Starfish Award Winner: The Marine Mammal Center Gift Shop

By Megan Smalley

The Marine Mammal Center promotes gifts that give.

Photo: Gina Risso

Every year, about 50,000 people visit The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California, which is the world’s largest marine mammal hospital.


“We rescue sea lions, harbor seals and sea otters up the California coastline,” says Michelle Honath, retail and marketing operations manager.


She adds, “The store is an extension of The Marine Mammal Center’s mission. Every purchase helps fund marine mammal rescue, rehabilitation, research and education while supporting businesses that share our values.”



Gifts that give

All proceeds at the store go back to support animals and causes at The Marine Mammal Center. Honath says the store’s popular Adopt-A-Seal rescue kits both support animals at the center and help customers take the memory home.


“People who shop with us want to give back and want to make a difference.” — Michelle Honath, Retail and Marketing Operations Manager


“We partnered with Call For The Wild on that,” she says. “They developed the plush, and we created a custom cardboard crate that says ‘Adopt-A-Seal’ on it and our logo. It’s a really cute way for kids to feel like they’re taking an animal home.”



Inclusive in nature

Honath and her team at the gift shop also find creative ways to incorporate diversity, equity and inclusion in the store as a way to promote smaller vendors and artists from the area. Several times a year, the store displays DEI merchandise for various groups, from Pride Month to Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.


“It’s important to celebrate different voices,” Honath says. “We want to have these voices in the store all year long.”



Care and compassion

Honath says she first got involved with The Marine Mammal Center many years ago out of compassion for the animals. Many visitors also have a heart for the animals and want to help any way they can — even if it’s by purchasing something from the gift shop.


“People who shop with us want to give back and want to make a difference,” says Honath. “They know they aren’t just buying something but they are supporting our mission. It’s rewarding.


She adds, “Customers are giving back, and I’m giving back. It’s a fun circle of giving back.”



Winner: The Marine Mammal Center Gift Shop



Location: Sausalito, CA



Retail Manager: Michelle Honath



Starfish Awards recognize retail stores in our industry that are making a difference through charitable donations and efforts. Is your store worthy of an award? We’d love to hear from you! Complete an entry form at www.seasideretailer.com/starfish-award.