cp giftreview winter 2016

GIFT REVIEWPresented by Cliff Price & Company

2016’S TOP FASHION TRENDS

Four Reasons to Pre-Book Holiday Orders in January

The Buzz on The Naked Bee’s Operation Pollination

WINTER 16 www.cliffprice.com | #DMCgifts |

New Vendor Spotlight | Retailer Spotlight | Winter Show: Jan. 20-26

Available at Cliff Price & Company, Suite 1860, (800) 560-4438, [email protected] at Cliff Price & Company, Suite 1844, (800) 560-4438, [email protected]

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2 • Giftreview • Winter 16 www.cliffprice.com

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

Features 8 2016's Top Fashion Trends 16 Four Reasons to Pre-Book Holiday

Orders Now 20 Profile: Busy Marketing, Busy

Succeeding 24 Profile: Remembering Debbie Nichols

Departments 2 Cliff Notes 4 New Vendor Spotlight 22 The Buzz on The Naked Bee’s

Operation Pollination

Fun for the Whole YearCliff Notes

Cliff Price & Company 2100 Stemmons Freeway Dallas, TX 75207 Office: (214) 744-4438 Fax: (214) 742-4438

madison/miles media President: Adam Weiss Editor: Wendy Angel Designer: Laura Kajpust Art 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 2015 Cliff Price & Co.

GIFT REVIEWDallas’ Premier Gift Showrooms

This issue has a lot of great information for retailers packed in it.

From spring and summer fashion and marketing to holiday buy-

ing tips, we have it all for the year right here. Essentially, we have

a whole year of fun and products lined up for you.In our fashion cover story, take a closer look at trends for 2016 to inform

your buying decisions: bold colors and Bohemian accessories, as well as functional and versatile items such as Accent Accessories’ Palazzo pants. And don’t miss the information on the hot new jewelry line, Canvas. With 600 eye-catching designs, there’s something for everyone.

And while you may be tired of the holidays, please keep reading on to page 16. Learn why you should consider pre-booking your Christmas orders during January market: save money and make even better deci-sions for the 2016 season.

Read on for a little retailer know-how. Holly McBroom of The Busy B, one of our very successful retailer customers in La Grange, Texas, gives some great marketing tips and tells us how she spun a would-be disad-vantage into a positive for her store.

See you in Dallas!

Thomas Nelson Publishers

4 • Giftreview • Winter 16

New Vendor SpotlightDelicious fudge and condiments, stunning jewelry and handbags, Selfie Mirrors, unforgettable greeting cards and more — see what’s new at Cliff Price & Company!

JewelryCanvasEffortless, affordable fashion jewelryCanvas makes easy-to-wear fashion jewelry with prices con-

sumers can afford to fall in love with. Its in-house design team

follows trends to create diverse collections that offer some-

thing for every busy woman, no matter what

her taste.

Retail price: About 80% of the line is under

$30. The remaining 20% retails for $30 to $50.

Retailer markup: 300%.

Dallas Trade Mart Suite 1800

Lamar CreationsHigh-quality jewelry with a lifetime guaranteeLamar Creations is so confident about the quality of its rings,

necklaces, earrings and bracelets that the company provides an

unconditional guarantee for each. Made with fine jewelry tech-

niques and hand-polished to a mirror

finish, the elegant pieces are afford-

able, not cheap.

Retail price: $10 to $82, with an aver-

age price point around $30 to $35.

Retailer markup: Three times.


Moda DesignsArtistic hand-made jewelrySince 1987, Moda Designs has been making jewelry for those who

appreciate a touch of creativity in their accessories. The clean, cul-

tured designs — many of which feature fashionable opaque stones

— come in sterling silver, bronze, copper, and silver or gold overlay.

Retail price: $10 to $95.

Retailer markup: 2.5 times.


Nugz JewelryJewelry as unique as you areEach piece by Nugz Jewelry can be customized with more than

1,000 different mix-and-match Nugz Snaps. Personal photos

can even be used to create one-of-a-kind wearable memories!

