cliff price gift review winter 2015

STYLE FORHOME AND

ENTER TAINING

Magnolia Lane

Dennis East

Candlewarmers

Totally Bamboo

Design Design Glory Haus

Mystique Candles Thirstystone

WINTER 15 www.cliffprice.com | www.cliffpricetoo.com | #DMCgifts |

New Vendor Spotlight | View the Latest Products

GIFT REVIEWPresented by Cliff Price & Company and Cliff Price Too, Dallas’ Premier Gift Showrooms

Look for me January 13-20 at Dallas Market

Available at Cliff Price & Company, Suite 1860, (800) 560-4438, [email protected] at Cliff Price & Company, Suite 1860, (800) 560-4438, [email protected]

Over 1,000 Gift, Drug & Hardware Stores Joined During 2014 Is your store part of the Chemical-Free Cleaning Movement yet?

or the past 30 months, chemical-freecleaning with e-cloth® is experienc-ing triple-digit growth and has

shown no signs of slowing. In 2014, 400 giftstores, 250 card stores, 150 hospital giftstores, 160 neighborhood pharmacies and90 local hardware stores joined the chemi-cal-free cleaning movement. Chemical-freecleaning is new and trending, AND it is alsobetter for your family and safe for the envi-ronment.

Chemical-free cleaning is a worldwidemovement. This movement is in the earlystages in the U.S. but was started in the UKin 1995. e-cloth® is the worldwide leader inthis movement. The e-cloth® assortmentof task specific cleaning products makes itpossible to clean any hard surface in thehome with just water and a cloth. Customersoften try one cloth and then come backagain and again to build their collection.

What is chemical-free cleaning?It is a lifestyle change. It is choosing to

clean without toxic chemicals, without sacri-ficing the results you expect. Recent studiesshow that more than 25% of the populationis aware of the dangers of household clean-ing chemicals and are actively reading labelsand seeking alternatives. Many of thesepeople are the same people that shop yourstore every day.

How do e-cloth®s Work? e-cloth®s have 1.6 million fibers per

square inch. Why are fibers important? Dirt,oil, grease, grime and bacteria are trappedby the fibers and oil and water are attractedto the fibers — the more fibers the better thecloth performs. Think of it as millions of tinyhands grabbing everything on the surface ofyour countertop or sink. By spraying a sur-face with water, the cloth acts as a magnetwhile the millions of fibers scrape the sur-face. The result is a clean that you have toexperience to believe.

Another major benefit of using an e-cloth— the cloths are proven to remove over 99%of bacteria using just water and a cloth. Thecloths don’t kill bacteria, but collect bacteriafrom surfaces. When you run this cloth underhot water in your sink, nearly all the bacteria,is released from the cloth. Just rinse andcontinue cleaning.

With an e-cloth®, windows and mirrorsget a crystal clear clean, the glass is left lint-free and streak-free. Stainless steel surfacesare smudge and fingerprint free. Kitchensurfaces from countertops to sinks, stoves,and microwaves all clean up quickly andcompletely using just an e-cloth and water.

e-cloth really is a better cloth and a bet-ter clean. Still not convinced? We stand be-hind our products 100% and if a customerisn’t satisfied, we’ll refund their money. If ane-cloth disappoints within 300 washes, we’llreplace it.

Join the Chemical-free Cleaning Move-ment today!

F“A Man came into our store and watched the video. Then

he purchased a Stainless Steel Cloth. Two days later he came in,walked right up to me behind the counter and gave me a big hugsaying his stainless steel kitchen had never been cleaner. His wife just stood there shaking her head.”

Liz – Bethany Sea Crest, Bethany Beach, DE

“We just recently brought in e-cloth and it is sellingvery well, better than we had expected. The companyis flexible and easy to work with.”

Dan - The Cupboard, Fort Collins, CO

“ ”

“ ”

e-cloth® Kitchen Pack

Available at Cliff Price & Company, Suite 1860, (800) 560-4438, [email protected] Available at Cliff Price & Company, Suite 1860, (800) 560-4438, [email protected] at Cliff Price & Company, Suite 1860, (800) 560-4438, [email protected]

e-cloth®

Performance Proven — Video Floor Display is the Best Way to Sell e-cloth®

e-cloth® Must Haves!

