New additions

By Kristin Ely

New additions bring excitement and opportunities.

Spring signals new beginnings, and here at Seaside Retailer, we’ve definitely been embracing that. For starters, Associate Editor Megan Smalley and I both welcomed new babies into our families in January, and despite a few sleepless nights, everyone is healthy and doing well!


Our family at Breakwall Publishing has also been growing with the addition of Lee White and Debby Nichols as sales managers.


And the newness doesn’t stop there! You may have noticed that we introduced some additional product sections to the magazine as well. Seaworthy Ideas now appears in the front pages of each issue to help inspire retailers with various products in popular beach, coastal and nautical categories. Surfboard- and lobster-themed products as well as outdoor and patio ideas are featured in this issue’s Seaworthy Ideas section beginning on page 16.


I’m sure we aren’t the only ones with something new happening this spring. For many seaside retailers, spring marks the beginning of the busy season. You are likely hard at work prepping your store and putting out all the new product offerings that you found during the fall and winter buying events in the hopes they will resonate with customers.


Many of you are also beginning to hire new team members to help during this busy time of year. Be sure to check out the article “Building an All-Star Team” on page 46 for some expert hiring advice from experienced retailers.


"I hope your store experiences growth and new possibilities in 2024."


Spring is also a time for renewal, and that isn’t just reserved for hydrangeas. We need your help renewing your subscription to Seaside Retailer once a year to meet U.S. Post Office requirements, and there are several easy ways to do it.


You can tear off and return the postcard that appears on the front of your issue, or if you have received an email from us asking you to confirm your subscription, you can confirm by simply clicking the confirmation link and making any updates. You can also go online to www.seasideretailer.com/subscribe. We sure appreciate having you as a reader and thank you for taking these steps to continue your subscription.
I am looking forward to seeing how our new additions grow and blossom this year, and I hope your store experiences growth and new possibilities in 2024.