The gift shop at Atlohsa helps to create funding for the rest of the organization. Atlohsa is a non-profit organization family healing center that seeks to provide programming such as homelessness prevention, community programs, support groups, and justice.
The items sold in the shop are authentic, promote the learning and teaching of culture and community, and help to support individual artists.
Kelly Waucaush, the Retail Manager at Atlohsa Gift Shop, highlighted how the gift shop sells a variety of items, they like to support local, and that they are mostly focused on indigenous culture and heritage.
“A lot of the significancy that we sell here is to make sure that our culture stays rich and that it stays alive,” she said. She talked about how when she moved to London that it was very hard for her to find things that allowed her to appreciate the art and culture.
She explained how you are not going to find these items in the everyday big stores. These are individually crafted items that have such a quality to them that you can see the hard work that someone has put into the item.
“When you are given something that you know somebody has made it just makes it so much more special.” This is because you know that the person has taken time to pick out everything that went into the item. And they took the time out of their schedule and time away from their family to create that item. But also, for some, creating these items is part of their livelihood.
At the store, they dedicate things to keep the heritage and culture alive. And the shop is very colorful and bright which attracts people to come in an learn.
“A lot of people just like to come in here. They just find it to be a very positive vibe for them… some just want to come in a look. They are curious. They want to know what there is here. And they see something, and they are like ‘oh that’s gorgeous.’ And they touch it, they get a feeling, and get a connection with it. So, it’s that tangibility too of when they come in that they can actually see the things,” she said.
On the back of some of the items, it will show the artist and give a description of them and their art. So, that you can look them up, learn about them, and learn more about the item.
This year, the store moved to an online platform due to the pandemic. Waucaush said that when they compared the sales for this year against last year that they were doing significantly better and selling so much more. This keeps her very busy and she’s very excited by it.
The gift shop will be open this week to welcome any last-minute shoppers who are looking for a unique gift for their loved one this holiday season.
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