• On average, stores with an e-cloth® Video Floor Display enjoy sales of $3,500/sq ft of fixture foot print — that’s only two turns of the fixture and the best e-cloth® retailers do 4-5 turns per year

• Fixture and Video are provided FREE with purchase of the stock that fills it

• Only e-cloth® best sellers are placed on this fixture — if something doesn’t work, we’ll find something that will

Strong Selling Support Program• FREE Kitchen Pack provided to key store associates and

volunteers for use at home• In person, webinar or online training programs to ensure your

staff knows how to sell e-cloth®

• 50% off Coupon Code provided for use on www.ecloth.comso store associates and volunteers can purchase any e-cloth®

at a discount for personal use — the more e-cloths® associates and volunteers personally use, the more you will sell in your store

• Store listed in e-cloth’s® online Store Locator• Store Cleaning Kit supplied free-of-charge to each store to have

you save money by reducing the cost of your cleaning supplies

Item #10423V e-cloth® Video Floor Display Stand 135 CT, holds Top 15 Best Sellers. Size: 22.5”W x 16”D x 70.5”H

5”W x 6”D x 10”H to top of headerRemoves fingerprints, stubborn marks, oil,grime and over 99% ofbacteria off all types oflenses and frames

Item #10623CDU 20 CT

Eye GlassesCloth

5”W x 6”D x 10”H to top of headerRemoves make-up, fingerprints, smudges, oil,and over 99% of bacteriafrom cellphones, iPads,iPods and e-readers

Item #10625CDU 15 CT

Personal Electronics Cleaning Cloth

603-661-4101 • [email protected] • www.ecloth.com

Visit for a demo& pick up your FREE sample at Cliff Price & CoDallas Trade Mart#1860

2 • Giftreview • Winter 15 www.cliffprice.com

Available at Cliff Price & Company, Suite 1860, (800) 560-4438, [email protected]

Features 10 Sensible or Stylish? Both Please!

Who says you have to choose between functionality and beauty when it comes to your home and entertaining there?

18 Profile: The Accidental Retailer 22 Profile: A Story of Hope

Departments 2 Cliff Notes 4 New Vendor Spotlight 16 Dining Guide

Don’t miss our Elf on the Shelf promotion!

VIPs at Cliff Price’s ShowroomsCliff Notes

Cliff Price & Company and Cliff Price Too 2100 Stemmons Freeway Dallas, TX 75207 Office: (214) 744-4438 Fax: (214) 742-4438 www.cliffprice.com; www.cliffpricetoo.com

madison/miles mediaPresident: Adam WeissEditor: Wendy AngelArt Director: Ben Carpenter

Gift Review is published by madison/miles media, 624 Six Flags Drive, Suite 226, Arlington Texas 76011, 817-908-PUBS (7827). Visit www.madisonmilesmedia.com or e-mail [email protected] for more information. Copyright 2014 Cliff Price & Co.

GIFT REVIEWDallas’ Premier Gift Showrooms

Thomas Nelson Publishers

We get this magazine to you in advance of the Winter Market

so you can get a jumpstart on your purchases. We’re also let-

ting you get a physical jumpstart on your orders with our VIP

shopping day January 13. Contact us now to book your appointment.

As spring orders get underway, take a look at the home entertaining

feature. Items that used to be so straightforward and purpose-driven

are now showcases for style. See how playing to this trend can help you

sell more for spring and summer entertaining.

Retailers relate to each other like no others — you share the same

challenges and joys. In this issue, read about two stores that have so

much to give, both charitably and to their customers.

And while the holiday season is wrapping up, the Elf on a Shelf tradition

is carrying over to our January Market. You can browse the new products

from Glory Haus that feature the elf, and look for this new VIP’s hiding

places in the showroom to win a gift certificate to one of Dal-

las’ premier restaurants. See page 16 for details.

We’re look forward to seeing you in our showrooms

in January!


Anju Jewelry

Rough-hewn surfaces combined with organic designs set Anju’s

collection apart. Hand-crafted in India and sold at affordable prices

in more than 3,000 shops nationwide, the pieces aim to make

gallery-worthy jewelry accessible. New additions to the collection

include leather cuffs featuring the company’s distinctive mixed-

metal ornaments, and a line of pewter cuffs and earrings etched

with intricate floral designs.

Elly Preston

Well-known for handmade jewelry and watches featuring semi-pre-

cious gemstones, freshwater pearls, Austrian crystals and genuine

leather, Elly Pres-

ton has a 2015

line that include

scarves, sandals,

headbands and

handbags using

similar all-natural

materials. The

new, expanded

line is designed to

create a coordi-

nated look. “All the pieces work together in a color story and create

a really nice merchandising statement,” said owner Elly Preston.

“Just add the dress — everything else you need is right there and

goes together.”

Urban Oxide

It’s tough to be all things to all people, yet handbags are expected to

fill that role. A bag must be the right size and color, and able to hold

up under daily use — but have a sense of style. Since its re-launch

last year, Hobo’s

Urban Oxide line

has been pleasing

customers with

reasonably priced,

stylish commuter

bags made from

durable man-made

material. Says

Koren Ray, chief

visionary officer,

“Urban Oxide is an

expansion of what

the brand has been

doing well for 10

years. By updating our original designs with fresh colors and new

tech materials, we have created the perfect handbag for everyday

urban living.”

