Bank on It!
GDA Staff -- Gifts and Dec, 12/1/2011 2:00:00 AM
Nestled on the Northern shore of one of the World's Lakes, Skaneateles is a village out of a storybook - quaint, historic streets, stunning views and a leaf season to leave home for. No wonder Chris Gary, who opened her shop, First National Gifts, in 1991, has made a career of "bringing in the people who are already here."
Gary says the village is the kind of place where "you can park your car, put your foot on the ground, and shop in all the shops and eat in all the restaurants."
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Gary's shop occupies a central spot in the block-and-a-half long retail district. First National Gifts is housed in the town's old bank building, a stately limestone and granite structure that dates from the 1920s. When the bank relocated, First National Gifts moved in to become an institution in its own right.
"The challenge," according to Gary, was to make the 2,000-sq.-ft. space, with its 28-ft. ceilings and wide open layout, "feel homey."
Gary and her team tackled this task by working to create a space that feels like an old-fashioned department store. Using historic touches, such as a display piece salvaged from an old pharmacy, they have designed a shop that Gary says has best been described as "classic, soft and romantic."
Merchandise is intermingled throughout the shop. Says Gary, "when you walk through the store you see something absolutely breathtaking and then right next to it you see something that puts a smile on your face, that is just absolutely silly."
One of the biggest challenges of operating in a tourist-oriented town is making oneself stand out from the other gift shops. In Chris Gary's case, there are three direct competitors in the compact area around her store. According to Gary, the massiveness of First National's stock separates her store from the others. "We have a large diversity in our inventory. We have a little bit of everything. You can come in and buy a nice gift for under $5 dollars and have it gift wr
apped and walk out the door, or you can spend a lot more."
First National Gifts is known as one of the region's best places to buy greeting cards. But the shop also carries many high-end goods, featuring a large selection of luggage and accessories, bath and body products, table and cookware and home accessories. Additionally, the store carries a wide array of Irish and Judaic gifts, wine and golf accessories, and Skaneateles-themed souvenirs and artwork.
"There is always something new in the gift world," says Gary. She knows that a large portion of First National's clientele involves repeat visitors, so "it's important to keep it changing to keep them coming back." To guide her in this endeavor, Gary focuses on making the shopping experience feel special. "I think in the gift industry it is very hard to maintain growth every year, especially with the economy and people always being told how bad it is," she says. To overcome this mindset, Gary aims to make people feel good when they come in the store.
Marking her twentieth year 
in business, it's clear that Gary has found a solid formula for her store's success. She is always open to the possibility of heading in a new direction - for example, this year they are experimenting with TV advertising - but generally the business model feels good the way it is.
Much of this seems to rely on the good old-fashioned idea of customer service. "I always say a gift from the heart is the best gift. Even if we don't have the right gift, we try to help them with an idea, or just make them happy. If they don't buy today, but have a good experience in our store, they'll come back tomorrow because they remember they were treated well."
We would love your feedback!
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