A vibrant floor-to-ceiling wall of 100% cotton Turkish beach towels on a custom display captures attention from passersby. The showpiece entices beachgoers and tourists to get a second look of what’s in store at Riviera Towel Company store in the Sevilla Square hub of Santa Barbara, California.
Glass garage doors allow the colorful towel display to pop like art. In many ways, these towels are utilitarian fashion accessories and home decor pieces, doubling as decorative throws that make great gifts.
“We stage them on mannequins in the store windows as scarves, wraps and sarongs, and we roll them into neat tubes that are 10 inches long and 3 inches thick and display them in baskets or stands,” says Albert DiPadova, co-owner of Riviera Towel Company’s wholesale division.
Shaka Love shows off some sustainable beach towels, rolled up in a wicker basket display.
On the wall, magnetic hangers on the display’s pulley system present the towels as if they’re airy flags, showing their larger-than-standard size: 70 inches by 40 inches.
Shannon DiPadova heads up the wholesaler’s flagship boutique, which has expanded to carry resortwear, beach bags and coastal lifestyle products by Merci, along with jewelry and handbags by ink+alloy. The towels lure in visitors who are inspired by the thoughtful displays.
Portable, packable, practical — these are just a few reasons seaside retailers should stock a variety of towels and display them to suggest multiple uses.
Amy Connelly, owner of Shaka Love, a Laguna Hills, California-based business producing sustainable beach lifestyle products, says, “People really like the fact that they can use our Turkish towels as a wrap or blanket, and they look cute over a bathing suit because they can be tied in many different, fun ways.”
Many times, the purchase is a necessity, adds Sarah Cullen, who owns the souvenir store B.I. Tees and gift boutique Solstice with her husband, John. The shops are next door to each other on Block Island, off the coast of Rhode Island. The vibes are completely different, along with the types of towels each store offers.
“In Solstice, people buy them for gifts and at B.I. Tees, it’s a need-based purchase because people forgot their towel or need an extra one, along with some sunscreen,” says Cullen.
Christina Gray, founder of Beached, has introduced a new line of towels from Wild Delights featuring exclusive hand-drawn prints inspired by travel, nature and wildlife. She compares the attractive utility of a beach towel to a kitchen cloth. She says, “They’re made to work but look really good while doing it.”
Stocking a selection
B.I. Tees is heavy in name drop, with most visitors seeking vacation souvenirs and beach gear like towels and hats emblazoned with Block Island. “That store is everything Block Island, from T-shirts to stickers and drinkware,” Cullen says.
Customization rules, and there are a couple of ways this is accomplished, says Connelly. Shaka Love adds name drop to its available designs, ideal for lower minimum orders. “Also, we can completely create a scene or design of their choosing, which is woven into the design, not printed. This gives the towels a luxury, lush feel,” she says.
Aside from name-drop options, offering a range of beach towel price points allows customers to find reasonable items they want or need. The Cullens offer 100% cotton terry and Turkish towels by A to Z Towels at B.I. Tees and Solstice, but the boutique offering is more elevated and aligns with other brands in the shop, such as LOLA and Stephanie Wolf jewelry, Helly Hansen’s nautical-themed apparel and accessories, along with Coolibar and Johnnie-o.
At Solstice, Cullen displays towels in wicker baskets that inherently suggest a use beyond the beach. In B.I. Tees, towels are rolled and tucked into a playful cooler display. Both shops require daily restocking during the busy summer season.
Shannon DiPadova notices the time of year can also dictate customers’ towel color preferences. “We sell brighter colors during spring and summer and more neutrals in the fall and winter,” she says.
Albert says stocking colors is “inverted logic” because a rainbow is necessary for an attractive display that lures in customers. The same is true with towel patterns.
Solstice displays beach towels along with complementary products like outdoor apparel and caps.
“There are standard designs that have been around forever and everyone loves them,” Albert says of the Essential slim-lined stripe.
Gray says towels that “tell a story and serve a purpose” include locally inspired designs that feature coastal wildlife or tropical foliage. “Offering variety in pattern and consistency in quality build trust with shoppers,” she says.
Sales strategies
Aside from creating merchandising moments with displays, engaging customers in conversation about how they’ll use the towels can help direct purchases, Shannon says. “Most people are buying our towels for the beach, pool or outdoors, and we also sell them to people who will use them indoors,” she relates. “Others are looking for a souvenir or gift.”
Gray speaks to multi-use double towels for two. “These can be integrated in many areas of your life and are perfect for a picnic, boating, concerts and more,” she says.
Albert adds that offering “buy three, get $10 off” deals always help to increase bag size as well.
Sustainability is an important selling point for retail customers who seek out products with a purpose, Connelly adds.
Shaka Love’s Turkish towels use 95% less water than a standard-loop towel — amounting to a 3,000-
gallon savings per towel. Connelly says, “We are seeing more people gravitate toward wanting to make sure they are doing the right thing for the environment.”