Indulgent Confections

This wholesaler has come a long way from its roots as a maker of

all-natural caramel popcorn. The latest line from Indulgent Con-

fections includes eight gourmet treats in soft-touch packaging

designed to convey the luxuriousness of the product. A mixture

of chocolate clusters and barks, the new line features Chocolate

Caramel Popcorn, Almond & Raspberry Bark, Almond Cluster, Dark

Chocolate Tart Cherry, Caramelized Nut Mix, Cinnamon Toffee

Almond, Pecan Praline, and Blueberry & Pomegranate Nut Crunch.

New Vendor Spotlight

New for 2015Hand-crafted jewelry, fashionable boot socks, game-day apparel, all-natural plant-based cleaning products and more — check out what’s new this season at Cliff Price and Cliff Price Too!

PRODUCTS AVAILABLE IN THE CLIFF PRICE SHOWROOMSSuites 1860 and 1610 in the Dallas Trade Mart

Urban Oxide

Elly Preston

Anju Jewelry

www.cliffpricetoo.com Winter 15 • Giftreview • 5


Bows Arts

Found in high-end retail-

ers and boutiques around

the world, Bows Arts hair

accessories are made in

Chicagoland to stay where

they are placed, even on

infants.

The line includes bows,

flowers, headbands, stretch

headbands, stackable

bows, and clips featuring

206 shades of ribbon and

the widest selection of

organdy in the world. The

family-run business adds

20 or more new designs to the line each spring and offers unparal-

leled customer service to store owners.

Leather Ware

Leather Ware offers a variety of leather apparel and accessories

for men, women and kids with a twist — favorite NFL team logos

are embossed or stitched onto each product. Choose from rugged,

glitzy and vintage styles in products such as belts, work boots, cow-

boy boots, flip-flops, travel kits and duffel bags. Stylish bracelets

are available in a variety of designs such as rhinestone glitz, wrap,

concho cuff and foiled leather.

ThermoServ

Introducing the ThermoServ Mix ‘n Match tableware and drinkware

collections. Combining bold geometric and organic patterns, this

season offers a move toward the cooler and softer side of the color

spectrum that’s perfect for casual dining. An eclectic, ethereal mix

of understated brights and

nature-like neutrals take cen-

ter stage from daydreams of

simpler times. Clean, vivid

and designed to mix with

all tastes and styles, the

Stripe collection shown is a

favorite from parties to ev-

eryday dining. Shown here in

Wind, these 100% melamine

plates, bowls, trays, platters

and vessels are also available

in Earth and Water.

Bows Arts

ThermoServ


Bootights

Boots are a staple

in today’s wardrobe,

but they’re tough on

hosiery. That’s the

challenge behind the

success of Bootights:

a performance sock

attached to tights to

keep feet warm and

comfortable in boots.

“Sometimes it takes a

woman from outside

the industry to come up

with a stylish solution to

a problem other women

suffer from,” says CEO

and founder Shelby

Mason. The company’s

new Darbys knee-hi’s and Ellevators over-the-knee boot socks

add style to the line with lace tops, boot cuffs, and thigh-highs in a

variety of colors and patterns.

Glitzhome

Glitzhome has an incredible array of

gifts and items for the home rang-

ing from everyday décor and coastal

themes to fall, Halloween and Christ-

mas. Styles range from modern and

whimsical to classic and country. Selec-

tions include vases, wall art, candle ac-

cessories, lighting, picture frames, yard

art, table décor, birdhouses and more.

New seasonal products include a variety

of beautiful glass pumpkins, rustic scarecrows

and other fall accessories. New holiday items include rustic and

retro Christmas items such as candy cane-themed wall art, a 3D

Santa hooked stocking and a 3D owl hooked pillow.

LynDorf

Envelove lockets, once worn by Grammy Award presenters and

featured in Vogue, are now available for the gift market, with a mod-

ern twist. LynDorf — the fashion design company that specializes

in rhinestone and studded designs for T-shirts, scarves, hoodies,

sweatshirts, hats and more — brings to retailers this stainless steel

Available at Cliff Price Too, Suite 1610, (800) 560-4438, [email protected]

Glitzhome

Bootights



locket that slides onto a double-

wrap thin strap. The Envelove

locket is embellished with

hearts, crosses, baby shoes,

love and other symbols — a

public display of private affec-

tion. An engraved message plate

can be purchased to put inside the locket.

