THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 6, 1995 TAG: 9510050148
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY IDA KAY JORDAN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 193 lines
THE GIFT SHOP AT THE 1846 Courthouse is reopening under new management.
The energetic volunteers who have supported the Portsmouth Arts Center through the years have taken over the center's retail sales area from the city.
They are busily stocking the gift shop area in the lobby of the old courthouse - which today serves as the gallery building - and plan to open Oct. 15, when a new exhibition by the Elizabeth River Artists will be unveiled on the first floor.
``We're doing this in a month, so we have no time to travel to shows or other places to seek the merchandise we want,'' Mary Whitney, chairman of the volunteer committee, said Tuesday. ``But we wanted to open as soon as we could.''
They particularly wanted to be open in time for holiday buying, she said.
The shop previously was operated by city employees on the museum staff and recently has been shut down. On the recommendation of city officials, the shop was transferred to the Portsmouth Museums Foundation. In turn, the volunteers agreed to operate it to raise money for the foundation.
``We've raised more than $9,000 for the foundation with our courtyard sales over the past three years,'' Whitney said. ``But that is a very labor-intensive project, and it takes all year. So we believe the shop will be a better project for us and raise as much money.''
The foundation is helping the volunteers buy inventory for the shop by lending them several thousand dollars from what they have raised in the past.
The art center gift shop will try to stock gift items not available at any other downtown location, Whitney said.
``We don't want to compete with anybody, and we've been to all the stores to be sure we are not getting things they already have.''
The shop is one of three operating in the city-owned museums. A private business leases the space at the Children's Museum, and the shop at the Naval Shipyard Museum has been run by the Friends of the Museum for more than 30 years.
All three of the shops offer alternative shopping for visitors and residents, and they are open the same hours as the museums: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays; closed Mondays except holidays.
The shops are accessible to the public without a ticket to the museums.
The 1846 Courthouse shop will be open for all special events at the building, including art openings and receptions.
``We will try to have items that relate to each show,'' Whitney said.
Meanwhile, she was busy this week unpacking Oriental ceramics, museum reproduction jewelry, linens from China, playing cards and bridge tallies featuring art designs, reverse-painted glass Christmas balls and other items the committee hopes will appeal to people who come to see the art shows.
``We are trying to keep the prices down to a level people can afford,'' Whitney said.
The shop will stock a few books, such as Dorothy Mitchell's bird book, and a few prints, mainly those related to art styles displayed by the museums, she said. ``We'll have a few crafts on consignment.''
In addition, Whitney said the committee is looking for some unique paper items, such as cocktail napkins, that are not available in Downtown Portsmouth.
The shop will be expanded to a space under the stairway that leads to the second floor of the restored courthouse, she said, by the addition of glass shelves and pedestals.
``Everything will relate to the art,'' Whitney said. ``We have been told by the city that we cannot be a souvenir shop.''
Much of the souvenir stock - including T-shirts, mugs and shopping bags - that had been sold at the museum shop will be put into the Portside Visitors Center, she said. However, the shop will carry note cards and other items that relate directly to art exhibits.
And the shop will try to tie into activities going on Downtown.
``We hope to be selling Ghost Walk tickets,'' Whitney said, noting that having the tickets at the counter not only will be a service to the public but also will bring visitors into the shop.
The Ghost Walk is an annual Olde Towne Halloween event that attracts thousands of visitors who tour the historic area to hear ghost stories.
``We're still seeking merchandise suitable for the shop, and we will take some items on consignment - if they are appropriate,'' Whitney said.
She is one of three volunteers who will serve as managers of the shop. The other two are Maureen Mizelle and Anne McLendon.
``I am the chairman now because I happen to have more time,'' Whitney said. ``But we all are working on the project.''
The Naval Shipyard Museum gift shop also is run by volunteers, members of the Friends of the museum.
It occupies a small space at the front of the museum and has been in business since the museum opened at the foot of High Street in 1963.
``When we opened, we had just a few souvenir items and we kept adding to them as people kept buying,'' curator Alice Hanes said. ``In a few years, the Friends (of the Naval Shipyard Museum) built the counter and shelves.''
The shop operates entirely with volunteers, who also collect admission fees for the city at the front counter.
``We have about 125 volunteers who work here over the course of a year,'' Hanes said.
The shop, she said, ``makes a nice profit'' and the Friends use the money to pay for items they donate to the museum.
