Nicole Meyer is the Merchandiser/Buyer at Westborough Country Club in Saint Louis, Missouri.
Nicole Meyer on the importance of catering your retail offerings to all members:
Since we’re a younger club, we’ve noticed the shift in not just golf attire but in everyday attire as well. To accommodate all of our members, we wanted to bring in a clothing brand that golfers, tennis players and fitness enthusiasts can benefit from. We are fortunate to partner with lululemon, as they have become the staple for athleisure wear. This addition has helped make our shop more of a retail space for the entire membership instead of solely appealing to our golf members. We carry leggings, tank tops, joggers, shorts, short- and long-sleeve shirts and full-zip jackets. In addition to lululemon, we are also carrying Rhone for women’s fitness wear this year. Rhone, which just partnered with the LPGA, is a new company, so we are excited to see their product in the shop. We also carry fitness-related accessories and CBD. We have a fitness center on the property that all members are welcome to use, as well as a TPI-certified personal trainer who offers screenings and corrective exercises to help make sure our members’ physical improvements translate on the course.
Nicole Meyer on the business impact of catering your retail offerings to all members:
In terms of placement, our lululemon display is at the front of the shop in the first display cabinet; catching the attention of the consumers and helps draw them into the rest of the shop. While we want the rest of the membership to shop with us, we don’t want to overwhelm them with all the golf apparel and accessories. About 20 percent of our sales in recent years have come from our athleisure products. I’ve met more members since carrying these products, so foot traffic has definitely increased. I believe athleisure wear is becoming at least half of what the average person wears. Athleisure can have a clean look while still feeling comfortable. The golf shop’s purpose is for the members, so we want to make sure we have products they want to purchase. I understand we cannot satisfy everyone’s needs, but we would like to get as close as possible. When the members know we have apparel that can be worn in other parts of the club (swim trunks, athletic wear, business wear, etc.), they’re more likely to shop with us. After all, it’s a part of the membership experience.
If you would like to email the author of this Best Practice directly, please email proshop@westboroughcc.com.