Murchison-Hume

The company that brought you all-natural, plant-based cleaning

essentials that work as well as their chemical-laden counterparts

is expanding again. In 2015, husband-and-wife team Max and Peter

Kater are launching a premium pet-care line with a moisturizing

shampoo, a gloss and groom coat conditioner, and a between-

clean waterless wash. All three are blended with essential oils

for easy grooming and pest-free pets. Soy-blend, clean burning

candles in Mediterranean Fig, Australian White Grapefruit, and

Gooseberry also join the line-up.

Trust Your Journey

Making a connection with customers is of utmost importance to the

co-founders of the Trust Your Journey brand, which seeks to inspire

women to celebrate their personal path through life. The company’s

product line includes jewelry, organic cotton apparel, accessories

and journals. The latest addition is the Share bracelet, introduced in

2014. The braided cotton bracelets come in pairs and feature Trust

Your Journey medallion charms. “People are recognizing that they

can be a powerful symbol of love and support. Share bracelets serve

as a daily reminder that someone cares and is sharing the journey

with them,” says Beth Brownlee, founder. GR

LynDorf

Murchison-Hume

Trust Your Journey-a brand that ref lects the beliefs

and values of three women; a cancer survivor, a young widowed

mother and a devoted daughter to her dying mom. Each found

strength and courage in these three simple words. Wherever life

takes you, Trust Your Journey.

We look forward to seeing you at the

Cliff Price Too Showroom

Share your Journey with us on Facebook!

Over 1,000,000 followersand growing!

877-548-3895 office877-533-5999 fax

www.trustyourjourney.com

Available at Cliff Price & Company, Suite 1860, (800) 560-4438, [email protected] at Cliff Price Too, Suite 1610, (800) 560-4438, [email protected]

Available at Cliff Price & Company, Suite 1860, (800) 560-4438, [email protected] Available at Cliff Price & Company, Suite 1860, (800) 560-4438, [email protected] at Cliff Price Too, Suite 1610, (800) 560-4438, [email protected]

Mad About HueTHE FOLLOWING FASHION HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR ALL AUDIENCES

WWW.MAD-STYLE.COM 630•557•1660 #MYMADSTYLEBE SURE TO VISIT MAD STYLE AT THE SHOWS THIS SEASON! YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS IT!

www.ellypreston.com630-409-4453

THE BIG

RevealJanuary 2015

Don’t miss this! Be sure to visit us this show season!

artistry for your lifestyle


SENSIBLE STYLISH?

By Kimberly Turner

After 30 years of designing decorative

coasters with gift and souvenir custom-

ers in mind, Thirstystone recently broad-

ened its appeal by targeting a new kind of

buyer. “We met with a high-end furniture

retailer and realized that we didn’t have

much of a selection for the consumer who

wants to enhance the décor of their home

or express their sense of fashion,” says

Thirstystone’s Steve Frawley. “So we made

a conscious effort to upgrade our art.

We started by looking at how people are

decorating — what patterns and colors are

trending, what pillows people are putting

on their sofas, what art they are hanging on

Consumers want products for home entertaining that not only function well, but also can do double-duty as décor statements, like this cutting board from Totally Bamboo

ho says you have to choose

between functionality and

beauty when it comes to your

home and entertaining there?

From cutting boards and coast-

ers to cleaning products and tow-

els, today’s products do double-

duty as both striking décor and

indispensible home essentials,

and suppliers are taking note.


their walls. We even looked at apparel for

inspiration.” The result? A much broader

array of designs featuring materials such

as wood, glass, slate, and natural stones

in addition to the company’s established

natural sandstone coasters and, more

importantly, customers who noticed and

appreciated the change. “Sales this year

have really shown that we are on the right

track,” says Frawley.

Even segments that may once have

seemed straightforward, such as cutting

boards or dish racks, have had to keep up

with consumers’ growing desire to main-

tain consistent design choices, especially

when entertaining. To help customers

match its products to their décor, Totally

Bamboo — provider of eco-friendly bam-

boo cutting boards, kitchen accessories,

tableware, sinks, and countertops —has

begun offering three different finishes: the

original light-colored bamboo, a medium

shade, and a dark

espresso hue derived

from steaming the

bamboo until the

sugar in it caramel-

izes.

And thanks to the

popularity the Food

Network, amateur

gourmet chefs have

been inspired to put

more effort into the

appearance of their

dishes when serving

guests. Judy Wolf of

Totally Bamboo says that mentality has

also impacted the company’s designs:

“People love to serve on our cutting

boards as well. We try to offer a little de-

sign element with each board, things like

inlayed patterns that make for something

aesthetically pleasing for home entertain-

ing.” Cutting boards shaped like individual

states have been a top seller. “Those have

been a great gift item because people

have pride for where they come from, so it

becomes part of the entertaining sce-

nario,” says Wolf, who explains that the

company’s owners, Tom and Joanne Sulli-

Thirstystone has upgraded their product art by taking cues from pattern and color trends that people follow in decorating their homes.

