ATHENS, Tenn. — A local gift shop has been honored as one of the 25 best retailers in the nation by a leading industry magazine.
The listing in Gifts & Decorative Accessories magazine was a surprise to Greeks Bearing Gifts owners Jim and Patti Greek, since magazine representatives visited the shop unannounced.
“They won’t tell us how they found us or when they visited the store,” Mrs. Greek said.
She said many of the top 25 are companies with multimillion-dollar sales.
“This really is a wonderful honor.” Mrs. Greek said.
According to the article in the November, 2007 issue of Gifts & Decorative Accessories, “Independent gift retailers are not just surviving in this predatory retail environment — many are thriving.”
The article says that their picks are “25 of the fittest specimens in the realm of independent gift retailing. They are, indeed, the industry’s gifted retailers.”
The Greeks have a lot of experience in retail gift sales. Patti worked as a buyer and trainer for McClure’s Department Store in Nashville. While working at Crabtree & Evelyn in Connecticut, she served for nine years as director of U.S. retail stores.
Jim worked for Lord & Taylor, then for Crabtree & Evelyn, setting up corporate stores.
They left those businesses for the slower life in Athens and opened their downtown store in 1996. The shop carries candles, holiday and personal care items, toys and gifts, gourmet food, greeting cards and more. There’s also a Web site that allows the Greeks to sell over the Internet.
Their secrets in retailing include constantly receiving new merchandise, changing displays and adding new lines.
“When we go to markets we think about what our customers like,” Mrs. Greek said.
Mr. Greek said many retailers got to retailing markets and return to the same suppliers year after year.
“But when Patti goes (in Atlanta and New York) she sees everything that is there,” Mr. Greek said.
Customer Judy Brumback said she often visits the shop on her lunch hour.
“What I like about the shop is that they have gifts of all prices,” Ms. Crumback said.
“I really enjoy the personal customer service,” customer Claire Thompson said.
Will Purushotham and Jennifer Underdown were working at the store last week, and both said they enjoy the work and their bosses.
Ms. Underdown said she went to the Atlanta market this year with the owners and got a new perspective on retail sales.
“I had no idea what kind of knowledge of the products and of the customers that it takes,” she said.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Name: Greeks Bearing Gifts
Specialty: Gifts and accessories
Employees: Nine part-time
Address: 11 North Jackson St., Athens, Tenn.
Web: www.shopgreeks.com