From hand-crafted leather to silver and rose gold (and introduc-

ing a new gold finish during the January market), the line offers

something for every taste.

Retail price: Nugz

Snaps are $7, jewelry

runs from $10 to $30

and handbags from

$30 to $70.

Retailer markup: 2 to 3

times.

Dallas Trade Mart Suite

1810

www.cliffprice.com

Winter 16 • Giftreview • 5

Accessories

Via FioriVegan handbags, beach totes and moreVia Fiori’s handbags and totes are constructed to the highest

standards using high-quality vegan leather with a pebbled

finish. Created by the same artisans who make $600 leather

bags, the cruelty-free bags provide upscale style without the

upscale prices.

Retail price: $59.99 to $74.99.

Retailer markup: 60 to 65%.

Top sellers: The Jenny reversible bag, The Jordan, The Josephine

and IT bags.


Anna NovaDesigned in Australia, loved around the worldAnna Nova makes stylish women’s

bags, wallets, and scarves (new for

Spring 2016) from a striking combi-

nation of materials and fabrics. Each

mixed-media creation, designed in

Australia, is part of a collection of

pieces that work together. Fash-

ionistas will want them all.

Retail price:

$20 to $149.

Retailer markup:

2 to 2.1 times.

Top seller:

The Vintage Bloom

collection.

Dallas Trade Mart

Suite 1810

iDecozThe secret to the perfect selfieiDecoz’s patent-protected Restickable Selfie Mirrors are as fash-

ionable as they are convenient. The mirrors, set in decorative

crystal-adorned frames, adhere to any phone or case, so selfie

lovers will never have to search for a place to check their hair and

makeup again.


Top sellers: Selfie mirrors.


Home & EdiblesBig Little FudgeSmall-batch fudge with big flavorsBig Little Fudge puts a new spin on an old-fashioned favorite with

bite-sized portions of creamy, naturally gluten-free fudge in a huge

range of flavors. Every delicious morsel is made from premium

ingredients and is individually wrapped in eye-catching packaging.

Retail price: $1.95.


Top sellers: Choc A Lot

(chocolate fudge), ‘Nut’orious

(chocolate fudge with walnuts),

and The Great Divide (chocolate

and peanut butter).

Dallas Trade Mart

Suite 1844


Salvy SousaAward-winning condiments with robust flavorsSalvy Sousa’s sauces, marinades,

relishes and Bloody Mary mix have

earned 33 national and international

awards since 2011. The all-natural,

American-made products contain no

MSG, preservatives

or high-fructose

corn syrup.

Retail price:

$5.50 to $18.

Retailer markup:

50%.

Top seller:

Sweet ‘n’ Sassy

Jalapeno Relish and

Bloody Bull Bloody

Mary Mix.

Dallas Trade Mart

Suite 1844

ViabellaExtraordinary greeting cards for any occasion Viabella’s greeting cards offer consumers an elegant way to

express themselves. With luxurious touches such as gems, foils,

embroidered accents, lasercuts, hand-quilled paper art, delicate

engravings and other high-end embellishments, these unique cards

are not soon forgotten.



Top sellers: Birthday cards and blank note cards.

Dallas Trade Mart Suite 1810 GR




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Designers from Cliff Price &

Company lines keep their fingers

on the pulse of incoming trends

all year long. They pore over websites

such as Etsy and Pinterest to spot styles

before they become mainstream. They

study the runways, follow style blogs,

peruse fashion magazines and explore

shows to make sure the products they

bring to market are on point. Here,

representatives from seven Cliff Price

lines share their best predictions for the

hottest materials, patterns, colors and

trends for 2016.

Looking Ahead:2016’s Top Fashion TrendsVersatility, bold color, plaid, and updated Bohemian and Aztec looks star in this year’s fashion lines.