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van, are both artists who design naturally

by focusing on aesthetics.

Other suppliers have begun coordinat-

ing entertaining products with consumers’

existing home fashions — even outside of

the traditional rooms the products would

typically be used in. Design Design’s

“personal expression products,” which

include stationery, candles, and greeting

cards, have always been trend-driven, but

Nicholas Canelake says the company’s

paper tableware category in particular has

been influenced by the form-to-fashion

trend: “This category, especially plates

and napkins, have begun to exist in many

different rooms in the home on top of

the dining area. Because of this, we have

added into our range designs that compli-

ment not only occasion needs but lifestyle

needs with color palettes and designs that

coordinate in today’s homes.”

Massachusetts-based Dennis East Inter-

Design Design’s products have always been trend-driven, but its tableware lines in particular have been heavily influenced by home lifestyle color palettes and designs — especially since entertaining tableware is now being seen in many other rooms in the home besides traditional areas such as dining rooms.



national (DEI), a gift and home entertaining

company, keeps an eye on everything from

current Pantones to interior design trends

to keep their 1,200+ new products a year

fresh and stylish. One way DEI is making its

offerings as useful as they are attractive is

to focus on multifunctional items: a mason

jar vase that can act as a flower holder,

drinking glass, and chalkboard, for ex-

ample; or a fillable craft lamp with a glass

bowl in the center that can be filled with

shells, sentimental items, or other knick-

knacks that help it blend into a home’s

existing design.

DEI’s Stefanie Ruge explains that even

pet products are expected to step up their

visual appeal in the modern home to ap-

peal to both its residents and guests. “Who

wants a plain, stainless steel silver bowl

for their dog? They want it to be cute and

match their décor. It’s about being fashion

forward,” she says. Cute bowls are just the

start though. People also want to express

themselves and their values through their

household selections. To that end, DEI

created an entire segment based around

rescue pets with items such as adorable

frames that ask, “Who rescued who?”

Heartfelt sayings, such as “Bless This

Kitchen,” and animal products (specifi-

cally owls, roosters, and bees) are also big

winners for kitchen textiles supplier Kay

Dee Designs. And though the company

has built its business on keeping up with

trends, Kay Dee’s Gretchen Bingle says,

“It’s more of a fashion trend business than

it’s ever been before.” Right now, they are

seeing a look that’s “a little bit more up-

scale and, in some cases, a little bit more

whimsical.”

It’s not surprising that companies found-

ed by people from artistic fields have a

strong focus on design. Murchison-Hume,

creator of lovely cleaning products (no,

When entertaining, consumers want even everyday products such as dog bowls and treat containers — such as these from DEI — to coordinate with their home décor, in part to be appealing to guests.



that’s not a contradiction), is another such

company. Founder and creative director

Max Kater was a fashion editor before

starting the business with her husband in

2008. She found the cleaning products

she had to use each day to be in need of

a serious makeover and took on the task.

“These are things that everybody has to

buy, so my thinking was, ‘why not make

them as beautiful to look at as they are to

use?’” she says. “Consumers are increas-

ingly sophisticated in their buying habits

and have more choices in every product

category than they ever did before. When

you think of it, there really is no such

thing as a style-free product anymore.

Everything from trash cans to paper towel

holders has had a redesign. Our idea was

simple. People do spend a lot of money on

making their homes beautiful. We just help

them stay that way.” GR


When entertaining, hosts don’t have to take off their aprons or put away their pot holders and other functional linens when guests arrive — thanks to items such as these from Kay Dee Designs lets consumers show off personality and style while serving guests.

Cleaning products don’t have to hide out under a sink anymore. Products such as these from Murchison-Hume are not only aesthetically pleasing, but they present a statement to guests at a time when many consumers are becoming increas-ingly concerned about using all-natural ingredients.

New for Spring 2015! Chambray Tea Towels feature embroidered mason jar design & twine bow accents!

Available for immediate shipping. To order, contact your sales rep,online at KayDeeDesigns.com or call 800-537-3433.

ChambrayTEA TOWELS

for a well-dressed kitchen


We’re the hottest social expression brand on the market and Design Design is excited to partner with Cliff Price & Co. as we connect even more people in the Dallas market and beyond. Visit us at suite 1860 to see our new 2015 release; everything from bright birthday paper tableware and fashion-inspired

gift packaging to gorgeous greeting cards and more!

THE HOT NEW BRANDAT CLIFF PRICE & CO.