``They just bought us two computers,'' she said. ``The Friends paid for the museum's first brochure and they bought the furniture in the library. Anything we need, the Friends do it.''
This shop stocks many items bearing the seal of Portsmouth, including key rings, letter openers, Jefferson cups and other pewter objects made in Virginia.
Note paper features drawings of the Naval Hospital, the Naval Shipyard, ships with a connection to local history and other scenes of Portsmouth.
``Our black-and-white postcards of local scenes are exclusive with us,'' Hanes said.
One of the longtime best sellers at the shop is the book, ``Portsmouth Under Four Flags,'' a local history narrative written by the late Marshall W. Butt, who also started the shipyard museum.
``The price of that is still $5.32 because we want to make our history available at an affordable price,'' Hanes said. ``We also carry Alf and Ramona Mapp's `Pictorial History of Portsmouth' which is now out of print and we try to have books of nautical history.''
Flags, including a small stand of the four flags that have flown over the city, are another big seller. They also have silk flags of Virginia and of the U.S. Navy.
Miniature cannon, jewelry and even historically dressed dolls are among the wares in the crowded space.
``We can't add to our stock,'' Hanes said. ``If we see an item that has stopped moving, we get rid of it and put in something else.''
Hanes said the shop tries to be selective in its buying and keep its prices at a reasonable level.
``A visitor here recently said she bought the same items here that she had paid more for in a Williamsburg store,'' Hanes said. ``We'd rather people leave here happy than charge too much for the items.''
Business, she said, is steady but the real busy time starts at Thanksgiving and continues through the holidays.
The Children's Museum gift shop is leased to Earth's Treasures, a private business, which also operates a store in Waterside.
For the first year, which ends in December, the company is paying $3.50 per square foot for the space at the main entrance of the museum on Middle Street Mall plus 5 percent of all sales in excess of $7,500 per month. No figures were available on the sales to date.
Under a five-year lease with an annual renewal clause, the company will pay $6.95 per square foot the second year and receive a 3 percent increase in rent for each successive year of the agreement.
The business is owned by Pat and L.P. Goodwin and operated by their daughter, Wanda Bowden. It donates money to conservation and environmental groups, Bowden said. In addition, it gives a 10 percent discount to teachers and to children attending birthday parties at the Children's Museum.
Business, she said, has been good.
``And the kids have been delightful,'' she added. ``I try to have some things in here that they can touch and try out, so there's lot of hands-on in the shop too.''
The shop is full of a myriad of items - many of them having to do with the environment and with scientific principles.
``Lots of times the kids don't even realize the educational side of things in here,'' Bowden said. ``But I am amazed at the awareness kids have of endangered species and environmental issues. Kids today are very informed at all ages.''
The shop has an outstanding selection of stuffed animals as well as less expensive replicas of animals and other items.
``We have items from 25 cents to $200,'' Bowden said. ``We want to have something everybody can afford.''
On the artistic side, she stocks items such as John Perry sculptures and Jody Bergsma prints.
The stock mirrors most of the slick catalogs that come from groups such as the Sierra Club.
``When we buy from people who sell their (Sierra Club and other groups) items, they immediately get a percentage,'' Bowden said. ``Then we donate a percentage of our sales to the environmental and conservation groups.''
Bowden said she listens to the children who come into the shop and tries to bring in what they talk about.
``We also try to have items they can buy as gifts for their parents or grandparents too,'' she said.
Since the shop opened shortly before Christmas last year, Bowden said she will not know until next month how much of a Christmas shopping destination the Children's Museum will be.
``But I expect to see parents and others buying for the holidays,'' she said. ``So far, we've had a lot of lay-aways for birthdays. People see a more expensive item that a child likes and they put it away to pick up later.''
In addition to layaways, the shop takes most charge cards. ILLUSTRATION: ON THE COVER
The items are from the gift shop at the 1846 Courthouse. Staff
photographer Mark Mitchell took the picture.
Staff photos by MARK MITCHELL
This miniature cannon is one of the souvenirs available at the Naval
Shipyard Museum.
Books and jewelry are among the choices available to shoppers at the
Naval Museum Gift Shop. All the museum shops are accessible to the
public without a ticket to the museums.
Mary Whitney is chairman of the volunteer committee for the shop at
the Fine Arts Center. The art center will try to stock gift items
not available at any other downtown location, Whitney said.
by CNB