By Kimberly Turner

Want bold color? Try this bright umbrella — which comes presented in a case that looks like a wine bottle — from Vinrella. Comfort rules in Palazzo pants and shirt from Accent Acces-sories. The black-and-white theme is rounded out with the bracelet from Nugz.


Functionality and Versatility

This year is all about ease of wear, comfort

and adaptability. Shelly Flores of Accent

Accessories says, “What’s hot in 2016 is

easy dressing: clothes that let you wear

the same piece to the grocery store during

the day and out to dinner at night.” She

cites her company’s Palazzo pants, a.k.a.

“magic pants,” as an example of the trend.

The flowy pants fit anyone from size XS to

XL. “You can wear them with a T-shirt to

take your kids to school and then throw on

a little jacket and chunky necklace to wear

them out at night,” Flores explains.

For similar reasons, Accent Accessories

is also expanding its range of vests in 2016.

The long vests Flores expects to be on trend

can be thrown on with a skirt or even shorts

to quickly dress up a casual ensemble.

Comfort will be a factor in buying deci-

sions. “I think people are very concerned

with the quality of fabrics, like better-

feeling cotton blends,” says Flores. “We’ve

done some shirts in a cotton blend that

just feels really, really good. People like the

softness of the cotton and the wearability

and breathability. Our leggings are a cot-

ton/spandex mix. That’s a big deal because

the addition of the cotton keeps you from

feeling hot and miserable in spandex.”

“This year is all about ease of wear, comfort and adaptability.”

Patterns dominate in the shirt and hat shown here from KatyDid Collections, and the bracelets are from Nugz.

More eye-catching prints are shown here in the wallet and backpack from Anna Nova, and the headband from Bamboo Trading. The stackable bracelets and coordinating ring hail from Anju.

More stackables! Periwinkle is getting in on the stackable trend with these gorgeous bracelets.


The 2016 focus on functional and com-

fortable pieces extends to bags as well. Kim

Higgins of globally conscious accessory

company Bamboo Trading says, “Hands-

free fashion will continue to be popular with

things like cross-body straps on bags and

even fanny packs.” Bamboo Trading is ex-

panding its range of best-selling cross-body

club bags, designed to hold a cell phone and

essentials with a secret pocket for cash and

credit cards. Stylish and practical!

Uninhibited Colors

The laid-back, stress-free trend also

manifests itself in 2016’s colors. Boho,

tribal and Aztec-inspired looks are more

about mixing hues than matching them,

so fashionistas can get creative without

being concerned about perfectly coordi-

nated handbags or accessories.

Little J Headbands are already on

trend for next year because they fit

everyone from toddlers to adults and can

be worn in a plethora of ways. But they’ll

heat up even more thanks to the incom-

ing mix-not-match attitude on colors.

Creator Julie Ethington says, “Styles are

changing to more of the Aztec, Boho and

Hot New Line: CanvasCanvas, a hot new jewelry brand from husband and wife team Michelle and Davin

Shaw, launched this month with about 600 unique pieces. Michelle says the line

is for “women who want easy, effortless style” and true to trend predictions for

2016, Canvas will feature pieces designed for versatility. “We’ve got pieces that

you can take from day to night,” says Michelle. “You can go from the office to a

nice dinner just by dressing up jeans with a nice pair of heels and a necklace or

stack of bracelets.”

Using a wide array of materials from semi-precious stones and glass to leather

tassels, wood and artisan metal castings, Canvas’s six collections aim to have

something that will appeal to women from their 20s through their 50s. “Canvas

grew out of our desire to make fashion accessible to everyone,” says Michelle.

“We design everything here with our in-house design team and give it that hand-

crafted look.”

The six collections available at launch are: Bohemian Rhapsody, (an “up-

dated take on Boho that incorporates bold punches of color”); Artisan Boutique

(“earthy, neutral tones that add a bit of sophistication to upcoming trends”);

Tokens (artisan castings in various themes, including inspirational pieces and

crosses); Geometric (artisan 3D geometric pieces incorporating stones and met-

als); Delicate (“delicate silhouettes including updated artisan bar and V neck-

laces, wire-wrapped pearls, and delicate hammered brass earrings”); and Initials

(delicate necklaces incorporating initials).

