Page 42 - AMC January 2020

THE BIRTH OF PENNY POST Rutherford always had a love of paper products and as she began expanding gift categories like apothecary, children’s gifts and kitchenware at Red Barn Mercantile, she particularly enjoyed watching the growth and success of the stationery category. For several years, she incubated the idea of opening a paper store and when a 900-square-foot storefront became available just a few doors down, she opened Penny Post in September of 2017. The retail design and product mix at Penny Post has a modern and international focus. Quite different, by design, from the first store, there is zero overlap in product lines between the two sister stores. For example, even though both stores have ample areas devoted to food items, Penny Post may stock the latest snack food trend while Red Barn Mercantile has cross-merchandised displays of ginger shrubs with chocolate chip cookies and copper mugs. Buying for the two distinct stores is not as challenging as it may seem. “I can often tell immediately by the packaging if a product line should be considered for Red Barn or Penny Post,” said Rutherford. MARKET PLAN Rutherford’s January trips to AmericasMart begin with the first day devoted entirely to Christmas for both shops. “I start with my tried and true, existing vendors,” said Rutherford. She does not set advance appointments. Rutherford visits dedicated, single-vendor showrooms, but enjoys being introduced to lines and new products in the multi-vendor showrooms, as well. After her holiday buy, she is most interested in spring product themes and trends and she looks throughout the campus for inspiration and products that will become part of themed merchandising stories in-store. Rutherford allows at least one full day to write orders in the High Design Penny Post Temporaries and the Gourmet Temporaries and finishes up her time at Market with the temporary floors in Building 3 seeking toys, gifts and stationery to add to her merchandise mix in both stores. ■ Come meet Amy Rutherford at AmericasMart on Wednesday, January 15 at 1 p.m. Be part of the live audience as Becky Tyre interviews Amy in a seminar format as the retail guest for the next episode of Retail Details the Podcast: Partnering for Promotions & Successful Store Events. For details visit AmericasMart.com/Events. 32 |