THE GIFT-SHOP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18197, 16 September 1922, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE GIFT-SHOP.

The gift-shop notion, which hails from America, is attracting enterprising British women with depleted incomes as a very interesting and pleasant means of earning a living, says a contemporary writer. The gift-shop is a depot for the receipt of beautiful and original hand work, such as children's garments, finely smocked, embroideries, art jewellery metalwork the latest thing in raffia or leatherwork, knitting, crochet, etc. These are brought in by friends and others to be sold on commission, generallv at a sum fixed at <«J per cent. There are many people witn some leisure and clever fingers who turn out charming work, which is almost too good for the ordinary trade, but which would find a happv home at the gift-shop. Not much capital is necessary to stall. a gift-shop, as most of the stock is contributed bv outside workers. The prospective saleswoman must calculate running expenses according to rent to be paid, starting with enough cash in hand to cover the first six months or so, as time must elapse before establishing a connection. In the States a woman often takes a partner and runs a gift-shop and tearoom combined, an idea which is recommcndable as a means to success, the sale of food being a sound proposition, with steady profits which will help bridge over a slack time in gift selling. As regards tho teashop, utilise its wallspace for picture exhibitions. There are many artists who would welcome the chance of "thus showing their slighter efforts of pastol or water colour in surroundings that are novel yet artistic. " Making our art patrons more comfortable " is much discussed nowadays, and the teashop exhibition points the way, for who would not prefer warmth, soft lightin?, and arm-chair ease to the bleak, bare gallery, where often the small, decorative " room " picture shows to no great advantage. Given comfortable surroundings and time to become familiar with some particular sketch which has caught the fancy, a sale might be " clinched " at the teashop which would be lost at the gallery, while the gift-shop partners gain a percentage from the transaction.