RETAIL BUZZ: IT’S SWEET TO PAIR WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES

We met Claire Marin, co-founder and beekeeper of Catskill Provisions, at an Ascot Chang press preview last February in New York. She was making cocktails for guests using her delicious honey whiskey. I am not typically a whiskey drinker, but I enjoyed and devoured the entire drink.

Marin says her fascination with bees began when she gave her partner Cathy a hive as a gift. She turned that fascination into a company and launched Catskill Provisions in 2010 as a local purveyor of honey-infused goods like whiskey, maple syrup and chocolate honey truffles in Long Eddy, New York. She partners with local companies to expand into other categories: Finger Lakes Distilling LLC produces her honey whiskey.

Showcasing and sampling other local, artisanal companies at a menswear event like Ascot Chang is an amazing way to introduce your customers to something new. Why not see who’s making unique products in your local area and team up with them for an event at your store? Collaborating with like-minded people in other businesses can help grow your customer base and introduce your store to a whole new consumer.