Hot new jewelry line Canvas launched this month with about 600 unique pieces. That help create easy, effortless style.

Canvas’s jewelry is designed to be versatile, taking the wearer from day to night.

For some bohemian style, try the incredibly versatile and popular line of headbands from Little J.

“With the focus on clothing that can move easily from day to night, acces-sories and jewelry are more important than ever in 2016.”

Aztec-inspired prints rule for spring this year, like this bag from Anna Nova.



Visit our latest collection featuring new styles of

Cliff Price TooSuite 1810

www.AccentAccessoriesInc.com | T. 310-984-6857 F. 310-388-0353 | [email protected]

See what’s new for 2016!Design Design is excited to partner with Cliff Price & Co. as we connect people in the Dallas market

and beyond. Visit us at suite 1860 to see our new 2016 release; everything from bright birthday paper tableware and fashion-inspired gift packaging to gorgeous greeting cards and more!

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


Visit our latest collection featuring new styles of

Cliff Price TooSuite 1810

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tribal style — all those types of looks that

everyone is bringing in with stacked brace-

lets and clothes that aren’t matching from

head to toe. You don’t have to wear the

same color shoes as your scarf; you bring

in all of these different tones and colors so

that you kind of create a palette for your

outfit.” To that end, Little J is bringing in

earthy, deep colors such as wine and navy

and adaptable hues such as rose, which is

“really soft and works with so many

different color schemes.”

Along with those simple-to-mix colors,

2016’s tribal and Aztec inspiration will

also bring bright colors, with vibrant

hues such as Buttercup Yellow, Snorkel

Blue, Fiesta, Green Flash and Peach Echo

topping the annual Pantone Fashion

Color Report’s list of hot spring shades.

Little J will continue offering favorites such

as burnt orange, mustard and peacock blue

for those who want to add a lively pop of

color. Bamboo Trading is bringing out bright,

colorful pencil cases handmade in Guate-

mala to take advantage of the adult coloring

trend (coloring isn’t just for kids anymore —

it’s the relaxation hobby du jour).

Patterns Aplenty

Brands that confidently blend textures,

fabrics and patterns will be popular

next year, and few lines demonstrate

that boldness like Anna Nova. The line’s

handbags, wallets, backpacks and

satchels work for both day and night

and take inspiration from the popular

Bohemian color palette.

“We’ve got some geometric shapes and

patterns that are really bright and fun,”

says Laurel McCallum. “Our bags are very

different; very mixed media. They’re for an

individual who really wants to stand out.”

Retailers will see geometric patterns

in plenty of lines next year, but that’s not

all. “We see mandalas really trending,”

says Higgins of Bamboo Trading, which

is releasing products with hand-beaded

mandala designs this year. “We think those

colorful designs will really inform fashion

in 2016.”

Flores of Accent Accessories says

chevron, which has been popular, will

hold on one more time. She also predicts

black-and-white, block prints, checks,

Aztec patterns, and red-white-and-blue

Americana-inspired patterns (it is, after

all, an election year) will be on trend in

2016. “Plaid is already getting hot, but it’s

going to be even bigger this year,” Flores

says. “I think, honestly, it will be the big-

gest pattern for the summer.”

Eye on Accessories

With the focus on clothing that can move

easily from day to night, accessories

and jewelry are more important than

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ever in 2016. Cindy Wielgus, designer for

Periwinkle by Barlow, says her company

has spotted several trends for next year:

“Stackable bracelets and bangles will

continue to be popular. Also pearls. Ear-

rings have changed quite a bit. They’re

now doing these ear jackets that hang

below the ear — they’re really fun — and

ear crawlers that go all the way up your

ear and make it look like you have four or

five earrings on. Necklaces are getting

a little bit smaller and daintier, but there

are still some statement necklaces.

