Be resourceful and take action.To say that these last few months have been nerve-wracking is an understatement. As brick-and-mortar retailers, you are no strangers to challenges. You have to deal with competition from neighboring businesses and online retailers on a daily basis. And it wasn’t that long ago, during the COVID-19 pandemic, you had to close your doors for months and greatly revolutionize the way you interacted with customers when you were able to finally reopen. Then you faced shipping delays as a result of the pandemic to boot.
But you survived. And while things may seem especially stressful now, with proper planning and execution, you will weather this storm too. Being a coastal retailer requires resourcefulness and smarts to attract tourists and locals to your store and to offer attractive merchandise at affordable prices and still make enough to pay the bills and yourself. It’s not always easy, but luckily Seaside Retailer magazine is here to help.
If you ever need some inspiration, this issue’s cover story, “A Ripple Effect” (page 26) should be all you need. Rob Kobrzynski and his wife Christine Pucciarello saw an opportunity to fill a void with souvenirs representing Lake Wallenpaupack and that has led to two other retail business opportunities.
If that isn’t enough to get you motivated, perhaps one of our expert columnists can do the trick. Michael Hale has advice for merchandising beach gear (page 14). Tom Borg shares ways you can collaborate with other businesses in the area to create inviting shopping experiences (page 16), and Cathy Donovan Wagner talks about the importance of email marketing (page 78).
If you are still needing a boost, maybe you’ll want to find out about that next cool item to carry in your store that will be irresistible to your customers. In that case, check out our Seaworthy Ideas beginning on page 18. And if tapping into trends is what you are craving, then you’ll want to check out our home decor coverage (page 32) and our jewelry coverage (page 44).
We are all looking for ways we can be more brilliant in our businesses. And there’s no better time than the present to get moving on those items that will help ensure your store’s longevity. So get to work, and we’ll keep giving you ideas that will spark positive action. |
