real benefit to Cloverkey is working with the corporate leadership team. I’ve worked with Kim Schuler and Gwynne Gillette for many years, and they embrace the importance of the partnership – they are the true experts in gift shop management, and I would highly recommend any hospital to outsource their gift shop to this dynamic team. There is no ask that Cloverkey has not been able to accommodate; they are vested in the success of the gift shop and very much a part of our hospital community.
THE BEST DECISION WE’VE MADE
We were facing several issues with our gift shop, including limited hours of operation, underwhelming product selection, and delays with inventory replenishment. Cloverkey changed all that the day they opened! Cloverkey is a world-class retailer and has been a wonderful amenity to the hospital. Our relationship with the Cloverkey team is terrific – we have an open line of communication with their on-site gift shop staff and with their corporate office.
STEVE SILVA Vice President (Ret.), Care New England
STEVE SILVA Vice President (Ret.), Care New England
Moffitt Cancer Center (Tampa, FL) partnered with Cloverkey during the expansion of their nationally-recognized facilities.
THE CHALLENGE
Moffitt Cancer Center needed a partner they could depend on to operate their existing gift shop & add shops to new facilities as they opened
Focused on cutting-edge research and treatment, Moffitt Cancer Cente is one of only 73 National Cancer Institute-Designated cancer centers in the nation. Moffitt was looking for a retail partner to better support its fast-growing network of campuses within the Tampa, Florida area.
THE SOLUTION
Partnering with Cloverkey & its reliable corporate management team to ensure a consistent customer experience at all locations
When Moffitt selected Cloverkey to take over their existing gift shop, Cloverkey exceeded expectations by improving every facet of the business. The partnership continued to grow, with Moffitt quickly awarding Cloverkey the opportunity to design and operate a second gift shop at the brand new Moffitt McKinley Hospital campus – plus outpatient facilities.
THE RESULT
Several flourishing locations, includingthe Magnolia campus, McKinley Hospital, and other Moffitt facilities
The new & improved Magnolia campus gift shop opened October 2021. Less than two years later, Cloverkey unveiled a second gift shop at the Moffitt McKinley Hospital campus. Additional locations have followed, including an online only branded merchandise shop, and yearover-year growth continues to increase in all locations.
INCREASED SALES & CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
“The gift shop’s product selection is tailored to meet the needs of the entire Moffitt campus, with new merchandise introduced on a regular basis. Customers love the Moffitt-branded logo merchandise program, featuring premier apparel brands like North Face and Nike. Cloverkey’s free same-day delivery service has also played a key role in improving our patient and visitor experience.”
“I’m thrilled to share that annual gift shop sales are exceeding pre-pandemic levels. Bottom line, customer satisfaction has improved and revenue into Moffitt has increased – a winning combination! We couldn’t be more pleased with Cloverkey and we’re looking forward to many successful years ahead.”
LAWANDA BYRD Director of Volunteer & Retail Services, Moffitt Cancer Center
PARTNER SINCE HOSPITAL SYSTEM LOCATION HOSPITAL TYPE
October 2021
Moffitt
Tampa, FL Cancer Center
Moffitt Cancer Center and Cloverkey share the same goal of exemplary patient experience.
“The responsiveness of Cloverkey’s on-site and corporate management teams has been instrumental to the success of our gift shops. It is a true partnership, with all parties working towards the same goal of exemplary patient experience.”
LAWANDA BYRD Director of Volunteer & Retail Services, Moffitt Cancer Center
Texas Health Huguley Hospital selected Cloverkey to replace their previous gift shop operator.
THE CHALLENGE
Texas Health Huguley Hospital was experiencing quality & communication issues with its previous gift shop operator
Patient and visitor satisfaction declined when Texas Health Huguley Hospital started experiencing challenges with its previous gift shop operator. Quality issues, lackluster item assortments, abbreviated operating hours, and poor communication resulted in inefficiencies, missed opportunities, and ultimately, lost sales.
THE SOLUTION
Moving all gift shop operations to Cloverkey & overhauling the existing store design
Texas Health Huguley selected Cloverkey to restore the gift shop to the level of quality its customers expect. With the gift shop’s prominent location in the main lobby of the hospital, Cloverkey recognized the importance of visual merchandising. A full store redesign was implemented to make the gift shop a perfect complement to the elegant main lobby.
