Special Resort Section

jewelry—Elizabeth Locke, Temple St. Clair, JudeFrances, and Monica Rich Kossan—are kept in a locked cabinet manned by an associate, so people must ask for assistance with those items.” Alex Morales , director of Group Sales at Chetola Resort at Blowing Rock in Blowing Rock, N.C., said as gift shop manager, a top priority was making the inventory more visible and accessible to customers. “One thing I did was to display them in different areas of the shop and on different mannequins. When people saw the entire look pulled together by the jewelry, all pieces sold,” she recalled.

Ruth Casella , retail manager of Great Things Boutique at The Lodge at Woodloch in Hawley, Pa., said sharing the story of a particular brand or piece of jewelry helps to boost sales. “We love sharing the background and meaning of each of our jewelry lines that always helps in the sales process. People want to buy with intention, especially when it is something special like jewelry. Of course, quality and source are also shared with the customers to help further personalize the item and solidify why it is a great purchase.” Eva St. Pierre , spa director at Inn by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, said they rely on quality over quantity when it comes to selling jewelry. With a limited amount of selling space (approximately 15 square feet, comprised of three shelves), they put the idea of “less is more” into practice. “We don’t have a lot of space, so we end up being somewhat creative. We don’t put everything out. We do like to support local and push the local wares. We sell a lot of Maine Shellware. Getting those local vendors in, or at the very least getting a vendor who specializes in coastal products or Maine-based products…we try to seek out that local business or items which are perceived as local. Things that represent the area or state—they sell well. People want something to remind them of their stay. They don’t want things they can find anywhere. Sustainability is what Inn by the Sea is all about. Working with local vendors is the best way to go about that. Support the community.” Laughridge said Atlanta is

Continued on page 94

Methods for Successful (From page 93)

the closest big city to the Old Edwards Inn, and the resort works with many Atlanta-based vendors: “We love that close connection. Sometimes the designer’s friends will come in and see their jewelry.” She adds ali & bird, one of their most popular brands, is an Atlanta-based company.

For merchandising, retailers rely on a few successful strategies. Laughridge strongly believes in grouping brands. “We have a lot of people who are very loyal to specific brands,” she explained. “For instance, we sell a lot of [the brand] ali & bird. We have it all together so people who follow that brand know where to go. If we keep everything together it is easier to sell things as a set. We will have things placed throughout the store but arranged by vendor, so the customer can get the earrings, necklace, and bracelet all at the same time. It also makes it easier for gifting—the customer can buy the entire set and give it as a gift.” Wedel also groups by brand: “I keep each brand in a

Top Jewelry Theft Prevention Tips

Retailers must always be aware of and prepared for the possible risk of theft. With this in mind, store managers and operators utilize different techniques to prevent theft, particularly of jewelry and other higher-priced items.

“Display jewelry in a highly visible, high traffic area near the check out registers,” said Chris Wedel, buyer for Inn at the Tides in Bodega Bay, Calif. “I keep the pricier brands under glass and have the lower price point items on the counter.”

“Always have a staff member present,” said Holly M. Laughridge, director of Retail and Purchasing and manager of the Acorns shop at Old Edwards Inn and Spa in Highlands, N.C. “They don’t have to hover, but they have to be around and aware of what’s going on. [Also] acknowledging that people are looking at the jewelry—just make the customer aware that the staff member does see them and are there to help.”

Alex Morales, director of Group Sales at Chetola Resort at Blowing Rock in Blowing Rock, N.C., said they rely on monthly inventory to track the merchandise and try to keep the items as close to the register as possible. Ruth Casella, retail manager of Great Things Boutique at The Lodge at Woodloch in Hawley, Pa., said her team also keeps the small and valuable items near the register and always in line of sight.

With such a small retail space, Eva St. Pierre, spa director at Inn by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, said it is fairly easy for them to track the items. “My best tip is eyes on the product! Keep an eye on the product and the inventory that you have and how much you have of something. With such a small selection of inventory, you can tell if and when something is missing.” ❖ collection. I don’t try to mix and match the brands—let each brand speak for itself. It’s easier on the customers’ eye.” When merchandising, Wedel noted, “My displays are simple and uncluttered, with neutral backdrops so the pieces pop.” Keeping with the philosophy of The Lodge at Woodloch, Great Things Boutique takes its cue from nature when merchandising items within its 650-squarefoot space: “We use tree branches beautifully arranged in a large vase to display our necklaces …helping to bring the outside in. We love to showcase how nature nurtures …and often our jewelry is highlighting our components of our natural surroundings as well which makes everything pull together very organically,” Casella explained. Morales said they merchandise around themes in their 1,600-squarefoot shop: “We try to focus our displays on the seasons. We do a summer display, fall, and winter. We also try to incorporate the holidays and items that can pair together. For example, in the summer we do a picnic theme display with our tumblers, logo picnic blankets, and other outdoor pieces.”

It has been difficult to pinpoint style trends over the past year. Many women left their best jewelry in their armoire as dressing down became the norm. People were staying home or close to home because so many getaways and special events were postponed or cancelled due to COVID. This year, however, retailers are starting to notice some buying patterns. “Classic pieces which can be worn everyday is a big trend,” Laughridge said. “This whole pandemic has changed people’s buying habits. Instead of buying one thing for one outfit, people are buying things that they can wear with multiple outfits to multiple events.” Wedel noted: “I’m not sure what the industry trend is, but we are selling a lot of beaded jewelry as well as jewelry made from natural elements such as stones, abalone shell, sea glass, and turquoise. We also have a line of sea life birthstone and initial jewelry that

Continued on page 96