Seaside retailers enjoyed a busy peak 2021 season with many reporting record years. The World Travel & Tourism Council reports U.S. travel and tourism sector predicted year-over-year growth of 35.6% in 2021. That momentum is expected to continue into 2022 with the travel sector in the U.S. expected to grow by another 28.4%, reaching nearly $2 trillion of the U.S. economy for a contribution exceeding pre-pandemic levels.
And stores in beach communities can be ready for the influx of travelers by providing them with all the items they’ll need to make their beach vacations extra enjoyable.
Steve Sciuto, sales manager for New Hampshire based beach supply distributer Mutual Sales, says the last two years have been the biggest in the company’s more than 70-year history.
“I think it is going to be another tremendous year,” he says of the coming 2022 season. “We’ve received more preorders than any other year in the past.”
Filling shelves
He attributes the flood of orders to the shortage in merchandise many retailers experienced in 2021. He anticipates continued issues with merchandise supplies as he says many distributors have cut back on what they are importing because of increased freight costs.
“Prices of product have actually come down significantly,” he says. “Thirty years ago we were selling a basic beach umbrella that retailed for $29.99. Now they retail for $9.99 to $14.99.”
His advice to retailers is to place their orders early. Coupled with the supply chain crisis, is an electricity shortage in China, which Sciuto says has limited the manufacturing capabilities of many factories. They are only operating two or three days per week.
As for what retailers should be ordering, according to Sciuto, beach games are where it’s at. Among the games fairing well are pickleball and a game called Pro Kadima on the East Coast that also called Smash Ball on the West Coast. Bocce is also popular as are the flying discs, volleyballs and footballs.
“Over the last few years, cornhole has also become a pretty good item for us,” he says.
But the most popular item for Mutual Sales are by far the body boards. “It’s a fun, inexpensive way to play in the water,” he says. “They are probably our number one beach item.”
Inflatables are also selling like crazy. Flamingos are the number one seller for Mutual Sales and unicorns aren’t far behind.
Towels and more
Marcel Schneider of A to Z Towels/YSMS LLC and a Dohler/Copa distributor carries a variety of beach towels, beach chairs, umbrellas, coolers boogie boards, anchors, beach toys and sunscreens.
His group of companies has launched a beach stool in 2022 that he thinks is going to be a big hit.
“It’s made of aluminum so it is very light to carry, its compact and accessible,” he says.
Coolers are another product Schneider says customers will want to take with them to the beach as it will save them money over buying beverages from a concession stand.
Towels in general are a staple of a beach store, and Schneider says retailers can never go wrong with blue. “Towels with different blues are in style. They always have been but they are getting the spotlight again,” he says. “Landscapes, beach scenes and cabana designs are timeless classics.”
Another highly functional item is A to Z Towels’ sand-free beach mat, which Schneider describes as compact and easy to carry and will fit the whole family on one mat.
Serene sitting
Having a chair to sit on while at the beach is a very comfortable way to lounge. The trouble is they can be a pain to carry. Just ask Scott Lachapelle and Will Sherman. The two cousins came up with the concept of Bumruk living in West Palm Beach, Florida, during the pandemic. Sherman moved to West Palm Beach to live with his cousin for the summer when his internship in Nantucket was cancelled, and Lachapelle, whose day job was a pilot, didn’t have any work for the entire month of June 2020.
The extra free time had them riding their bikes to the beach a lot. The problem was that when they arrived, there was no place to sit.
“We eventually came up with the idea for Bumruk,” says Lachapelle.
“We were like, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if our backpack became our seat?” says Sherman.
Sherman and Lachapelle ordered several chairs to see how they were made. A local wetsuit manufacturer created a custom skin for the product.
“And then we sewed a backpack onto that skin and from there we took it to China and manufactured it, and we thought, wouldn’t it be nice if the backpack zips on and off the back of the chair and functions as a standalone backpack?” says Sherman.
The two also thought a towel holder added to the bottom of the product would make a nice feature to keep sandy towels separated from the rest of the bag contents.
“The first day we had a handful of orders. The second day we almost doubled it and the third day we are also writing orders,” reported Sherman during the show. “The reception has been great, which is awesome to hear because we worked hard on it.”
Some beach chairs on the market today are becoming much more sophisticated than the basic designs of the past. Sunflow was created to make every beach day better. Its most popular chair is called The Beach Bundle.
“It is a thoughtfully designed, innovative beach chair with our UPF 50 retractable sun shade, an adjustable/collapsible drink holder, a water resistant dry bag and a sand free towel that attaches to the chair,” describes Felicia Marie Geller, executive vice president of sales and marketing.
Similar to Bumruk, The Beach Bundle allows you to carry everything you need to the beach on your back, leaving you hands free or able to ride your bike.
And how about rocking in that chair? GCI Outdoor’s foldable rocking chair with SunShade lets customers rock, relax and rotate the SPF SunShade from front to back to stay protected from the sun, or collapse it when you’re ready to catch some rays.
Laying down also isn’t a bad way to relax outdoors at a beach home. ENO is launching a mesh-body backyard spreader bar hammock in January called SuperNest SL.