We’ve also seen the Bohemian look,

which is big and long with a lot of bur-

nished silvers and golds and some long,

layered necklaces.”

Michelle Shaw of newly launched jewelry

line Canvas (see the sidebar in this article)

says the top jewelry trends of 2016 include

updated Boho (“moving toward a more

folkloric trend inspired by the Balkans”),

bold pops of color, delicate silhouettes,

3D geometric shapes, and earthy organic

materials such as lava stones.

Angela Reiss of Glory Haus says they

plan to be on the front end of a trend

spotted on Etsy by Glory Haus design-

ers: necklaces with tiny corked jars on a

chain. The jars, which can be filled with

dried flowers or any small item that has

sentimental value to the wearer, come

with a wide range of charms and beads for

personalization. GR

Want to sell the cover look? The

bright blue sweater and coordinating

scarf from Bamboo Trading is the ul-

timate in comfort, and additional ac-

cessories from Little J’s (headband)

and Bella Ryann (bracelet) round out

this brightly colored outfit.

Adding scarves, headwear and new jewelry — like the items shown here from Accent Accessories — can make an outfit versatile, taking a look from day to night.


I t’s January. You’ve survived the holiday

madness, inventoried your Christmas

stock, and are absolutely over listening

to Christmas carols. But before you wrap

up those ornaments and throw away that

fruitcake, you’ve got one more important

task to tackle: pre-booking next year’s or-

ders. Pre-booking at the January market is

a much smarter strategy than waiting until

March. Here’s why:

1. You will make the best possible

decisions.

Did you end the season with a shelf full

of a particular holiday sign? Were people

clamoring for more elf-themed products

or religious items? You can quickly an-

swer those questions now, but by March,

you’ll be focused on spring trends. Over-

come holiday fatigue and pre-book while

it’s top of mind.

“Some people come in and say, ‘I just fin-

ished with Christmas. I don’t even want to

look at it,’” says Angela Reiss of Glory Haus.

“But my most successful stores come in

and say, ‘I’m so tired of Christmas, but it’s

fresh in my brain right now. I know what I

had left. I know what sold for me.'”

2. You will avoid disappointment.

Some vendors simply buy a given amount

and when it’s sold through, it’s gone. But

many use their January pre-sales numbers

to make projections and determine quanti-

ties for production.

“A lot of our ordering decisions are

based on what and how much pre-

books, so if you don’t get your order

in early enough, by the time you go to

place it, some things may not be avail-

able for you,” says Lisa Medlin of Dennis

East. “They might miss out on those

best-sellers they’re looking for.”

Paul Mann of Magnolia Lane agrees:

“We bring in a little bit more over and

above what we’ve actually sold, but not

by a huge amount. So when it’s gone,

it’s gone.”

Now’s the perfect time to save some money and make the best holiday ordering decisions.

By Kimberly Turner

4Great Reasons to Pre-Book Holiday Orders in January

Dennis East’s Giving Plate is expected to be a popular gift for next season. The gift that keeps on giving, it’s meant to be regifted to pass on the love. Pet items, such as this make-your-own paw print ornament, are always hot sellers.

“Many lines offer significant

savings during January

pre-booking.”



DAMMIT!

www.DAMMITDOLLS.com | www.DAMMITCANCER.com | [email protected] | 888.689.7881

To place orders, contact your local rep, or reach us directly below:

ANOTHER TRADESHOW?!

JANUARY 20 – 26, 2016DALLAS TOTAL HOME & GIFT MARKET

Cliff Price Showroom, Dallas Trademart Suite 1860

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ANOTHER TRADESHOW?!

JANUARY 20 – 26, 2016DALLAS TOTAL HOME & GIFT MARKET

Cliff Price Showroom, Dallas Trademart Suite 1860


Dave Zeffert of Glitzhome likens wait-

ing to book holiday inventory to “play-

ing Russian roulette.” No one wants to

play Russian roulette with his or her

business.

