City to launch online store to peddle official Las Vegas swag
Gift shops around the valley peddle almost every kind of merchandise imaginable with “Las Vegas” splashed across it, but starting next week a new store will start selling city-sanctioned swag.
The city of Las Vegas’ foray into retail will be online only, to start at least.
The city’s new online store launches Tuesday at vegasstore.vegas, where T-shirts, hats, mugs and more with the city’s magenta logo will go on sale.
“If it takes off, we could look at having actual retail locations,” city Communications Director David Riggleman said. “Other cities do that. In New York, their stuff is ubiquitous. That would be a great problem to have here.”
Eagle Design produces all of the merchandise, with prices from $7 to $23 or so. The city will get a 20 percent cut of everything that’s sold, with the profits bound for the city’s general fund, Riggleman said.
Councilman Stavros Anthony pitched the merchandise idea at a city council meeting last year, after the city’s new logo was unveiled. He sees it as a way for the city to make a little money and continue to promote itself.
The trademarked logo, rolled out in October, is used on city signs, work attire, vehicles and promotional materials.
Anthony likes the idea of starting with an online store, but also envisions a gift shop, perhaps inside City Hall. There’s something similar in the Capitol in Carson City, he said.
New York City is cashing in on some of its icons in its online store with trinkets like reproduced Subway map ties, Empire State Building totes and parking ticket magnets.
It was his idea, but Anthony won’t be filling his online shopping cart early.
“I’m going to wait for the launch,” he said. “But I’m sure I’ll spend some money.”
Contact Jamie Munks at jmunks@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0340. Follow @JamieMunksRJ on Twitter.