THEY’VE SET MY MIND AT EASE
THE RESULT
A new & improved gift shop with beautiful retail fixtures, an expertly-merchandised product selection & double-digit sales growth
The redesigned Texas Health Huguley Hospital gift shop opened on August 13th, 2021. A well-organized layout makes it easy for customers to find what they’re looking for, and the gift shop’s product selection is kept fresh with a continuous flow of new arrivals. The new store design maximizes sales per square foot — so much so that the gift shop is achieving double-digit growth.
“Having the gift shop right there in the lobby, Cloverkey knew it was very important to focus on merchandising. They brought in beautiful fixtures that highlighted the glass walls at the front of the shop. They put up signage that resembles our community — you see pictures of Fort Worth, you see pictures of Burleson, and it’s really exciting that they take that level of detail and put it within our walls.”
“There are certain products within a hospital that you need for patients. Great example — Cloverkey partnered with our therapy manager to get a hip & knee kit in the gift shop for our patients to purchase before they leave the hospital. Having that type of communication, as well as knowing and supporting what our customers are asking for, is astronomically different and very important to run a successful gift shop. Cloverkey has set my mind at ease. I’m thankful to be with a gift shop company that I know is my partner.”
MEGAN RHOADES
Administrative Director of Support Services, Texas Health Huguley Hospital
The new & improved Texas Health Huguley Hospital gift shop is achieving double-digit growth.
“Gift shop sales have never been stronger, tracking at double-digit increases. The gift shop is an important amenity to the hospital and has elevated the shopping environment for the entire THHH community.”
KATHERINE CORY Director of Food & Nutrition Services, Texas Health Huguley Hospital
The Friends of Strong Auxiliary at URMC Strong Memorial Hospital was looking for a partner they could entrust with their existing gift shop.
THE CHALLENGE
Strong Memorial Hospital’s internally-run gift shop struggled to operate profitably & keep up with market demands
The existing Friends of Strong gift shop struggled to operate profitably under the strains of increased labor costs. Managed internally by the volunteer organization, the gift shop was relegated to limited operating hours and a lackluster merchandise assortment. As the largest employer in Rochester, URMC understood the importance of serving their community with a gift shop that boosts employee morale and keeps customers happy.
THE SOLUTION
Outsourcing all gift shop operations to Cloverkey and its team of experienced industry leaders
After a thorough RFP process, the Friends of Strong selected Cloverkey to redesign and manage their gift shop. The Cloverkey team — including founders Mike, Lori & Justin Cohen and industry leaders Gwynne Gillette & Kim Schuler — flew out to Rochester to learn more about the local community and how the gift shop could better support that community. Cloverkey ultimately beat out the competition by demonstrating their expertise and passion for the niche industry of hospital gift shop management.
AN EXEMPLARY EXPERIENCE
THE RESULT
A thriving gift shop with expanded operating hours, an impressive merchandise selection & satisfied customers
The new Friends of Strong gift shop by Cloverkey opened in October 2023 to an enthusiastic reception by hospital staff, visitors, and patients. The new gift shop features expanded operating hours, including weekends and holidays. The shop’s merchandising mix was dramatically expanded; a robust logowear selection features several local initiatives and allows customers to showcase their Rochester pride. Existing gift shop staff was thrilled to roll over to the new & improved gift shop. And sales nearly doubled in the first year!
“We were concerned that there wouldn’t be any individuality in the gift shop. Cloverkey assured us that they were going to make it very personal to the Rochester area, and they’ve done just that. They’ve embraced everything about Rochester: they brought in ‘I Love Rochester’ apparel and all of our logo merchandise for the University of Rochester Medical Center. That was a huge component for us... we were very excited that we weren’t going to look like every other store.”
“Our experience with Cloverkey has been exemplary. They checked every box that I was looking for as an experienced retail person — that’s not easy to do — and then they checked some boxes that I didn’t even have.”
SANDRA ARBASAK
Director (Ret.) - Friends of Strong Memorial Hospital, University of Rochester Medical Center
PARTNER SINCE HOSPITAL SYSTEM LOCATION HOSPITAL TYPE
October 2023 University of Rochester Rochester, NY General Hospital
Today, the Friends of Strong gift shop by Cloverkey is thriving, with increased traffic, sales & customer satisfaction.
“The fact that Cloverkey was able to execute the new gift shop so perfectly, and keep us so happy — we’re one year in now and we couldn’t be more thrilled — that says everything.”
SANDRA ARBASAK
Director (Ret.) - Friends of Strong Memorial Hospital, University of Rochester Medical Center