“It’s perfect for beachside residents to relax in the comfort of their backyard,” says Laura Wallenta, ENO marketing director. “The hammock features nature-inspired colorways, an exceptionally breathable mesh body, plush pillows, and 3D contoured design, which comes together to create a refreshing experience so users can stay cool and comfy and enjoy the summer breeze season after season.”
Happy heads
And speaking of comfort, one of the biggest sources of discomfort for people laying out on their beach towels is their heads. The Airstreem Pillow was conceived on the beaches of South Carolina some six years ago.
After observing various people rolling up beach towels, sweatpants and other items to form a pillow, it occurred to Brooke Hawkins that there had to be a better solution for comfort while relaxing at the beach or pool.
“From this thought, and through various renditions, it finally morphed into the Airstreem Pillow,” Hawkins says. “My product provides a comfortable elevation to your head and shoulders while reclining at the beach or by the pool courtesy of the wedge-shaped design. It is even a desirable product for camping trips and various uses at home.”
The lightweight pillow, weighing 9 ounces fully inflated, is made from flocked vinyl surrounded by a soft, comfortable mesh to allow airflow throughout the pillow to help prevent or reduce heat or sweat. It also has a dual valve design to allow for easy inflation and deflation.
Better beverages
When Dawn Brooks, co-owner of Muggiez tells people to “Get a handle on their drinking,” she doesn’t mean they have a drinking problem. She literally means to put a handle on their beverage.
“We are a true universal handle in the sense that there is more that we do fit than what we don’t fit,” she says. The proprietary rubber handle comes in a variety of colorful designs and name drops are also an option. Two cords at the top and bottom of the handle stretch to fit snugly around different shaped beverage containers, including travel mugs, beer cans and bottles.
The handle helps keep drinks colder longer because warm hands don’t have to touch them. They’re also a big hit with moms who are always holding drinks for their kids. Now they can use the handles to hook the drink containers onto their kids’ bags when they are heading to the beach or the zoo.
People like to order them as Christmas gifts because they make a good stocking stuffer and you can purchase a different color for everyone in the family.
“It’s also the versatility of everyone being able to keep up with their drink and know which one is theirs as well,” says Brooks.
Bars and tables
No drink at the beach can be enjoyed to its fullest if there isn’t a sturdy place to set it down. Beachably manufactures portable, unique, lightweight and sustainable beach tables that are locally made in Laguna Beach, California.
“Everyone wants their core items out of the sand. This compact table allows you to keep your water bottle, phone and snacks sand free,” explains Tanya Spence-Spangler, president and founder of Beachably.
The tables, available in three designs, require no assembly. A spike that stakes into the sand keeps the table steady and secure. At 12 inches wide, the tables can be carried by their integrated handle or in a travel pack.
“Multiple seaside retailers along the southern coast of California are stocking the tables,” says Spence-Spangler. “They are also great gifts for the beachgoer who has it all. The tables would be a perfect compliment to a beachside store.”
“The Aquabar is a true floating bar designed for hours of entertainment,” says Don Newhall, CEO of Aquabar. “Because of its design, it is virtually impossible to flip over so you can enjoy all your favorite beverages without even getting out of the water.”
Made from durable expanded polypropylene, the design includes six bottle compartments down the middle with six shot glass holes on each side enclosed by a barrier that keeps any items from falling off the bar while in the water.
Aquabar has a tether on the bottom of the bar so it can be anchored anywhere.
“While on the beach, you can keep this in the water, on your boat, strapped to your waist, etc.,” says Newhall. “This is a great gift for those who enjoy water activities.”
Smart sunscreen
Of course no trip to the beach is complete without some form of sun protection, and why not help customers do it in a way that also protects the oceans they love? Maui Vera’s newest Clear Mineral Sunscreen is designed to defend against the sun’s harmful rays while also protecting the environment.
“Knowing the environmental impact that chemical sunscreens have on Hawaii’s reefs, we designed a reef-friendly formula,” says David McCord. “It was important for Maui Vera to prevent further damage to our environment as well as design a clean chemical-free solution for sun protection. Our focus was to formulate an everyday sunscreen that does not contain oxybenzone and octinoxate.”
Leaving an impression
Everyone from men, women and children like to have a pair of flip flops to wear at the beach because they are easy to slip on and off. FlipSidez made its debut to retailers at the 2021 Grand Strand Gift and Resort Expo in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, in December.
The personalized custom flip flops leave imprints in the sand with every step. Made in the USA, every pair is handcrafted to order with the desired design, size, colors and imprint that can be anything from a name drop to a positive phrase.
“We’ve been doing this since 2013, selling on the internet,” says Brad Karasik, managing partner, FlipSidez. “This show is our first entry into retail. We can do localization and very low minimums because we do mass customization, so a retailer can buy 25 pairs instead of 100.”
Keeping shelves stocked this summer may be extra challenging with the expected influx of tourism combined with lingering supply chain issues. But by maintaining a good relationship with vendors and planning early, you’ll be able to offer customers the perfect products to enhance their day at the beach.