Some hot items expected to be top

sellers for next holiday season include

Dennis East’s giving plate (a ceramic plate

designed to be re-gifted) and Snowball

Fun Kit; Glitzhome’s marquee LED prod-

ucts, hook stockings, and metal and wood

décor; Magnolia Lane’s holiday serve-

ware, hand towels, and frames; and Glory

Haus’s ball ornaments (particularly those

with the option to personalize), vintage

Christmas boards, and religious décor

such as the “Oh, come let us adore Him”

wall hangings.

3. You’ll save money.

Many lines offer significant savings dur-

ing January pre-booking. Glitzhome, for

example, offers two early-buy programs

for retailers who want to get great

deals The company differs from many

other companies in that it produces 100

percent of what is ordered during its

pre-book program, regardless of how

many or how few orders are placed for a

specific product.

Lisa Medlin of Dennis East says: “It’s

so smart to pre-book at the time of that

catalog launch because there are usu-

ally all kinds of specials around doing

that. If you wait, you may miss out on

a really great special and cost yourself

money.”

4. You can test the market.

The best way to find out which holiday

products will fly off the shelves the fastest

is to get customers to show you.

Angela Reiss of Glory Haus explains, “One

strategy I’ve seen really successful inde-

pendent retailers use is that they find a way

to do a Christmas in July or sometime in the

summer. They’ve gotten their initial order

in and they can see what sells. It gives them

the ability to collect data from their custom-

ers without something super scientific.

Those retailers can come to the summer

shows in Atlanta and back their orders up.

Some independent retailers are bent on not

putting out Christmas until after Thanksgiv-

ing, and you can do that, but you’ve just left

money on the table.” GR

Prebooking for the holidays in January can mean great savings. Glitzhome offers two early-buy programs for retailers who want to get great deals. Prebook their hot items such as their holiday LED lines shown here.

Make holiday buying decisions in January when the holidays are fresh on your mind. You will remember what was selling well and what wasn’t. Hot sellers from Glory Haus include their ball ornaments (many are customizable).

Always popular, Magnolia Lane’s line of holiday serveware is fun and whimsical. Want some more fun? Plan a Christmas in July event. Test out your initial orders so you can fine-tune them before the holidays arrive, ensur-ing optimal sales.

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The Busy B gift boutique is located in what many have called “the middle of

nowhere,” a long stretch of highway just outside the 4,500-person town of La

Grange, Texas. Yet despite its location — or perhaps because of it — the shop has

not only survived, but thrived. Owner Holly McBroom, who opened Busy B in 2002 at the

age of 23, has expanded her business three times and hosts promotional events with lines

of customers out the front door and across the parking lot.

Today, the nearly 5,000-square-foot store carries a wide array of baby and children’s prod-

ucts, home and garden items, jewelry, fashion and gifts for all occasions, but the product

mix has changed over the years. “The store has really evolved as I have,” says McBroom. “I

originally opened with a lot of bargain items, but as I’ve grown up, we’ve moved toward more

home décor and, especially after my niece and daughter were born, more baby and chil-

dren’s items.

The Busy B gift boutique has thrived due to effective buying, popular events and a good deal of marketing.

By Kimberly Turner

Busy

BusyMarketing,

Succeeding

Busy B is a 5,000-square-foot store that carries a wide array of baby and children’s products, home and garden items, jewelry, fashion, and gifts for all occasions. Some of her biggest sellers are items from Little J, Glory Haus, Occasionally Made, Blue Mountain Arts and Thirstystone.

When it comes to specific lines, she

reports that Glory Haus, Occasionally

Made, Blue Mountain Arts and Thirst-

ystone coasters are great sellers at The

Busy B. She recently started carrying Little

J Headbands and says, “I just got those

in and they’ve done very well. Honestly, I

haven’t been able to talk about them too

much because they’re selling just from

the signage. That’s one of the things I like

about Cliff Price: finding unique lines like

that.” She also says that “pick-up items”

such as Dammit Dolls really help the

store’s bottom line.

