When the going gets tough, the tough get going. That’s the message NICHE magazine’s 2009 Top Retailer Award winners are sending.
“I’m not interested in portraying the concern we all have about the economy with bare shelving and stale inventory,” explains Whitney Marsden, retail manager of Alternatives Museum Shop at the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts in Wilmington. “My goal is for patrons to be inspired by the ever-evolving environment.”
P.J. Heyman, owner
Boiling Springs, Pa.
Have you reduced your inventory levels? What needs to happen before you will feel comfortable increasing your inventory levels?
I don’t carry high inventory levels because of our very limited storage space. I’m more comfortable ordering inventory for just-in-time delivery, but am increasing orders specifically for the holiday season.
Carolyn Luce, owner
Winter Park, Fla.
How do this year’s sales compare to recent years’? Are you seeing a consistent decline or a slow improvement?
As is true of other parts of our country, Florida has been very deeply hurt this past year by the economic collapse. Last fall, we began to partner with our artists, our landlord, our advertisers and our customers to find the most effective ways to get through these times.
