Displaying Inspiration

Visual merchandising is a labor of love for Lea Semple, co-owner of the Elysian Fields specialty gift store in Sarasota, Florida. Semple, who hand-picks all the merchandise in the store, makes it her goal to present unique products in a way that promotes spirituality and personal growth. The Elysian Fields credo reads: "It is our mission to offer empowering information and beauty through books, speakers, music, videos, writing, and through gifts with a spiritual connection and meaning." By offering products that enrich customers' lives with information and beauty, Semple has also found professional fulfillment for herself. And, according to co-owner Kim Perkins, the store's distinctive visual merchandising techniques are one of the main reasons that Elysian Fields has been so successful (the store posted sales of $1.5 million in 2000).

According to Semple, the type of merchandise the store features has become "more mainstream and universally accepted" than it was when Elysian Fields first opened ten years ago. That means that the merchandise is also more widely available, which makes first-rate visual merchandising crucial to the store's continued success. In 2000, Lea Semple rose to the challenge.

In preparation for the 2000 holiday season, Semple had to clear inventory to make room in for new merchandise and the rush of Christmas shoppers. One item in particular, a 43"x34" brass statue of Shiva Nataraja, had been in the store for almost 11 months, and Semple wanted to move the piece before the new inventory came in.

Semple created an Eastern-themed altar display in the middle of the store, using the brass Shiva as well as Tibetan metal singing bowls and crystal bowls — all items used in meditation. The display, which was highlighted with flowers, drapery, and hanging stars, was a big hit with customers. "People were really talking about it," Semple said.

The statue, which had a retail price of $1,650, sold within a month, as did 24 Tibetan singing bowls worth a total of $1,352 and one crystal bowl worth $250. The Shiva-inspired altar generated a total of $3,252 in sales.

In December, Elysian Fields launched a promotional campaign to celebrate the store's tenth anniversary. Semple and Perkins chose 12 theme words that reflected different aspects of the store's vision and its mission statement. The promotion focused design elements for each month on one theme word. The theme for December was "Peace."

Inspired by the book Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr, Semple constructed a display using origami cranes to spread the message of peace. She created a double-sided display in one of the store windows. The exterior view was a vertical arrangement featuring Peace Cranes attached to tree sprigs suspended from the ceiling. With a white gossamer background and soft base lighting, the origami birds appear to flutter above a copy of the Sadako book. The interior featured Peace Cranes and books arranged on sheer fabric.

"The display brought customers into the store, and in December we sold 401 Peace Cranes, for a gross total of $4,010," said Semple. Peace Craft, manufacturer of the origami, donated 5 percent of the cost of the cranes to relieve children's suffering. The display contributed to a sense of community at Elysian Fields, said Semple, extending the owners' vision of peace through a spiritual lifestyle.

After Christmas, Semple wanted to showcase Japanese pottery and four high-end tabletop fountains. The display she created featured a diverse selection of pottery situated on black velvet, with the fountains positioned among the plates, bowls, and tea sets to provide movement and the aural sensation of running water. Books on Zen and Eastern philosophy and a row of stones engraved with inspirational watchwords rounded out the balanced display.

"Customers wanted to take everything home and re-create the same look there," Semple said. There were calculable results as well: The sales generated by the display totaled more than $10,500.

By focusing on personal fulfillment and spiritual growth, Semple has taken visual merchandising to a new plane at Elysian Fields.