MoNA gift shop painted, recast

When locals visit the Museum of Northwest Art gift shop, they’re likely to notice some changes in store merchandise, and maybe find some old friends as well. The shop reopened in November with a new look, local artwork and a personal approach, along with some familiar faces.

The reimaging of the museum’s gift shop project was a cooperative effort between the museum’s board of trustees and staff, donors and executive director Joanna Sikes. Catherine Wyman, a member of MoNA’s board, and treasurer, has helped lead that effort. Local shoppers should recognize Wyman: she co-owned and managed the Wyman Park store from 1985 until it closed in 2016. Two years later, Wyman brought some of her original sales team to the museum store: Linda Olsson and Martha Bufkin. Both are now sales associates at the gift shop. Olsson and Bufkin helped design the shop in a way they hope excites customers, whether local or out-of-town.

Wyman had thought she was finished with retail when Wyman Park closed, but when MoNA was reorganizing the museum, and needed some leadership in the gift shop, she stepped up,

“The first thing that needed to happen was some remerchandising. “Wyman said. The store layout needed some work, as did the display windows, and the store itself would get a new focus on local artists and art pieces along with some of the more popular existing merchandise.

The store closed for one week, to apply new paint and create a new look, along with the new merchandise, to match the reorganized museum and its exhibits.

Sikes says her own vision was to see the store reflect the museum and its mission by appealing to both locals and tourists, “Cathie and I wanted the same thing: for the store to be very welcoming, and to carry interesting products so that when a person comes into the museum they not only have an artistic experience, but also a quality retail experience.” It achieves this in part with the local art work. “There are things here that are not in other stores and that makes this unique.”

Original art includes paintings from Anne Martin McCool, sketches by William Cumming, stone doves by Tracy Powell, glass by Steve Klein, with wood carving coming soon from Kevin Paul.

Shoppers will also find swan bowls by Catherine Kerwick, bird feeders by Patsy Chamberlain, jewelry crafted by Kristin Ford and Nina Foster and contributions from many other artists as well.

“We make a conscious effort to include local art. There’s a plethora of artists in the area.” Wyman says.

The store offers more than just a broader selection of merchandise though. “We want to offer an energized culture in the store,” Wyman says. That means offering the kind of small town friendliness that involves taking time to greet shoppers, museum members and locals. “We have people coming in to see art, as well as the tourists and the local shoppers, so it’s a three-legged stool.”

Doing business is a little different in La Conner than in most towns, Wyman adds. Retailers here tend to share their customers. Some shoppers may have their favorite businesses, but stores, for the most part, all have that same audience, one Wyman and her associates are very familiar with already.

“People are relaxed, having a good time, strolling up one side of the street and coming back down the other, shopping as they go. It’s a whole different atmosphere than a mall,” she points out.

Wyman enjoys seeing old friends come through the door too, and while the gift shop has different merchandise than Wyman Park did, she still draws from her early experience there. “It all goes back to customer service, I always approach a job with that in mind. It’s what I strive to do. Offer great service, help people find something special.”

In addition to the art, MoNA’s gift shop continues to carry books, puzzles, toys, vases, scarves, glasses, pottery and other hand-crafted housewares, as well as wall hangings.

The store is open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 12-5 p.m. Sundays and Mondays, closing at 3 pm on Christmas Eve.

Olsson urges anyone who hasn’t shopped at the gift store for a while, to come get reacquainted. “Come in and see all the changes, re-explore,” she urges.