But having a great eye for stocking the

right products is just the start of a retailer’s

success. It has been the shop’s winning

combination of loyal customers, marketing

know-how and effective social media strate-

gies that has truly taken it to the next level.

McBroom earned a degree in marketing

from the University of Texas (UT), which

has strongly colored her view of promotion.

“While getting my degree, it was drilled into

our heads: You spend money on marketing

when you don’t have money to spend on

marketing. It’s that important.”

One thing McBroom has consistently

spent money on is billboards. With the

highway signage, she has transformed a

location that could have been a detriment

into a benefit: “It’s actually a perfect spot.

To keep her store packed, Holly has consistently used billboards. With the highway signage, she has turned her remote location into a benefit, capturing a lot of pass-through traffic.



People say we’re in the middle of nowhere,

but it’s really been positive to be on the

highway between Austin and Houston.

I catch so much of that traffic with bill-

boards. Customers almost feel like they’re

local because they come by so often.

Rather than trying to maintain a sepa-

rate website with up-to-date inventory lev-

els, McBroom regularly posts exciting new

products on Facebook with a “We ship!”

message and the shop’s phone number.

Fans of her page can simply comment

on the post or call the number to get new

items shipped directly to their homes.

“I’m constantly running little promotions

or giving away gift certificates for comment-

ing, just to get more people engaged, and I

pay to promote my posts, which is the best

thing. At first, I was like, ‘Gosh, I’m going to

pay $5 or $10 a post?’ but those $10 invest-

ments have brought me so much revenue in

shipping things out. It’s well worth it.”

The boutique’s marketing efforts are

rounded out by constantly changing prod-

uct displays, direct mail promotions, a VIP

club that helps Holly stay in touch with and

offer benefits to regular customers, and

hugely popular events.

“I love planning and hosting events!”

she says. During the holidays, the store

does photos with Santa, a tacky Christmas

T-shirt party (Texas is too hot for sweaters),

and a stocking stuffer party that turned

out to be the shop’s most popular event

ever. “I had a line out the door and into the

parking lot,” says McBroom. “I gave away

swag bags, held sales, and had brand-new

stocking stuffer merchandise that I had

just put out that night.” Busy B also hosted

a Moms & Mimosas promotion for the first

day of school, a men’s night, and an annual

anniversary/“birthday” event chock full

of discounts, giveaways and promotions.

During the Mother’s Day event, McBroom

partners with her sister’s spa to provide re-

laxation packages as prizes. “I like to cross-

promote with other businesses,” says the

marketing guru. “I do a lot of marketing.” GR

In 2002 - at age 23 - owner Holly McBroom opened Busy B. The store has since expanded three times and hosts extremely popular promo-tional events, such as a Moms & Mimosas event for the first day of school.

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Not only do bees make honey — a

main ingredient in many of The

Naked Bee’s health and beauty

products — they also play a vital role in

pollinating our food. About one out of

every three bites of food on the average

American’s plate would not exist without

honeybees. That’s why Naked Bee Sales

Manager Michael DeLuca came up with

the company’s new Operation Pollination

campaign.

In an effort to save the world’s dwindling

bee population, The Naked Bee distributed

15,000 packets of honeybee-friendly wild-

flower seeds to retailers. An accompanying

poster encouraged customers to take the

free seeds and plant them in their neighbor-

hoods. Many retailers also posted on social

media, using the “#OperationPollination”

hashtag to encourage shoppers to come

into their stores during the promotion.

The program was met with enthusi-

asm from both retailers and consumers.

Although distribution of the seeds was

expected to last six months, all 15,000

seed packets were claimed within the cam-

paign’s first 14 weeks. In 2016, The Naked

Bee will double its order to 30,000 seeds.