Greeting Cards • Paper Tableware • Gift Packaging • Birthday Candles • Cocktailing • Stationery Gifts

800.334.3348 • www.designdesign.us

We’re the hottest social expression brand on the market and Design Design is excited to partner with Cliff Price & Co. as we connect even more people in the Dallas market and beyond. Visit us at suite 1860 to see our new 2015 release; everything from bright birthday paper tableware and fashion-inspired

gift packaging to gorgeous greeting cards and more!

THE HOT NEW BRANDAT CLIFF PRICE & CO.

Greeting Cards • Paper Tableware • Gift Packaging • Birthday Candles • Cocktailing • Stationery Gifts

800.334.3348 • www.designdesign.us


Parents might be familiar with the

popular Elf on the Shelf holiday

tradition: The elf is supposed to be

Santa’s eyes and ears, reporting children’s

behavior back to the big man. But this year

— after the holiday rush — he just wants to

send you out for a nice meal.

Visit the showroom this January 14-20,

and look for the elf hiding among all the

products. Take photos of all his hiding

places and show them to the showroom

staff, and you will be entered to win a gift

certificate from one of the following partici-

pating restaurants. Whether you win or not,

though, you’re bound to have a good meal

at these restaurants while you’re in the

Dallas area. Come see us in the Cliff Price &

Company and Cliff Price Too showrooms to

learn more!

Stampede 66

1717 McKinney Ave, Suite 100

Dallas, TX

stampede66.com

Renowned chef Stephan Pyles leads this

award-winning restaurant specializing in

modern Texas cuisine — and an unmatched

Lone Star dining experience. Stampede

66 features contemporary re-inventions of

Texas classics ranging from Gulf seafood

and hanger steak to Tex-Mex dishes at the

taco bar. With locally sourced ingredients,

wines and art, Stampede 66 has a deeply

Texan vibe. Western wear is encouraged

among the clientele, and with the wood-

paneled dining room alongside the elegant

art installments and state-of-the-art plasma

screens displaying Texas vistas, the restau-

rant has a comforting down-home feel with

a luxurious twist.

Hattie’s

418 N. Bishop Ave

Dallas, TX 75208

hatties.com

Located in the heart of the Bishop Arts

District, Hattie’s draws its inspiration from

the low country of the American South to

deliver fresh bistro-style dishes. Executive

Chef Daniel Ikelman develops unique fla-

vors from traditional themes, with a focus

on simplicity and local produce. Serving

brunch, lunch, dinner and a range of beau-

tiful desserts, Hattie’s gives customers

comforting classics like mac and cheese

beside sophisticated dishes of quail or Bay

of Fundy salmon. As the restaurant that

“helped build Bishop Arts,” according to

the Dallas Observer, Hattie’s is not to be

missed.

Cane Rosso

2612 Commerce St.

Dallas, TX 75226

ilcanerosso.com

As a three-time winner of Best Pizza in

Dallas by both D Magazine and the Dallas

Observer, Cane Rosso’s Neapolitan pizzas

can’t be matched. This Deep Ellum restau-

rant has been heralded as creator Jay Jer-

rier’s “pizza dynasty” for the sophisticated

flavors and laid-back style that has made

this local joint a wild success. With pizzas

made-to-order in its centerpiece wood fire

stove and a host of house-made and locally

sourced ingredients, Cane Rosso’s menu

provides casual dining at its finest.

Mia’s Tex-Mex Restaurant

4322 Lemmon Ave.

Dallas, TX 75219

miastexmex.com

For a more relaxed, family-style dining

experience, head over to Mia’s, where you

can enjoy homemade rellenos, original

brisket tacos and fresh chimichangas over

an ice-cold margarita. You may choose

to unwind on the open-air patio or head

inside for a taste of the authentic cuisine.

Established in 1981 and run by “Mama

Mia” Ana Enriquez, this Tex-Mex joint is a

staple for local diners and a treat for Dallas

visitors. GR

The Stampede 66 dining room doubles as a gallery for a range of mixed-media art installments by local Texas artists.

Hattie’s Southern-inspired bistro menu is the brain-child of executive chef Daniel Ikelman.

How About Dinner in Dallas? The Elf is buying... all you need to do is find him!Win a gift certificate to one of the restaurants below by finding the elf hidden among all the latest products.


www.PeriwinklebyBarlow.com20 COMMERCIAL WAY • EAST PROVIDENCE, RI 02914

[email protected] • CALL: 1.800.654.6074

s p r i n g COLORS

With over 800 new styles, Periwinkle will captivate your customers this season.

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hen Danny McClung

decided to open Zulees, he

had many things lined up: a

location, a lease, a con-

cept and a manager. What he did not have

was a name. He went out for drinks and

brainstormed with people, and someone

mentioned his dog’s name: Zulee. “That’s

the name that stuck,” he says.

