Retail has long been an area for potential revenue growth at Pittsburgh Glass Center.
Even without a designated staff member to manage it or a thoughtfully-designed space
to stage it, over the last few years it has earned on average $73,000 annually out of
what is essentially a glorified hallway in our building.
The short-term goal of the Re-emergence Fund (BReF) support was to hire a full-time
Retail Manager (RM), which we did in October 2022. The mid-term goals are to
strengthen the visitor experience; grow all retail sales, onsite and online; and decrease
burnout and increase retention of the staff who were helping out with retail in addition to
their own job responsibilities before the RM was hired and while they were being
onboarded. The long-term goals are to build brand loyalty; cultivate a repeat clientele;
and further diversify PGC’s earned income sources to increase organizational
sustainability.
As for the inadequate staging space for retail that currently exists in our lobby, this will
be addressed by our pending facility expansion which is scheduled to begin
construction in March 2023. Through additional grant funding from another source, we
have engaged with a consultant who specializes in mission-driven retail strategy and
design, Lakeside Collaborative, to inform implementing a merchandising strategy and
redesigning the expanded retail space.
Heather McElwee
Randi & L. Van Dauler, Jr.
Executive Director
Pittsburgh Glass Center