DeLuca was pleased with the first year’s

result: “It worked very well,” he says. “It’s

impossible to tell how many bees were

actually saved, but what’s important is

that we’re raising awareness in a way

that engages people.” It’s also hard, he

says, to pinpoint how much the program

boosted sales. But DeLuca notes that

providing a free bonus gift, an educational

opportunity, and a way to encourage the

company’s already environmentally con-

scious buyers to help bees is a winning

formula for everyone involved. GR

By Kimberly Turner

The Naked Bee’s Operation Pollination gives free wildflower seeds to customers to help save the world’s honeybee population as well as engage and inform retail customers.

The Buzz on The Naked Bee’s Operation Pollination


Join today !Make our family of products an integralpart of your successful retail strategy!

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D eborah “Debbie” Nichols,

CEO of Nichols stores and

long-time Cliff Price & Com-

pany customer, passed away peacefully

on October 5 after a long battle with colon

cancer. She was 58.

Debbie’s grandfather started Nichols as

one shop in DeQuincy, La., back in 1914.

Today, the 101-year-old business has five

stores throughout the state.

Debbie was enthralled with the family

business from a young age, learning the

ropes from her father. When he allowed

her to make her first order, she stocked up

on so many big, thick crayons (rather than

the standard ones used in schools at the

time) that the Crayolas were stacked to

the ceiling in the warehouse for decades.

Although she never really lived down the

crayon debacle, she did make up for it by

taking the reins as CEO in 1998 and increas-

ing both the floor space and staff. She also

expanded the merchandise from hardware,

guns and furniture to a wide range of gift-

ware, fashion, home décor, baby and chil-

dren’s products, hunting accessories, and

more. During her 14 years as a customer,

Debbie carried dozens of Cliff Price lines.

She ran the business from her father's

old wooden desk in the warehouse, care-

fully maintaining paper and pencil records

like he did. Her Cliff Price rep of 14 years,

Gail Lubas, recalls: “The thing that always

amazed me was that she ran this five-

store company and had

no computers. Her

CPA did, but she

would walk in the

marketplace with

rolling bags full of

binders. That’s how her

dad worked, so that’s how she worked.

She would pull those binders out and line-

by-line start spitting out SKU numbers to

me. She was awesome and just a fun girl.”

The talented businesswoman, com-

munity supporter and loyal friend will be

remembered by many, including those

here at Cliff Price, for her sense of humor,

competitive spirit, and kindness to her

staff and customers. GR

The long-time Cliff Price customer left her mark on her family’s century-old business — and the world.

RememberingDebbie Nichols

Cliff Price & Co. 1810-TME: [email protected] P: 800.301.3152annanova.com

Dream Cr ea t e In sp i r e. .

Come visit us at


Cliff Price and Company



Cliff Price & Co.2100 Stemmons Frwy.#1860Dallas, TX 75207

Glory Haus, Inc. All Rights Reserved. MART16-0004

Come See What’s NEW at Glory Haus!

www.GloryHaus.comPhone: 866.953.1762

Join in the Journey and find out what all the hype is about!

CLIFF PRICE & CO, TRADE MART, 1ST FLOOR

F O R

Korie Robertson

Crystal Paine

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FROM A&E’S DUCK DYNASTY

FROM MoneySavingMom.com

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Cliff Price & Co.2100 Stemmons Frwy.#1860Dallas, TX 75207

Glory Haus, Inc. All Rights Reserved. MART16-0004

Come See What’s NEW at Glory Haus!

www.GloryHaus.comPhone: 866.953.1762

Join in the Journey and find out what all the hype is about!

CLIFF PRICE & CO, TRADE MART, 1ST FLOOR

F O R

Korie Robertson

Crystal Paine

N E W C O L L E C T I O N S

FROM A&E’S DUCK DYNASTY

FROM MoneySavingMom.com

&

cp giftreview winter 2016

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