McClung, who started his career in the

homebuilding business, founded Zulees

in a roundabout way. After opening two

franchise businesses that did not work out,

he was left with an open lease. To fulfill it,

he came up with the concept of a store with

gifts in the front and stationery in the back,

and Zulees was born. While Zulees creation

may have been somewhat accidental, its

success has not been. McClung’s dedica-

tion to building positive relationships with

customers and employees has helped

make it an overwhelming success since its

inception in 2010.

Now with 14 employees in its original lo-

cation — and a second location just opened

— the store has grown to be a local favorite.

Situated in a lifestyle center in The Wood-

lands, Texas, the store is blessed to be in an

area with a good amount of foot traffic. But

foot traffic does not always mean guar-

anteed customers. “I see people walk by

and just come to our store,” says McClung.

“There will be holiday weekends where I

check out the other stores, and they’ll be

empty, but my store is full. When I get cus-

tomer feedback that they passionately love

Zulees, it motivates me and makes me feel

so good. This is a business that I learned

late in life, and we’ve done a really good job

with it.”

Zulees is broken into sections, includ-

ing areas for collegiate, baby products,

tabletop and a rotating seasonal section.

The store carries a variety of lines that sell

very well, including Glory Haus and Paulson

Designs. But while Zulees carries the typical

mix of product types that many gift stores

carry, McClung is not satisfied with simply

Danny McClung may not have intended to become a retailer, but his success with Zulees has been anything but accidental.

By Wendy Angel

Photos courtesy of Sherry Patrizi Photography



carrying what’s popular elsewhere; to the

contrary. “I take a day a month and look

at the other gift stores. A lot of people will

look at what’s doing well and try to bring

that in. I do the opposite. Our goal is to find

the unusual items that you just don’t find

in every other gift store you walk into. We

carry some wood crosses with a charcoal

inlay that are made by a local gentleman

and our agreement was they would not sell

it to another store in the area.”

Besides researching locally and going to

market, between 20 and 25 percent of the

items on the floor are ideas that customers

have brought to Zulees as informal product

scouts. In a way, his homebuilding back-

ground set him up for this. “If you’re building

houses and you’re not listening to your cus-

tomers and are putting the wrong product

on the ground, you’re going to be sitting on

inventory. Same thing in retail. If you’re buy-

ing products and buying what you like and

not listening to your customer base, you’re

going to have a store full of product that no

one wants except for yourself.”

Customers’ willingness to bring him

products is a direct result of the relation-

ships that McClung has built, creating a

family-like atmosphere. “We know most

of the customers, and we talk to everyone

who comes in,” he says. “We recently had

a customer who had bought her Christmas

cards from us last year, and she came in

and gave me a big hug, and ordered her

cards for this year.”

This kind of relationship with customers al-

lows Zulees to do very little advertising (only

in a few bridal magazines to enhance their

stationery and printing side of the business).

They also donate often to local organiza-

tions, so area residents have become famil-

iar with the store in that way as well.

But customers aren’t the only ones that

McClung tries to keep happy; he also keeps

Zulees is gift store in the front, with a stationery and printing section in the back. The store carries a variety of well-selling lines, including Glory Haus and Paulson Designs.


his employees engaged. When hiring new

employees, he allows them to learn the

store, acclimate and get a feel for what

tasks they are good at and enjoy. Only

then will McClung assign more permanent

duties. “Why

not let them do

what they enjoy

instead of telling

them, ‘no you’re

not going to do

that, you’re going

to do this.’ Then

it’s not some-

thing they enjoy,

and they’re not

putting every-

thing they’ve got

into it.”

McClung says

that is the key to

running a retail

store — keeping employees happy. And

customers typically pick up on employees’

vibe quickly, as it comes through in custom-

er service.” If you walk into a store and the

people there are not happy and not enjoying

what they’re doing, you don’t want to go

back. The people who work in our store,

they are enthusiastic. They celebrate each

other’s birthdays, and they get together

outside of the store. On days off, they’ll

come in.”

While Zulees is not without its chal-

lenges — it is working on upgrading its

inventory management and rectifying its

lack of a POS system — the store has built

a great foundation in its mere four years of

existence. McClung has a bit of advice for

retailers on duplicating his own success:

listening, and asking for help. “When all my

vendor reps come in, I beg for their help.

They’re in this business, and they know it.

And I listen to each and every one of them

to help me make this store special. The

more input you can get, the better decisions

you’ll make as a business owner.”

And advice for when retailers go to mar-

ket? “Wear comfortable shoes!” GR

McClung works hard to keep his employees happy; that’s what he says is the key to running a retail store.

