By Diane Crosby

You have heard of buyer’s regret. One of the most profound cases of non-buyer’s regret I had was a jail cell. It was early days at our store, and we were looking for reasonable, sturdy, pre-owned furniture for our office area. We went to a used office supply store, and there in a corner was an incredibly old, but very cool, jail cell. It was a relic from the days when department stores would collar shoplifters and lock them up until a police officer arrived. How amazing would it be to have in our tactical store?! Alas, we were on a tight budget and couldn’t spend the money on a bit of nostalgia. I have dreamed of that jail cell ever since.

As time went on, we often included decorative items related to the fields of public safety, both to display and sell. Some were one-of-a-kind treasures. Others were purchased to be retail collectibles. The first products we included were Holy Bears. At the time, they came in fire, police, EMT and sheriff versions. Sheriff bears are no longer stock items, but we special order them in bulk. Twenty-five years later, we still sell them, along with other similar fun products.

“Collectibles” is a broad category that can include new items. Remember Beanie Babies? Some novel items make good gifts for the family back home or professionals in the fields we serve. One upside of carrying such items is that they are truly fun to shop for. After the tragic events of September 11, 2001, gift items in public safety themes were easy to come by. We found purses, jewelry, Vanmark figurines, tee shirts, mugs, coins, medallions, diecast vehicles and patches. Several of these have vanished over time, replaced by more generic products. In some cases, the supplying businesses went belly up. There were many collectible items we could still be selling were they available today.

It may be productive to attend gift shows offered around the country. At first, it might seem there is little for your store there. Be patient. Ask vendors if they carry anything in your field. Over the years, I have become adept at spotting police and fire items in crowded booths. Sometimes, though, the rep doesn’t bring everything. Asking is key.

You will likely discover that collectibles do not exist for every occupation related to your customers. Some vendors can create specialized products, though these might require a greater investment. We try, when feasible, to add products for dispatchers, coroners, parole officers, deputies and more. We have even created some in house with our heat press. Customers love seeing items with their own occupations on them!

Selling true antiques is another matter. It is amazing to get your hands on historic gear, signage or uniforms related to your customer base. You can use them to decorate, but it is smart to include a price tag! Unique items keep your store from looking the same as any other. Where might you find such items? If you have time, you can prowl yard sales and auctions. Looking online works, too.

Then there is something called new old stock. That is a cache of products you may come across in the back corner of a warehouse, in a store that has closed or in someone’s attic or basement. These are treasures, indeed. We have seen such things in the ANME Hot Shows and have grabbed the deals! Often, government surplus sales can include new old stock. When you find items that are genuinely old, but never before sold, you have discovered something special.

One big plus for adding collectibles to your store is profit margin. While you might need to compete with others on prices for common duty gear, many collectibles command full markup. Certainly, one-of-a-kind pieces can bring in a great price.

Being honest, there are some negatives to having collectibles in your tactical or other specialty store. You don’t want your store to lose focus. Keep your target customers in mind when stocking collectibles. Just because an item looks fun doesn’t mean it belongs on your shelf. For instance, when those annoying fidget spinners came out, gift vendors everywhere were pushing them. We only relented and stocked a Blue Line version. Remember, as Stephen Covey proclaimed, to keep the main thing the main thing. Don’t put so much fun stuff on your shelves that you neglect your gear.

It can be difficult to find enough to create a minimum order from a collectibles vendor if you only want certain occupational items. I have often requested a lower minimum order, explaining the type of store we operate. Frequently, a vendor will allow it. Again, it doesn’t hurt to ask.

Stocking collectibles, as well as gift items, is different than your regular stock. With your basic store items, you want to keep some products on hand all the time. Those would be your bread-and-butter items, such as cuff keys, rain hat covers and khakis in all the popular sizes. With collectibles, though, products can be discontinued more frequently. Customers may lose interest in the same old gifts. You may want to refill some collectibles, while letting others run out. New things on the shelves keep it fresh.

I once encouraged a hardware store owner to carry a popular item at the time, a dancing hamster dressed as a construction worker. He reluctantly ordered the minimum. When I checked back, they were all sold out. Still, he did not want more. “It just seemed weird,” he said, even though he had made a full markup on the sales. Sometimes “weird” makes dollars and sense! Whatever your specialty, be it tactical, military or outdoor sports, a little whimsy and nostalgia may be just the thing to add cash to your coffers.

 

Diane and Wiley Crosby own Red Dog Outfitters in Forsyth, Georgia. From day one, they have carries collectibles, making sure they are of interest to their customers.