Retail on the Lake: A special kind of island vibe |
By Kristen Hampshire |
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Portability is key for Put-in-Bay island gifts so customers can easily transport what they purchase by ferry or personal watercraft.Photos: Bobbi Kowalski Offering visitors a selection of gifts so they can take home a bit of Put-in-Bay is the focus at Home Port, where owners Jason and Chris Cooper cater to island guests with nautical- and cottage-inspired decor. “We grew up coming here in summers, and my grandparents had a place here they bought back in the 1950s,” Cooper says of the family’s roots on the island. His parents retired to Put-in-Bay about 20 years ago, and shortly after the Cooper boys bought the local hardware store and relocated to the island from Cleveland, which is about an hour away. “We carry everything from coasters to wall art, tabletop gifts, quality soaps, decorative pillows and more,” Cooper says of the coastal inventory that targets lake visitors. And that’s different than stocking a shop on the ocean. “We don’t have salt,” he quips. “Navy and red is much more our vibe here — anchors, lighthouses, sailboats.” Sourcing freshwater findsWhen the Coopers scout for products at gift shows, they often find themselves explaining that the typical seaside fare is not necessarily a fit for Home Port. “One of the real challenges we have finding the right items is when we tell someone we are looking for ‘nautical,’ they show you everything with dolphins and crabs and salty this and that,” says Cooper.Sourcing niche products requires a combination of stocking the classics and mixing in fresh products. “A few years ago, everything had a blue anchor on it and we sold it like crazy, but that ran its course and we had to get creative,” Cooper says. “We can’t have the whole store covered in navy blue anchors.” “We don’t have salt. Navy and red is much more our vibe here — anchors, lighthouses, sailboats.” — Jason CooperLake love, on displayOverall, Cooper describes Home Port as having “a preppy, nautical vibe,” and the store stands out among retailers on the island by drawing in guests with an ever-changing exterior display. “We focus on larger things you can see from the parking lot like pillows, tote bags — we have a table set up and crates and you can see it from a distance so it encourages people to walk over here,” he says.Inside, display fixtures are painted white and include antique dressers, tables, shelves and other interesting pieces to showcase home goods. “With tabletop, you want to set up a vignette — something that makes people think, ‘I want to do that in our house,’” says Cooper. And because Home Port is one of the Cooper’s three gift shops, employees rotate among them and are well-versed in the offerings at the jewelry store, apparel shop and hardware/grocer if guests need some staples while they’re on the island. With Home Port, The Little Shop, Dock 421 and Island Hardware, the Coopers cover all the bases. They capture a range of business with niche-focused shops as opposed to a large store that tries to be everything to everyone. And by casting a wide net with retail opportunities in side-by-side stores, they can capitalize on tourism while it’s in season. |