Come sing along with

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In many ways, A Story of Hope is just

like many other retail stores. The Okla-

homa City-based boutique carries the

usual mix of cards, home décor, gifts

and stationery; they closely follow

trends to find new products; and have dis-

covered the power of social media market-

ing. But where the store differs is that its

main purpose is not really to sell products.

It’s to help provide food and essentials for

children worldwide.

A Story of Hope is the retail offshoot of

Feed the Children, which distributed more

than $344 million in food, essentials, edu-

cational supplies and medicine to over 10

million people worldwide last year. All retail

proceeds benefit the charity, and store

workers are employed directly through

Feed the Children. One does not usually

think of a conventional gift store going hand

in hand with an international charity, and in

fact, the store wasn’t an original part of the

strategic plan — the space was actually a

museum first.

When a new museum was built eight

years ago, the organization’s leadership

thought, why not use the empty space to

further the charity’s mission? “With so

many people working downtown as well as

all the conventions that Oklahoma City gets,

it was a perfect opportunity to use this as a

marketing thing,” says Londall Guyse, gen-

eral manager of retail services at A Story

of Hope. “So, people are shopping, but we

get to tell them that we are a charity that’s

been around since 1979. When we have our

customers who are new to the store, we’re

able to give them information.”

Most people learn about the store’s chari-

table association through word of mouth,

but there is also Feed the Children memo-

rabilia and its mission statement displayed

in the store, and employees wear shirts with

the Feed the Children logo.

While the store serves as a way to

promote and fund the charity, they carry

best-selling lines just like many other stores,

such as Emerson Street’s collegiate lines,

and scarves and candles are some of their

best sellers. And, being in downtown, they

sell a great deal of Oklahoma City Thunder

— the city’s NBA franchise — merchandise.

But what sets the store’s selections apart

from many other stores are the one-of-a-

kind handcrafted products from Feed the

Children’s international programs in Kenya,

El Salvador and the Phillippines, among

others. One such program, called CHAMPS

— Community HIV AIDS Management

Prevention and Support — produces color-

ful bags and jewelry made out of recycled

items. “They twist strips of magazines into

little beads and they add an enamel on it

to make it a hardened bead. Then they put

a line through it and create necklaces or

bracelets with it. They also use recycled rib-

bons from VHS tapes and make purses and

little clutches. We also have several pieces

of artwork that are made out of butterfly

wings that are amazing.”

But for the store’s other products? Guyse

has to source them just like any other retail

buyer. For this task, he follows trends, reads

magazines, and checks with his reps about

hot new products coming in. The store’s

downtown location also comes into play.

“We try to go with things that are going to fit

the young professional — things that would

be appropriate for office attire.”

The store’s downtown location can be

helpful from a product selection standpoint,

but the location is also its biggest challenge.

As it is housed in an office building, A Story

of Hope is only open Monday through Friday,

Gifts to Give – And Gifts Given BackThe aptly named retailer A Story of Hope not only sells gifts, but gives back to communities both local and world-wide.


Cliff Price & CompanySuite 1860 Dallas Trade Mart • Dallas, TX 75207 • 1-800-560-GIFT

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limiting its customer base and preventing the

weekend traffic that most other gift shops

get. About 70 percent of its customers are

those they see on a day-to-day basis, and

the store gets extra ones during the conven-

tions or other downtown events. Because

the store is closed on weekends, though, it’s

difficult to capture potential customers who

don’t work in the downtown area.

For A Story of Hope’s regular customers,

though, the nonprofit aspect of the store

is a big draw on those weekdays and helps

forge a closer connection. Suddenly, they

aren’t just customers, but partners in the

charity too. The store is also a donation cen-

ter, and participates in Feed the Children’s

local food drops during holidays and natural

disasters, and customers get involved. “Our

biggest success is being able incorporate

our store with Feed the Children and get

our mission out,” says Guyse. “When the

tornado hit, several of our customers went

out and helped clean up the disaster areas,

and customers helped out with dropping

school supplies.”

Because of the charitable tie-in, conven-

tion centers and area hotels are more than

happy to send their clientele to shop at A

Story of Hope, and word-of-mouth adver-

tising is also considerable. But, the store

participates in traditional marketing prac-

tices like other gift stores, and Facebook in

particular has had an impact on its practic-

es. “We can post anything immediately, so

we don’t have to send out a mass e-mail to

everybody,” says Guyse. “We post coupons,

and when something new or interesting

comes in, we post that as well.”

But most people don’t just go there for

the deals; they go there for the great selec-

tion of unique items, and maybe for a little

bit of heart-warming as well. “Our thing

is, you get retail therapy and help people

around the world.” How great is that? GR

www.AccentAccessoriesInc.comT: 310-984-6857F: 310-388-0353

The store’s downtown location - only open on weekdays - lends itself to products that appeal to the young working professional.



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